Ring of Fire [Reika/Watari/Closed]

Steel flashed amongst the tall grassy hills of a world bathed in perpetual night. Tall dew covered blades were cut down with every glint of moonlight. Others were trampled flat beneath the paws of a massive wolf, or swept off the hillside by its enormous tail. Already the house had been destroyed. Again.

You are slowing!

The ground shook beneath Yuki's feet as her foe landed where she had been a second earlier. She was breathing hard. Katsumi was right. She was slowing down. Her injuries were starting to overwhelm her. A broken arm. Fractured ribs. Her left foot was nearly crushed. While none of it was real the pain certainly felt as such.

You cannot defeat her like this.

I know. Nothing is working.

She had landed quite a few strikes, and yet none had managed to wound the beast. Why was that? Was she not strong enough? What was she missing?

You are still holding back.

Teeth were grit as the white wolf's right paw swept in towards her body, barely caught in time by the Shinigami's blade. The sword clattered, arms on the verge of buckling beneath the immense force. Feet dug into the ground. Her tail flared out behind her. But stopping the attack was simply not enough. Already the creature's tail was whipping in towards her left side.

A pained growl escaped from the girl as she abandoned her left hand grip upon the zanpakuto, moving it out to intercept the enormous whip-like weapon. Her eye widened, a howl of agony leaving her lips as her hand was shattered by the force of the blow. However the gambit had paid off. The tail, for a brief moment, had been halted!

If you keep losing like this-

I won't lose!

Her blade arched out against the paw it held. It was chased swiftly by a trail of crimson. She had wounded the beast! Now it was Katsumi's turn to growl in pain, but such a reaction was short lived. A gaping maw filled with horrendously sharp teeth closed in upon Yuki from above.

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Damnit!

Yuki stumbled to her right, fist weakly pressing against a wall to catch her breath. This had been her thirteenth return to that realm within her soul and every expedition had ended in failure. Every defeat had left her more exhausted than the last. However this time she had managed to wound the beast.

It is a step in the right direction. I just need to figure out what I was doing wrong.

Her eye closed, forehead pressed against the chilled wall she leaned into for support. Doing this sort of thing while seated comfortably upon a bed was tiring enough. But she had been stuck in that bed for a few days now. She wanted to be up, to be moving around. Sitting around doing nothing felt wrong.

There is so much to be done. But it will be worth it. Perhaps even Zenji-

The wolf's nose twitched in agitation. What was that smell? Smoke? She pushed herself off the wall and stood up straight, searching for the source. It wasn't Watari. No, that was a different scent. Something else was burning.

Where is that coming from?

A knot formed within her stomach as she cast her gaze to the sky. As quick as she could she bolted. The pain from her wounds, still in the process of healing, was ignored. All of her focus was set upon the road ahead.

No. No! No it couldn't be!

She knew not how much time had passed, but eventually she reached the entrance to the estate. As the smell of blood hit her nose Yuki drew her blade. Fingers tightened around the handle of her blade as she made her way forward. Someone had attacked her home.

Dew cooled into a sparkling lattice across the grass at Titus’s feet. His Zankaputo usually tucked in long overflowing sleeves shone sparkling in the light of dawn. The old Suzumei butler ran an index finger along the metal of the blade, his blood staining the surface of the steel. He had stood in silence, witnessing the rebirth of the Suzumei and now he saw Watari in all his majesty, Titus saw the complete scope of Watari’s plans.

In a way, Titus had never liked Yuki Kameko, quite honestly anybody whose blood had been tainted by beasts wasn’t worth his time of day. How she’d caught the young master’s eye? Well, that still left a foul pit in his stomach, half-breed pups? The fathers be damned, he wouldn’t let that happen. His blood ran along the steel freezing into icicles at the tip of his blade, his reiatsu flowing into a crisscrossing lattice that spread outwards like a spiderweb down towards the Kameko estate.

Mistress Suzumei had changed that, unlike the foul madam she wasn’t sullied. He felt phlegm in his mouth and reflexively spat to the side. She was at least as crafty as a Suzumei and twice as deadly, to rebuild the family? To rebuild the nobility? A strong hand was needed, a hand that wasn’t born of folly, a hand that wasn’t impure. Again. This time the phlegm froze before it hit the ground, a sparkling star of ice shattering on frost.

He felt the entire estate, the she-wolf’s property, his lattice of ice ran deep into the soil coiling around seedbuds and up along grapevines. It ran along inferior woodwork and haphazard stonework. How this family had ever been considered was deeply beyond Titus’s realm of reasoning. The ice continued into the grounds spilling across dirt and grass, landscaping and sculptures before rolling across the crumpled form of Reika.

Reika Suzumei.

She bled into the soil barely conscious. His ice spilled out around her, not touching her for why would it? She was the future, she was the guiding light for Watari outside of the darkness that had followed Yuki Kameko’s every step. He’d hang the wolf girl one day, the centrepiece of his freezer.

“Lady Suzumei”

A trigger word for the ice, for within moments the deeply seeded network of frost instantaneously burst into flame, hungrily devouring the thrice accursed den of the wolf.

“I leave it to you”

Thump. Thump. Thump.

Reika’s heart beat hard in her chest as Titus and she walked the cobbled path to the Kameko residence. On the outside things seemed fine, anyone crossing their path would simply think that the young noblewoman was out on a leisurely stroll with the family attendant. Nothing out of the ordinary there. But no one, save them and Watari knew the sinister intentions that lay beneath the calm facade. It was finally time to enact what Reika deemed necessary against those that crossed her.

They had arrived outside a white gate emblazoned with the Kameko family's crest. The gate was pushed open and Reika found herself on that familiar cobblestone path flanked with cherry trees. Nothing seemed to have changed since her last visit. It was such a shame that that would all have to end so suddenly. That did bring a small smirk to the young shinigami’s lips as she and Titus made their way to the plaza.

Thump. Thump. Thump.

Simple greetings - they all remembered her. A small group of Yuki’s staff couldn’t help but come up to Reika with warm smiles and polite bows. The intel was right, the mutt was out on a mission. Perfect.

The red light of dawn cast long shadows along where they stood as fingers tightened around the hilt of the zankaputo at the redhead’s side. “The Suzumei send their regards.” With one deft motion, Reika had drawn her blade, slicing clean through the staff member’s neck, sending it to the ground as she grabbed the woman next to him, grabbing her shoulder as she plunged Asadi into her chest before she could utter a cry. “Now Titus!”

Cold venom issued forth from those words as the noblewoman’s blood boiled. This was the day that she’d right the wrongs that had befallen her. No more would someone dare to try and trick her, use her emotions and gullibility. Now she was the one with all the winning pieces in this noblemans’ game - and she was more than willing to sacrifice a few pawns to win.

It didn’t take long for the pair to wipe them all out. No. Yuki made it far too easy for them to do so. Such a small staff paid the pittance for their master. But they weren’t innocent. No, they played the little game. They played along with their she-wolf of a master. They deserved to die for their sins. The staff lay where they stood, blood splattered across the once comely estate of the Kameko family. Oh, how they painted such a lovely picture of betrayal and trust.

Now though, now was the time to add the final touch to this little masterpiece.

Reika brought Titus to the garden, the very place Yuki laid thick her treachery. Lying to her face about their so-called friendship. It was time to turn the tables. Lady Suzumei handed Titus her zankaputo. “Do it.” She commanded firmly.

There was no hesitation. One fluid motion brought Reika flat to the ground. She didn’t even feel the blade at first. No there was nothing but a dull ache until she looked down to see the blade sticking through her stomach. Blood gushed from the wound as the pain seemed to reach into her mind. She didn’t scream, she didn’t yell. No. Those once shimmering blue eyes seemed to dull as her right hand grabbed the blade. Slowly, she looked to the sky as the cold surrounded her.

The ice looked so beautiful in the glint of the morning life. A tinge of blue kissed by a hint of red. And in a moment, it turned to hell as fire erupted all around her.

Thump…

Thump…

Thump...

No no no no no!

The closer she got to her family's home the more certain she became that it had in fact been targeted by someone, or something. But by who? And for what purpose? Perhaps it had simply become an unwitting battleground for one of Watari's misadventures. He had posted men around the estate. Or, rather, his estate had engulfed the lots around it.

Her blade was drawn as she neared her home. She was prepared to jump right into whatever madness was causing this damage to her estate. Things could be replaced. Her attendants could not. She just had to hold out hope that Watari's men were here, that they were putting up a solid defense. If only she could be so lucky.

Yuki was greeted by corpses as she entered through the parted front gates, stumbling to a halt. Familiar faces. Unarmed attendants. Kind people who should have never been involved with her in the first place. Her body froze in place, red orb captured by the terror stricken visage of someone who she'd considered to be a friend. Someone she'd failed to protect.

You knew this would happen.

She didn't hear the spirit. The hammering within her chest and the ringing within her ears dulled all other sounds. Even her voice, escaping as a trembling whisper, went undetected.

"I'm sorry."

Fighting the sickening feeling rising from within her gut, Yuki carefully stepped around the bodies, only breaking her gaze once she'd passed them. Someone had attacked them. A blade. The cuts were clean. They had greeted whoever had done this.

They were just doing their job. They were defenseless. They didn't deserve this.

This is what happens when people get close to you.

The grip upon her blade tightened. Yuki's left hand lifted as she reached the front entrance, halting for a moment once she made contact with the door. Upon sliding it open her stomach sank as a wave of iron assaulted her senses. Corpses filled the entryway.

"Rei."

Seeing her laid out in the middle of the floor hit the little Shinigami particularly hard. Knees weakened, forcing her to lean against the doorframe for stability. Had she not promised to keep the girl safe? To give her a better life?

You cannot keep these promises. This will always happen.

Tears stung at her eye, blurring her vision. Lips parted to speak, but nothing slipped free. What else could she say? There was nothing she could do to help her now. That moment had passed.

A smell of burnt strawberries finally broke her from her trance. The fire. What if the one responsible for this was still here? Perhaps some of Watari's men were fighting them.

Where are their corpses?

With haste Yuki pushed further. When she arrived at the garden she was met with a firestorm. Fond memories flashed before her eyes. Her mother. Her father. Her family, whole and enjoying life together. Everything she'd kept alive to remember them by.

No!

All of that was put aside when she spotted Reika's body. Why was she here?! Yuki rushed forth, cutting at flaming debris blocking her path. As she reached her friend's side she fell to her knees, hands shaking as she checked the Shinigami for wounds. She'd been stabbed in the gut with what appeared to be her own sword.

"Reika?! Please, not you too!" cried the wolf, dropping her own blade in order to carefully apply pressure around the wound with both hands. She wasn't a medic! What was she supposed to do here?! The tears weren't making this any easier either!

"Please. Please wake up. Please say something."

Pain. A dull ache pulled at the young redhead as she lay in a small pool of her own blood. Her pulse, a weak reminder that she was still alive. Barely conscious, she clung to the reality around her. Try if she would, her body wouldn’t heed the call to drag itself from the flames around her - the warmth that flooded her senses and occasionally licked at her skin.

This little ploy had to work. It had to shatter the world of Yuki Kameko. Shatter her trust in the man she called an ally. The same man that Reika had once thought to call a friend and possibly a mentor in the future. Alas, it was all a shame - just like this. Chaos and heartbreak are what the Suzumei would spread. No more of this cloak and dagger would be had. This strike looked blatant and Reika would sell it for all it’s worth.

As she lay there, consciousness seemed to ebb and flow. Her ears seemed to ring, only dulling by the crackling of the fire around her. But something changed - something that the young shinigami barely registered.

Something was moving her. Reika’s fixed gaze wobbled back and forth for what seemed like forever until she felt pressure being applied to her stomach. A sudden searing pain woke her from her stupor as she cried out meekly in pain. A weak hand went to the pain, pressing lightly upon something that wasn’t there before.

W-what?

Feebly the young shinigami raised her head to see her ‘friend’ pressing against her wound. So all of this had worked after all. Yuki looked a mess. You could see the tears and worry in her eyes as she tried to help stop the bleeding. It was enough to make Reika give a meek smile. “H-hey.” She said weakly in her usual cheerful tone.

Reika’s right hand weakly moved to Yuki’s cheek, her thumb gently wiping away a tear, inadvertently smearing blood on the young wolf’s face. “I’m… okay.” She rasped. Lady Suzumei tried to prop herself up with her left arm, but it was to no avail. All it did was send a wave of pain through her body, and it showed on her face.

“I- I tried to stop them. Th- the Hatayama, they did… this.” It was all too much. The pain was pulling against all her senses as the bloodloss took its toll on Reika’s body. “Need a… medic. ” Those blue eyes rolled into the back of her head as she lost consciousness. Her hand fell to the ground with no resistance as the world around Reika faded to black.

Was this all more than enough to destroy Yuki’s world and obliterate her trust with the Hatayama clan, possibly the whole Gotei? Time would only tell. The look on Yuki’s face was certainly worth it all. Reika was more than happy to pay that price to see her that way again - broken just like she was.

Okay?! None of this is okay!

Yuki tensed up when her friend's thumb brushed across her cheek, removing a tear though leaving behind a streak of red in its wake. A hand shifted up, gently grasping upon Reika's. Fingers squeezed against it in an attempt to not only calm Reika but also herself. She was still alive.

"Don't move" she whispered, gently setting Reika's hand upon the ground. Her top was removed and torn hastily into long strips. Those were then tied together as makeshift bandages. "This is going to hurt" warned the wolf as one arm was carefully scooped beneath Reika's torso, lifting just enough so that she could pass the cloth beneath her body.

She paused briefly when Reika mentioned the Hatayama. The blood emptied from her face, a chill cutting along her spine. That didn't make any sense. Zenji had no reason to do something like this! Did the Hatayama even use swords? She didn't remember them using swords.

No. This first.

Reika was more important than figuring out who did this. She had time to sort that out. Carefully the bandages were wrapped around the woman's body, pressed snuggly on each side of the blade in order to hold it into place. Reaching down she assisted Reika with sitting up, only to then carefully lift her up in a bridal hold. A hushed hiss of pain escaped from her as her still healing injuries were strained.

"Just hold on. You're going to be okay."

With her tail gripping onto her sword she turned and hurried out from the estate. There was nothing she could do for it right now, but she could still save her friend.

Just hold on.

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Clang! Clang clang clang! Clang!

Flashes of moonlight danced amongst the tall grass, glancing repeatedly against the claws of a massive wolf. Blood splattered across the reeds. One of her arms had been removed, but the pain was dulled by focus. A focus on fighting, on anything other than what she'd witnessed. She was doing well, too! Deep gashes covered Katsumi's legs, even her neck and face! But another hard swipe against her left side, already missing her arm for defense, was enough to settle yet another battle.

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Again she stumbled, pressing against the outer wall of the Suzumei Estate for balance. Blood soaked the bandages covering her torso, along with those which had been covering her shoulders and her left arm. Reika had been delivered to the medics. She hadn't stuck around. What else could she do? No, she couldn't just sit there waiting. She needed a distraction.

In the brief moments of lucidity between her constant barrage of attacks within the spirit realm of her mind Yuki had been attempting to figure out just what had happened. The battles had done little to clear things up. Questions gnawed at her mind. So many questions, so many missing pieces to the puzzle.

Where were Watari's people?

You would expect them there, wouldn't you? At least corpses. Maybe they both did it.

Why Zenji?

Who better to stab you in the back?

Why was Reika there? How did they get the drop on her?

Maybe she is also involved.

Why? Why any of this?!

They fear you. Loathe what you are. They always have!

Her blade was drawn. She didn't even notice it. Yuki pushed through the gates, although she didn't go far. She wouldn't need to. He would know the wolf had arrived by her howl alone.

"Watari!!!"

Watari Suzumei flexed his fingers, pinky to thumb, one by one as they snapped into his palm with a crack. Each joint so forcibly snapping shut that the sharp sound of bones and ligament echoed into the dimly lit hall of the Suzumei estate. To have family? To have unity? Bill had waited for this, but to have a moment where Watari himself agreed with the sentiment? Soul King’s throne, surely his sister was a terrible woman.

A frame of a door lay scattered around them as Bill lay detached against the wall watching the monstrous Suzumei sheathe his Zanpakuto. Attendants lay scattered at his feet, people who had escaped the Kameko estate, people who had once been his servants, people who had come to tell them of what Reika was doing, people who were expendable to the name of Suzumei.

Titus stood just outside of sight, the tendrils of ice already wrapping around the still-bleeding bodies and dragging them away in a tide of frost and icicle. Bill approached the man and placed a hand on Watari’s shoulder and they both made eye contact for a moment before unifying.

“Most unusual,” the Head of the Suzumei muttered, but he knew they needed to let off some steam. After all, Yuki Kameko would be here soon wouldn’t she? Who else would she turn too? Meili was occupied with her final fight against her family, Memnoch hadn’t been seen in weeks - some thought he’d been driven mad in the human world by a Hollow and Zenji it was rumored had succumbed to some sort of zealous paranoia, that the divine mandate of the Soul King himself had possessed every action of the Shinigami.

Beautiful Watari, beautiful.

The Shinigami moved towards the large oaken door at the end of the hall and pushed it open, breathing in the nighttime air as he traced the strands of spiritual pressure that drifted towards him, not long now. Not long at all. He strolled across the stone paving down along the rose gardens and he let his hand run along the fence snapping free a rose and smelling it as he continued his meander.

A howl broke his thoughts and a frown crossed his face as he corrected his path and made his way towards a figure in the distance. A broken girl, bloodied, bandaged and beaten, her Zanpakuto was drawn but she was in no state to use it. Watari probably could’ve ended her there, a flash step forward, a singular thrust into her soul-sleep and she would be nothing but the worm that she was.

Peasant.

Half-breed.

“Yuki!” He shouted, his expression shocked the rose falling from his hand towards the ground. He ran forward to help support her, so that she wouldn’t fall.

“What’s happened why are you so wounded?”

Nobody had been there to greet her. Yuki was left to stew in her thoughts as the thumping of her heart cut through any silence that might have been present. It wasn't just seeing her friend in such a dire state, or the destruction of her new family and old home which kept her adrenaline high. Katsumi fought her now, nipping at her spirit in an attempt to drive her into that familiar crimson haze.

Ears twitched. Someone approached, and her attention snapped immediately towards the source of the noise. What had been perhaps only a few minutes at the most had passed like an hour within her mind. Watari had finally arrived. He looked no different. In fact he appeared to be quite surprised by her presence. But of course looking as she did would have such an effect on most. It wasn't just the bloodied clothes either. Her entire body was on edge, like a predator about to feast upon its prey.

As the man neared her Yuki's right hand swung up, pointing her blade straight towards him, primarily to keep some distance between them. Her body shifted as though she were preparing for a fight, turning her side to Watari. Pupil tightened as her feral gaze bore into the man, tail going still behind her. Wisps of black even started to leak out from her body as her hold upon her reiatsu faltered.

"Where were you? Where were your men?" growled the wolf.

He did it. Let him come closer. Take his head.

"Hatayama don't use swords."

Yes! What a stupid mistake! The snake is before you!

"Why?" Her voice cracked slightly, trembling as a mixture of pain and confusion and rage bottled up together within her throat. "Why would you?"

Who could she even trust at this point? Watari might have done this. This is the sort of thing that he did. But what purpose did it hold? And other people would surely know that he would do this. Why would he? Why would Zenji? Why would Reika?

Why would anyone?!

You can trust no one. Strike him before he strikes you. Heed my warning, child. You know he is thinking the same thing.

A confused expression crossed his face, why would Yuki ever think that he would do something to hurt her? Watari froze in the spot as she hovered her blade pointed at him, her intent was obvious the wolf inside her wanted to thrust into him and bleed him dry. The animal inside of her jumped and snarled in her eyes as he frenzied pupils dilated and expanded with a primal vigor. Yes, she was broken, Reika had done a great job hadn’t she? She was questioning everything she had ever known and everything she would ever know. But in this one case. In this one time. For once, it wasn’t Watari.

“No?” It was honest, after all, Reika hadn’t told him explicitly what she would do, his sister had left with such vengeance in her heart that Watari had entrusted Titus to her, after all the old man was a trusted retainer and Watari had no doubt that the skills that Titus had coupled with Reika’s wits would probably end in Yuki’s inevitable downfall.

“My men have been here? What do you mean? What’s wrong, what happened?” Bill’s head colloquially spun as the savagery of Yuki amazed him, was this beast always inside her small form? Why was she even trying to hide it - there was a savage beauty in the way power seemed to throb from her frail beaten form. Was she afraid? He hoped so, he could taste the fear in her; it was almost palpable. Watari almost threatened to get away, to ram his fist up into her wounds, she wouldn’t be able to hold back would she?

“Hatayama are bookworms, you know this? Why are you so obsessed with the Hatayama . . . wait . . . did they move against you?”

What was it that lingered within Watari's eyes? Confusion? Pain? Was this all an act? What was even real at this point? Could she even tell?

He doesn't know?

A lie!

Anyone could see that they did not use swords. At least not normally. The people that had been cut down were servants. It would not take much skill to accomplish that, although whoever did this had also stabbed Reika with her own blade. That could not have been an easy task. She had tried to fight them, but had lost. More importantly, she had pinned the blame on the Hatayama.

Why would they cut down my attendants only to use her sword against her?

Everyone is involved.

Why?

Look at yourself. This isn't you! You are losing control.

No! You are the the one in control now! Take his head! His guard is down!

Kokoro was right. She couldn't think straight like this. None of it made sense. It had to make sense. There had to be some piece that she was missing here. Or perhaps she had all the pieces already and they simply weren't fitting.

Her blade finally lowered to her side, although it remained grasped within her hand. She didn't trust Watari enough to put it away. Not when faced with a situation which he might be accountable for. Somehow. Even the wisps of black gradually faded away as Yuki finally got a handle of her reiatsu.

"My attendants" she began, only to pause. No. That wasn't right. "My friends. They were slain. My home was set ablaze. You had men posted around the property. Where did they go? How do you not know?"

You always know. How could you not?

Liar! Remove his venomous tongue!

“I don’t know my dear” Watari Suzumei purred, he dusted her kimono kindly with his hands, such delicate precious moments. What a frail thing she was, what a putrid louse - where had Reika crawled too? Surely by now Titus would’ve cared for her wounds, the old man had mastered kaido in a decade after all. There was a truth in all things, once he’d seen something in Yuki once perhaps he’d even loved her. But love was a vile insect, the sort of thing that crawled into your bed as a child and bit at your ankles.

“Hatayama has gone mad, did you not hear? His scholars build pillars of text that threaten the foundations of the Soul Society, Memnoch was driven mad by him you know? Locked in a cage with birdlike Hollow until his mind just broke” What a vile color her reiatsu was black? Surely there was more texture to it, his fingers thumbed through the tendrils of her explosive spiritual pressure. Yes, he’d seen this before, he remembered this. She was so close. So close to breaking, so close to being remade again.

“Kintsugi (金継ぎ” the Suzumei head whispered “your servants? But they were yours, loyal to the Suzumei family sure but to you they swore fealty. Why would they betray you?” He took a step back and paused checking over his shoulder. There was an air of unease on his face as he began to pace towards the hedges of the rose garden. A hand against the leaves he murmured a small incantation and a ripple of energy darted away down into the roots of the garden.

“Who have you told? What have you told them?” more forceful now he put a hand to his Zanpakuto, eyes snapping to the sky as a swarm of birds called overhead. The Bao’zhai. The Shimazu. The Kameko. The Suzumei, how do you create the downfall of the Soul Society? How do you create a glorious revolution?

You create death.

You create an assassin.

You break a wolf.

“You don’t trust me after all I’ve done?” Watari drew his Zanpakuto, the weapon’s energy oozing off the blade and evaporating as it hit the ground. He tossed it at Yuki and his foot tapped the ground, another ripple of energy vanishing into the hedges, around them the rose bushes grew and yawned, shifting around them, a Suzumei security system, an endless hedge maze.

She could have his Zanpakuto he didn’t need it.

“Suzumei-san” he called into the night, “Are you well?”

“Baozhai-chan, why do you hide in the shadows?”

Sleep. That's what Meili would love to be doing at the moment. Just laying in her bed, drifting off to dream land, possibly having a conversation with her Zanpakuto. Instead, just as she was drifting off, she sensed something...off. That was when one of her handmaidens burst into the room, a panicked look upon her face.

"Mistress! There's trouble at the Suzumei estate!"

This caused Meili to bolt straight up. Yuki was in danger, and while Meili trusted that her friend would be more than capable of defending herself, she also knew that the wolf girl was single-minded when it came to combat, and might not see the entire situation.

Not even having time to get dressed, Meili grabbed a simple flowery kimono, wrapping it around her body and grabbing her Zanpakuto from her desk and strapping it to her thigh. She would then issue commands to her gathered followers, handmaidens and bodyguards who swore fealty to her rather than the Baozhai as a whole.

"I want three of you to go the other Noble houses. Alert them of what's happening, assuming they don't already know. Two of you go the Commander, tell him there's been an attack. The rest of you, follow me. Conceal your presence."

"Yes ma'am!"

The young girl spoke her commands with precision, having gotten used to being in command ever since she started her journey to becoming the Baozhai head, a position she had only just recently attained.

As she left the Baozhai estate, she sent out feelers, trying to see if she could sense who exactly was attacking. She felt only Shinigami, which confused the young girl. She also felt the death, pain, and suffering around her. Looking to her left and to her right, she saw her followers with her, giving a gentle nod as they approached the Kameko estate.

"Fan out! Find any survivors, and if you find the attackers...no quarter. We'll explain ourselves after the fact."

"Yes ma'am!"

She drew her own blade as she issued the commands, sending out a last set of feelers for Yuki, trying to find her friend. After a few minutes of searching, she finally found her and started approaching her, still doing her best to keep her presence hidden. When she found Yuki, she wasn't alone. Watari was there with her...and he had seemed to find her almost instantly, not surprising for the old man.

"Yuki...Watari...what's going on..."

Cold. So damn cold.

The world seemed so dark and hazy. Reika seemed to lay in the darkness around her - her body seemed to be wrapped in a heavy cold that she could seem to break away from. She lay motionless as if the whole world seemed to settle on her body. Every limb seemed to be covered in a course of static, fluttering about like a bunch of bugs. It was unsettling, almost paralyzing.

She lifted her right arm, trying to look at her hand. It felt as if thousands of pounds of pressure pressed down upon the limb as she tried to focus her eyes. What in God’s name had happened to her? The world was dark, cold, empty. Vague traces of memory seemed to pull at her mind, yet try as she might, there was no way to remember. All she felt was a cold, dead throb in her chest as light seemed to slowly fill in her vision.

A dull humming came to her senses as the hum against her skin slowly faded away to the feel of a cold, harsh wind. Light began to filter in as she found herself in a familiar desolate place. “Asadi.” She managed to croak, her voice dry and cracked as she forced her to set up. Those dull senses seemed to sharpen as if some outside force was working upon her body. No longer did she feel heavy - no longer did she have to fight against herself to move.

As she sat up, she found that old familiar figure leaning against a ruined fence post, his arms crossed as he looked down on her with those cold, green eyes. “So you finally did it.” He crooned as he showed a bit of a smirk. “You pushed beyond even what I thought you were capable of.” His arms dropped as he stood up, walking to Reika’s side and offering an open hand. “You betrayed a friend to become something more than a nobody. To become queen of the Suzumei.”

Reika couldn’t help but take his hand, this strange offering of praise that she had always wanted from the spirit. It seemed so strange, so foreign. All they had ever done was chastise her for her actions. Now… was this praise? She didn’t know what to do. Had she really done something that was great? All she could do was focus on her broken heart - her hate. “Keep going.” His words came softly as if a warm, velvety hug wrapped around her. “Fight, Reika.” He said as he helped her to her feet. A soft smile pressed to her lips, all she wanted to do was smile as she fought back the tears of anguish and hurt that lingered in her heart. “Now wake.”

Reika gasped for air as she found herself lurching from her prone position, unaware of how long she had been out. Memories came flooding back in red flashes as she realized what she had done and why. A dull ache seemed to spread over her midsection as she remembered the sword plunging into her gut in order for Yuki to believe the attack on her estate was real. “Damn it.” Her throat felt dry as she tried to swallow. She barely recognized the lumbering figure of Titus at her side.

With a small bow, he recapped what had happened. Yuki dropped her off at the medic station, where he swiftly gathered her without so much as a peep from the staff. Seemed the staff seemed rather reluctant to go against the will of a Suzumei agent such as himself. He performed the healing himself, a master at healing, Titus easily got Lady Reika to her feet in a quarter of the time it would have taken them.

With a helping hand, Reika was on her feet. It was then that she was informed that Yuki was heading to the Suzumei Estate. It was perfection - she’d be all alone dealing with them. Yet something seemed to call her. Something that would put the final nail in the coffin of what Rieka had thought to be the ‘friendship’ between them. “Take me to the Kameko Estate.” She demanded coldly. Titus simply bowed and took Rieka into his arms. In a flash, Reika and Titus stood before the burning estate.

They easily slew those of the Baozhai Estate that caught sight of them. It was then that Reika spotted the corpse of Rei Kuramitsu. She lay in the strawberry garden that now smoldered with fire. It was perfection. A devilish smile crossed the lips of the redhead as she cut the poor dead woman’s head free from her shoulder and deposited it into a charred basket of strawberries. This had to break the poor wolf pup's heart. It was more than enough to cause Reika to giggle maliciously as she snapped her fingers, causing Titus to appear and whisk them off once again.

Now they stood before the Suzumei gates. There she could easily hear the muffled voices of unwanted guests. She paused for a moment, registering an unknown voice. It didn’t matter. After all, she had a package to deliver. With soft footsteps, Reika spied Yuki in all her anger as she curse Watari. It seemed in her mind that the man had done her harm. A pointless spewing of words - after all, it was Reika’s doing.

A cursed smile pressed to Lady Suzumei’s lips as she took advantage of the two visitors being wrapped up in Watari. Her right hand drew Asadi as it seemed to be shaking with anticipation. She knew what she had to do. She knew that this would be the end of their friendship, of all the false happiness that they shared. She had to do it. There was no must - no it was pure want.

Using hoho, Reika vanished from sight, only appearing as her blade plunged into Yuki’s back, piercing through the other side as the woman spoke almost seductively into Yuki's left ear in a whisper. “My beloved Yuki… I’ve brought you a gift.” Reika dangled the basket in front of the small wolf pup’s face. All she could see was the head of her dear servant. Those lifeless eyes of her redhead servant looked up at her, charred and mangled, surrounded by the once bountiful harvest of the fields she tended. “I hope you like it.” Her words hung in the air with venom. “My. Dear. Friend.”

“The Gotei Six will marshall to contain the threat of a Noble War” the words cracked across the meeting hall of the Captain Commanders chambers. He hadn’t moved in centuries, the Shinigami weren’t even convinced that the old man enshrouded in his old robe had even been alive despite the small amount of words and sentences he’d uttered. Cord wreathed around his limbs strung over the long beams of the 1st Squads chambers swayed as he gave the orders.

Those who were in the room nodded and immediately disappeared from his gaze. He could feel them now, using a flash step to cross the distance to the Suzumei Estate, too long had the Gotei 6 sat and watched the games of Watari Suzumei and those other bratty nobles. He contemplated where the centuries had gone; perhaps he’d grown sluggish in his long tenure, the Soul King after all had ordained him to protect those who could not protect themselves.

Those nobles however, needed to be dealt with, they’d been bubbling with discontent and the frivolity of their parties had started to create a rot that needed to be contained. Yes perhaps he would start moving.

His withered hand moved from its robe drawing out a fine ornamental Zanpakuto, he slid it slowly from its scabbard and the tarnished blade seemed to glow from the anticipation of centuries of disuse.

“Ye Foul Angels who sit in rows” the old man began to hiss as his spiritual pressure increased in its magnitude manyfold. The delicate shelves of porcelain ornaments began to crack and topple one by one to the tatami floor below.

“Gracious Demons who hide behind columns” he’d received reports from the Rukongai from scouts that had come running, of men and woman pointing towards the noble estates and proclaiming that the “Red Hot Nights” had begun, somebody had been inseminating an idea into the yolk of the Rukongai for a while and now needed to be brought to heel.

“Betwixt Heaven and Hell I call your name - BAN -”

It did not finish.

The blade toppled from his hand a moment before it’s apex.

A shadowy figure emerged from the floor, its sightless eyes staring upwards at the feeble man who now bleed heavily from his chest, the Shinigami’s still-beating heart in the outstretched misty black hand of whatever the thing was.

“Eeeyeah. Oyaji. Can’t have ya do that, that’d spoil all the fun now wouldn’t it”

His milky eyes stared at the figure composed of ambient reishi, it had no facial features except for that cruel smile on it’s lips where the mists seemingly parted.

“Gotta go now - being called back ya see, Watari’s realizing it’s about to be showtime!”

Watari . . . .

It was getting darker now . . .

The noble brat ? But why ? but how ?

“Ya look confused” the figure said as it’s legs melted into the ambient energies of the Soul Society.

“The name’s Bezaliel” its torso too began to flake away.

But the name meant nothing to the old man as his heart tumbled from the evaporating hand and hit the ground with wet thwack.

“Well actually, my friends know me as Bill”

And as those shadowy features lost form.

The Captain Commander of the Gotei 6 died.

Time seemed to slow down when Reika appeared behind Yuki. All Meili could do was watch as the redhead plunged her blade into Yuki from behind, the silver blade glinting in the moonlight, with tinges of red dripping from where the blade had pierced through Yuki's chest. Meili wanted to scream. She wanted to run. She wanted to shout. Instead, she felt tears stream from her face.

Then, she felt it. A surge of power, followed by a deep emptiness. From her senses, it came from the direction of the Commander's chambers. Just a second ago, Meili could feel a great power. Protection. Anger. Then, she felt confusion, followed by a deep void.

Meili's emerald eyes dulled, the once vibrant eyes turning into a shell of their former beauty as she uttered two simple words. Two words that sealed her fate, but also of those around her.

"Boom, Raimei!"

A surge of power burst from her small frame, as her brown hair burst from their pigtails into a single, long, flowing strand behind her. Her hands, wrists, and partially up to her elbow were clad in silver gauntlets with yellow gemstones embedded into the knuckles, as well as the back of the hand. In the blink of an eye, she kicked off from the ground, a gauntlet-clad fist aiming directly for Reika's head.

Reika watched silently, the blade shaking in hand as the blood from the strike splattered across the basket. The little wolf pup reached out to the head of her friend, clutching the basket close as she fell to her knees. The young shinigami looked on as the world around her seemed to slowly wrap itself in a red haze. She barely recognized that her former friend even looked back at her with those eyes - the eyes of realizing she had been betrayed by a friend she once held dear.

Thump. Thump. Thump.

Reika’s heartbeat seemed so loud. A drum beating hard to its own rhythm - there was no stopping it. Like the drums of war, louder and louder they beat. All the hate, all the distrust had been thrust into the point of Asadi, straight into Yuki’s little body. This little wolf had twisted her world, used her against her will for the nobilities malevolence. Her, Zenji, and even possibly Meilie had conspired to take Reika’s innocent heart and use it for their little noble games. It wasn’t until Watari revealed all their dark secrets that the young shinigami saw it all. No wonder it was so easy to become an officer.

The red began to fade away into the darkness, her heartbeat remained loud in her ears as Reika found herself standing over a little redhead sitting on the ground, her legs drawn to her chest, arms wrapped around them as she cried. Those blue eyes, reddened by the tears that seemed to stream down her cheeks looked up at her as if seeking answers. The Suzumei couldn’t help but look down at the little girl with disdain.

“Why?” the child asked, her voice broken by the tears.

“Because you’re too weak.” Asadi’s voice broke through the somber mood that lingered between the two females. His form slowly broke through the darkness, coming to Reika’s right side as he looked down at the small child. “It’s time.” His tone was harsh and solemn as he stared down at the child. In his hand, he carried Reika’s blade. The man placed a firm left hand on her shoulder, gesturing with his hand that held the blade. “You know what you have to do.”

Asadi’s emerald eyes sparkled with some sort of darkened delight as he pressed the Zanpakuto into Reika’s hand. “Kill her. Become who you were meant to be.” The redhead stared at the child as her spirit placed the blade firmly into her hand. He wanted nothing more than for her to kill her weakness - to kill her innocence. Asadi wanted her to become all that she was meant to be. It meant for her to leave everything she was behind. Conflict crossed her face as her hand shook.

The child sobbed, her face buried into her knees as Reika raised the katana above her head. Something within her called. Something commanded her to do it. With a roar of tears, hate, and fear, Reika slashed through the visage, finding herself covered in blood. Her heart was beating in her ears. What in all of creation was that!?

As all of this happened, it seemed as if the voice of the Gotei called out and was simply silenced. It felt as if all of the Spiritual World was silenced by some great force. Reika found herself silent, staring down at her former friend, kneeling down. Blood seemed to soak into her skin as haggard breath escaped her lips. She had done it. She had taken her revenge against her manipulator.

On your left. Asadi’s voice broke the celebration as Reika felt a sudden surge of reiatsu.

There was hardly any time to react. Before Lady Suzumei could react, she felt a sudden pain to her face. She found herself cascading end over end until her feet found purchase, sliding backward until she stopped, blood slowly trickling from her lips as she sneered at Meili.

“Oh, my.” Her lips turned into a cracked smile. “Meili, dear. You’ve got it all wrong.” She righted her posture, brushing down the front of her clothing with her left hand. “Didn’t you know?” Her gaze turned to the wolf pup who seemed lost in a daze, “Yuki caused all of this, my dear. She tried to manipulate me - Watari too. She had it in her mind to make us seem like monsters.” With a clenched fist, Reika wiped away the blood on her face. “Yuki tried to use me against my brother. She slew our guards and tried to claim foul against the Suzumei family. All in a game of lies against the nobility. You know how much she hates Watari~.” Her words came sickenly sweet, trying to woo the unknown player into her web of lies.

Reika was new to the game of nobles, but she would play the part. She’d weave those lies to get what she want. There was no more innocence. There was no more sweet little Reika. No - there was only Lady Suzumei.

Magnificent. That was Reika Suzumei, her grandeur, her majesty but also that terrible terrible smile. Could he have expected her to be so cruel? No. Not really. There had been hesitation in the Reika before but something had been burned away since then, since she’d taken the mantle of “Suzumei”. Watari mused that maybe it had been those moments after her blood had dripped to the stone of the estate where like a wine in a risotto it had been burned away. Or maybe it was as simple as just empowering her to have the confidence?

“Meili-chan, look at how strong you are” the Head of the Suzumei purred, his arms wide, so deliciously apt that she’d leap to Yuki’s defense. She had obtained Shikai? How terrifying! Look at that fear in her eyes and that lack of understanding, but was that not expected? Yuki had poisoned them all! A rot at the heart of the Gotei 6 and poor Meili had yet to be enlightened.

His Zanpakuto still lay on the ground not far away from where Yuki had left it, when had time began to slow down to a crawl? He was sure that somewhere in the distance he felt something give away - did he tear the snapping of flesh and bone? Tendons ripping and skin tearing? It was a bizarre sensation, for a moment one of his hands seemed to drip a liquid in a ghastly way.

He reached towards his power, he reached towards his Bezaliel and the Zanpakuto hissed on the ground, a pool of vapors pooling and rushing to his feet across the grass. Watari’s gaze raised to where Reika danced, her sword drip drip dripping, Reika’s heart beat beat beating. What a pretty heart, maybe one day he’d frame it, dress it in satin and ribbons on his mantle . . . no . . . no that wasn’t what a family did. A family was right and proper! A family protected each other.

Yuki was a hound.

And dogs always followed their noses.

He felt the heat of the flames boiling from Yuki as his Zanpakuto coiled from smoke in the air and met her blade mid-air, the force of her blow sending a tremor down his arm. Yuki was strong.

“And this is how the Kameko dog treats me? I give her family, I give her friends and I give her . . .” his eyes rolled to the ground where the decapitated head of her maid lay. It was a shame to lose such a trusted servant, Reika’s actions were a tad rash, but she burned with a white hot passion for revenge. Some losses regrettably could not be calculated, Meili’s arrival for example - could not be calculated.

“. . . Love?”

Oh.

That look.

That was it.

“Y-you?” sapphire eyes widened as he suddenly realized. The thing that had caused her to snap was the maid? It wasn’t the incessant raving of Watari, it wasn’t the shock appearance of Meili and it wasn’t even the betrayal of Reika. All along it came down to one simple thing. A thing that ultimately Watari himself was convinced was an old wives tale - Love.

“N-no?”

“No”

Laughter bubbled from him then, thick and fast it was so ridiculous to him. Why hadn’t he seen it? All along the maid too hadn’t been a servant of the Suzumei despite all she’d told him. In the end the maid had ultimately been corrupted by Yuki as well and Reika, again had saved him.

“You loved the maid” his voice is quiet now. Accusatory.

“Bezaliel” Watari continued, and the tall lanky creature seemed to step out from behind Reika giving her a crooked smile as its uncomfortably long fingers, still sticky with murky crimson trace a stain up her arm. Its sightless eyes seemed to consider Yuki regrettably as it seemed to step into Watari, enveloping his body in a putrid acrid smoke.

A single tear bubbled from the corner of his eye as he looked at Yuki in disgust.

“Pluck her eyes out”

…


Smoke boiled outwards from Watari tearing at Yuki and Meili’s clothes with many hands, but for Reika the creature known as Bill and Bezaliel guided those waves of acrid reiatsu, they fixed her hair, they cleaned the blood, they tidied her shihakusho and they made sure her grip was steady.

“Eyyaaah Reika-chan, you can take a hint you know?” the winds would whisper as brief moments flashed by and Watari’s Zanpakuto warped into its Shikai state, candle wicks forming and lighting themselves from the hilt of the blade.

All the while Watari’s eyes were locked onto one thing.

Yuki.

Had it been any other situation, any other day, any other time, Meili probably would have had a witty retort to Reika's comments. However, in her current state, everything being said to her, everything being spoken was flying right through her. She heard but one thing at the moment.

"Meili! My child! You need to calm down!"

Raimei pleaded with her, the dragon's voice boomed in Meili's head, like a thunderstorm that was directly on top of Meili. However, this too, she ignored. She had but one goal at the moment. To kill Reika.

She'd only had her Shikai for a short period at this time, and hadn't really had many opportunities to train with it, so she didn't know much of it's potential. However, as she ran on instinct alone at this point, those took over as she felt a tingle of energy surge into her fists, the yellow orbs on her gauntlets seemingly starting to glow as electricity started to crackle at her fingertips and hands.

However, before she had an opportunity to use that energy, she felt smoke coil around her, tearing at her kimono. The battle-crazed girl ignored it, as she let her kimono fall, leaving her in just her undergarments before she kicked off the ground, an electrically charged fist aiming directly for Reika's stomach, while also winding her body up for a chopping kick.

Yuki spoke. Those two simple words sent a hollow chill down Reika’s spine as the air surrounding little Yuki began to stir and tremble, turning into a turbulent force of reiatsu that seemed to wash over the redhead. Stronger and stronger it grew - it seemed the little shinigami hid a secret from everyone, or perhaps this was her rage at its pinnacle. Whatever it was, it was truly frightening.

Thump. Thump. Thump.

Lady Suzumei’s heart beat hard in her chest. Was this fear? Was it the thrill of pushing Yuki to the absolute breaking point? It was asinine to even guess at this point. Trying to steel herself, The wolf’s reiatsu washed over Reika when reality came crashing down hard on the young fool. The sense of dread eked over her as the strong smell of blood washed through the air.

So this was the true reiatsu of Yuki Kameko - it felt like an untamable wind, just like Boreas. As the black flames seemed to consume the pup’s wounds and more crept from her patched eye. It came clear to Reika that she was in over her head. The traitor was strong and completely focused on her.

“Shit.”

Watari rambled on, but there wasn’t a single word recognized from Lady Suzumei - she stood paralyzed until her brother stood between them. The sound of his blade meeting Yuki’s seemed to wake her up from her trance. There was no time to sit around in the moment.

Whoosh.

More reiatsu washed over the young shinigami. This one - this one felt familiar. Watari had finally acted, unleashing Bezaliel. To say there was any sense of relief wouldn’t make sense. Yuki’s power far outclassed her brother. Had this plan been a moot point?

No. They were going to end this even if the odds seemed stacked against them.

Before Reika could even summon forth her Shikai, smoke boiled from Watari, washing over the group. As it ripped and tore at the clothes of their enemies, a voice unknown to her spoke. In a blink of an eye, she found herself in a state before all of this happened. Cleaned of blood and almost looking right as rain, it was time to unleash her full might!

“Boreas, howl.”

Her words seemed to come from her as a soft hum as her reiatsu ushered forth from her. The air around her seemed to stir lightly for a moment, suddenly picking up in a turbulent tornado. Grass, earth, and foliage about her began to whip and pull as a cold chill filled the air as if an oncoming storm was about to hit the area before dissipating over the four of them. As the calm began to wash over the land, Reika stood there with her red ninjatō, ready to fight.

Ready?

Ready, my queen.

There was only one thing to do: attack Yuki. Meili didn’t matter. She was at equal-ish footing with Reika. All that mattered was taking down the rabid wolf that seemed to only have eyes for the redhead. Alas, it seemed that the little brat had better ideas than to stay on the sidelines and figure out who was right or wrong.
More reiatsu joined the fray as Meili unleashed her shikai.

A melee type? Reika thought to herself as she couldn’t help but smile. With electricity? Oh, how quaint.

Despite her short time with Boreas, she knew that with his power she could easily control the battlefield with the movement of the wind. Though fire and earth could easily prove problematic, with enough force, almost everything could easily be mitigated away from the shinigami’s form for the most part.

Watching as the little girl was filled with nothing more than berserker rage charged at her, kicking off the ground and into the air. With a devilish smirk, Reika used Boreas, slashing the air before Meili to the left, sending a cascade of wind and reiatsu to send her to the wayside without harm. “Though you may hate me right, my quarrel isn’t with you.” She spoke softly as the winds howled before her. “Titus, take care of the child.”

It was true. Reika barely knew a thing about the girl, there was no need to do anything with her. All she was doing was becoming a thorn in the Suzumei side. Hell, perhaps granting the kid this little bit of mercy would actually awaken her to her senses.

In a blink of an eye, Titus appeared before Meilie and bowed politely, “Lady Baozahai, please leave this to our Lord and Lady.”

In a flash, the redhead used hoho to charge into battle, leaping into the air, her feet pressing onto Watari’s shoulders as she leaped high into the air. Channeling all her might into the tip of Boreas. The blade swirled with the wind as she tried to strike Yuki from above, the air about it twisting and whirling with sharp blades of wind and reiatsu in hopes of rending her enemy to bits.

The old man stood imposingly, towering over Meili as he straightened from his full bow, the light of the moon as it rose in the sky above glinted off his bald dome, his eyes seemed to glow in the mist that still swaddled the rose garden like a babe. The butler of the Suzumei turned his head in Reika’s direction and nodded approvingly.

“Lady Baozhai, the Lady of Suzumei has shown you great respect, what you see is the crystallis of the Gotei 6 finally reaching a climax and I, as I have always done before, will observe” the last couple of words his breath clung to the air, as the temperature around Meili and Titus was rapidly dropping. In a long sweeping gesture Titus gestured his arm forwards and the long sleeve folded backwards neatly up his finely chiseled arm as the retreating Hakama revealed a Zanpakuto, frost clinging to the edges of the steel.

“I would ask that you seal your Zanpakuto, temper your emotions and come drink tea with me within our tearoom, you’ll find that the Suzumei’s favored blend vastly rivals that of the Hatayama, unfortunately our young lo-” somewhere in the distance sparks seemed to shine in the darkness from steel on steel, as Kido flew and pressures of reiatsu howled in the distance.

“I digress, our time is short. Please Lady Baozhai, if you are to strike anyone today with those bullish fists” his freehand cupped and pushed freezing air at the ground that expanded and coated the ground in frost as it spread out from his feet. For a moment the old man seemed to be listening to something in the distance his head tipped to one side.

“My Yuki-onna says, “you are welcome to attempt to smash this china shop”, I would ask you greatly reconsider and take my offer however”

---

“Boreas aye?” a shadowy figure drifted passed Reika as her flash step carried her throughout the air, a wry smile crossed it’s face as it’s finger drifted along the steel of the blade before the focussing of the spiritual pressure caused the shadow man to dissipate.

“Sure is purdddy” the spirit purred as its energy howled through the air and mingled with Yuki’s - boy was she mad, was this what it was like to be free? To be fully exerted in one’s own domain? Well, the extra reishi particles sure did help, it was lovely. He found himself in Watari’s hand, anticipating Yukis’ next movement.

“Together” Watari commanded and Bezaliel obeyed thrusting downwards for momentum so the elder could push himself upwards and away from Yuki’s tail slash it’d cut itself on the blade of the katana but at this point some voice in their heads had come to an agreement that Yuki was passed the threshold where pain was something that the wolfgirl registered as a threat.

The Head of the Suzumei’s palm shone with a sigil as he caught Titus’s eye from far away, the hedges of the rose garden seemed to rise and warp in the shadow - like a wave they slammed together separating Titus and Meili away from Yuki, Reika and Watari. What else would either of these upstarts expect? They came to a noble estate, surely there would be some traps somewhere?

In the micro-seconds that Watari used to assess his, Reika’s and his own situation, another thought briefly skimmed across neuron to neuron - well no, Yuki had strawberries and the Bao’zhai had sheep for men and woman, so he doubted any of those younger families had the foresight of generations of Shinigami ancestry, but he would skip exploring that thought further.

“Fields of White filled with Grain” Watari spoke, grabbing at the Reishi and shadow that dance between fingertips.

“Keep the Sheep of Man at Bay” a rod of light materialized which he then tossed at Yuki who was bearing down on Reika at speed, he would follow but light traveled faster than his body could at least.

“Bakudō #62. Hyapporankan (百歩欄干, Hundred Steps Fence" He felt the energy leave him and his breath catch in his throat as the powerful kido was unleashed from the rod, splitting into hundreds that would threaten to slam into Yuki’s five limbs and render her immobilized.

"You missed."

In her anger, Meili almost missed the chided remark from Raimei, who at this point had decided to allow the anger to ride out. Especially not that Meili had decided to invoke the Dragon's power. In response to the Lightning Dragon, Meili gave a somewhat feral growl, before spitting at the ground in front of her. She was about to follow towards Reika's new position, however, before she could even think to do so, a balding older gentleman got in her way.

In her rage, Meili barely heard most of what he spoke of. Something about tea, a beverage that Meili had little-to-no interest in, as she would much rather drink the soda offered in the World of the Living, a beverage that had only recently started to take up space here in the Soul Society. However, she did also hear that while this man, Titus as she'd recognized him from her few trips to the Suzumei estate, wished for peace, this was something that Meili could not afford, not while that traitorous witch lived.

In a brief moment of clarity, Meili spoke a simple phrase towards Titus.

"I'm sorry old man, but I cannot agree to yours or your mistress's idea of 'peace'."

After that, she raised her gauntlet-clad hand, her fist closed, save for two fingers as she pointed towards Titus. An energy started to form in her fingers as she gathered energy, at the same time, she started to speak again.

"Carriage of thunder, bridge of a spinning wheel. With light, divide this into six! Bakudo #61, Rikujōkōrō!"

After speaking the incantation, 6 thin beams of energy surrounded Titus, before piercing into his midsection. The Bakudo spell was intended to keep him in place, but Meili had no idea if her power was enough to keep him there, as she'd never known how strong Titus was, but being a Noble herself, and a pureblooded one at that, she knew that she was strong herself.

The wind howled wildly around Boreas as Reika descended through the air. All of her anger, all of her hate seemed to be channeled into her blade as she fell from the heavens above. In that instant, she could see the reiatsu of her blade rip and tear at the flesh of Yuki as it neared. She barely had time to register the whispering voice of the shadowy figure as it drifted by.

Flaks of the little shinigami’s shihakusho began to flit into the air as the strike came true. The blade plunged into the flesh of the small shinigami, yet there was no reaction - no pain seemed to pass over the flame-ridden face of the target.

Terror washed over the redhead’s body. What in the world had she unleashed upon herself by breaking her former friend’s heart? Nothing seemed to affect Yuki. Pain was but a blip on the radar of this foul creature of hell. Words didn’t seem to reach her at all, as evident from Watari’s goeding. Yuki was nothing more than a beserking monster unleashed upon the Soul Society.

Reika planted her feet firmly on Yuki’s chest, expecting to summersault of the little shinigami. Her feet hit true as the blade ripped clean from her target's shoulder, Reika couldn’t help but back-peddle away from the little beast. It seemed that Lady Suzumei had bitten off well more than she could possibly chew in any lifetime. There was no time - Yuki had been prepared for the strike and attempted to lung at her in the process.

Two blades met, screaming in a brilliance of an unwanted song that could easily send people to cover their ears and yell at the dissonance of ill-met harmony as the two blades clashed against one another. It was more than evident that Reika was outmatched by Yuki. She had no chance in all of the nine hells to face this creature in a one-on-one battle of strength.

Shit.

Anger and fear seemed to take over as Lady Suzumei barely managed to parry to blow that could’ve easily cleaved her in twain. What could she do? Heavy at breath, the young shinigami could only curse the hand she had been dealt.

Remember your training. That stalwart voice seemed to call out to her, echoing like a distant memory.

So much seemed to be going on about Reika, yet time seemed to hang still.

Boreas called out to her. His voice seemed like a long forgotten song best left for idle times of leisure and want. Yet, it was Watari’s voice that seemed to awaken her from her idleness. She could hear his incantation. Recognizing the power behind each word, the young shinigami bolted away from Yuki, landing safely beside Watari as he cast forth his kido.

Hundreds of rods cast forth from what Reika would have deemed a powerful caster. In an instant, Reika knew what she had to do. She had to save her brother from this monster. She had to save the Suzumei line from death and destruction from the monster that was Yuki.

Lunging forward, Reika held Boreas with both hands, coming into close range of Yuki as the rods attempted to pin the beast. There seemed to be one option before her - sacrifice.

“Ill-met winds, come unto me.” She could feel the energy surrounding her as she lunged forward. “Rip asunder and soar to the skies. Come hither, I command thee!”

In a plum of energy, a solid orange cube surrounded Reika and Yuki as she called out, “Hako Okuri!” A blinding light of energy surged throughout the area as suddenly Yuki and Reika disappeared from the Suzumei estate.

Smoke - heavy. Blood seemed to fill the senses of Reika as she found herself on familiar grounds. Gravity weighted greatly on the young shinigami as she tried to focus her vision. Kido wasn’t her forte. No, it wasn’t even a second thought to her. She barely managed to pass the academy with what skill she had with it. Yet, she barely managed to cast it - to teleport herself and Yuki away from the battlefield - back to where it all began. In the background stood the Kameko stronghold, still engulfed in flames as the cries of those who were trying to extinguish the blaze seemed to echo like a distant memory.

Yuki stood before her, engulfed in flames like some beast of virtue. Reika knew she was done for, but she had done it. She had saved her brother from the vicious wraith of the wolf.

Her knees felt weak, her body heavy with exertion, She had done something beyond her skill range in order to save Watari. Reika collapsed to her knees as a single tear ran down from her right eye. Why was she crying? She couldn’t figure it out. Was it failure?

“Sorry.” She croaked as the world around her began to go hazy. Everything seemed to float as if she was on a cloud. And within a blink of an eye, the world went dark. Reika passed out on the cobblestone of the estate - none the wiser of the future that await her for all of her actions.