Chapter 24. Reunion of the rulers

Silence had been destroyed by the mumbling. Despite preventing themselves from badmouthing the emperor of the Yokai district, curiosity remained in sight.

Why was the emperor laughing? What was Yamamoto's cryptic message were and how did he knew Nobusama's presence, even if he gave it a clear instructions to never send it to him? The answer remained unknown except for Hirōshi. He waved his hand toward his wife before leaving with Hanatarō by grabbing his arm and she got up and said politely:

" May the feasts begin! "

After nearly a half an hour long of waiting, Yokai villagers took each of their favorite food and drinks and devoured and sipped on each of them. Renji, Rukia and Shikamaru were worried about Hanatarō and wondered what the emperor would do to him. As for the triplets, they can't help themselves after haven't eaten since leaving the mineshaft.

Meanwhile in the castle...

Hirōshi sent him on a dark, creepy room where the only pale light appeared was the moonlight through the window. He forced him to sit down on a vintage chair and as he was frustrated and angry, he mutely glanced at him, which made him tingled with anxiety.

" Aren't you supposed to be with everybody else?" Asked Hanatarō as nerve racking as he was.

" I will be. Not until you tell me why, out of everyone on your squads, Shigekuni sent you here and not my messenger? ", He demanded calmly, then added as he took a deep breath since he saw how confused he was., " Your Head captain Yamamoto. "

" Oh right. He wanted me to send you this message since Captain Kyoraku is wounded during the battle. He even stated that you'll have to go through him first, if you want to talk to him. " he answered.

" What about his wife? Is she okay too?" He asked.

" Well, she's okay and needed some rest...apparently almost got killed by an electrocution. Luckily Yamamoto came and save the day. " he quakes.

" Hmmm. After the ceremony ends, tell your `buddies ` we will move our arses by dawn. I'll give you some leftovers and you'll be crashing in here for tonight."

He grunted with frustration and left Hanatarō alone in darkness without any further questions as he stormed towards the hallway. Questions remained unanswered towards him and rethought the message that Yamamoto had sent him earlier.

' Shigekuni, you sure have the balls to do this. Whether you want to endanger my people or not, I'm coming after you. Even if blood will shed, I don't care. Just you wait!' He thought furiously and mysteriously disappeared from darkness.

At the ceremonial feast, Yokai entities and the triplets were enjoying the meal while minding their own business. Since Rukia sat a few meters away from Renji and Shikamaru yet was a little bit close to Hirōshi and his wife, she noticed that Hirōshi arrived without Hanatarō ; which found it a bit strange.

' What was Yamamoto's message anyway?' She thought.

~~~~~~~~

On the same faithful night after the feast, Yokai villagers played their harmonious tunes and danced around the fire. Smokes and embers were twirling around because of breezes and some ground Yokai stomped themselves to the ground with joy in their hearts when dancing. Even the Renji and Shikamaru joined the fun.

Everyone seemed happy except the triplets and Rukia, which they had their minds of their own. Hirōshi noticed they aren't having fun like the others. He excused himself from his wife and headed towards them.

" You do know it doesn't hurt to have yourselves some fun. " he spoke.

Then, the triplets looked at the emperor from his colorful kimono all the way to his face.

" We didn't mean to be rude, emperor. But we kinda aren't in the mood right now. " Ichitaro answered.

" Oh, I see. You're quite shy of showing off your true identity, aren't you not?"

" Not that at all....well maybe a little bit." ,Yoshimura added yet doesn't want to admit they're actually homesick, " It's just that we don't have any magical powers ....yet. We always wanted....to defend ourselves. "

Hirōshi scoffed with a smirk on his face and said:

" Now, I get it. You want to defend yourselves just in case someone is attacking you, but you don't have any spirit energy. Relax, kids. Spirit energy often comes out naturally at your age. You just need patience and it'll show up eventually. "

Before he left, he simply tapped his foot and the ground magically lifted the triplets up, taking them around the fire and danced with them. Even Rukia found it fun and joined in.

Not realizing the fun may ended by dawn, at least they'll cherish it while it lasts. Without any clue, many wondered whatever had happened to the Nobusama and how Yamamoto captured it remained unclear ...

~~~~~~~~

MEANWHILE AT THE SOUL SOCIETY....

FEW MOMENTS AGO....

Just hours before the Yokai ceremony starts, a Nobusama swiftly glided towards trees until it landed on one of the barks; a few meters away to the soul society.

' So that's the place Hirōshi- sama was talking about: the soul society. I better find Kyoraku and deliver this message as soon as possible. ' it pondered, while spotted number ten and Shuru taking three demon traffickers inside, chained in a draining yellowish ribbon on their hands. This gave the opportunity as it turned itself invisible and flew into one of the demon trafficker's pocket without being detected.

As they entered into the Sēireitei, nearly quarters of dilapidated buildings were slowly renewed and casualties of soul reapers ascended. Shuru examined how cruel Katsuya be; causing chaos, destruction and death everywhere just because of finding Ichitaro inside the soul society.

" Are you al....l....l....right, Sh...Shuru?" Number ten asked.

Shuru sighed with no words left from his mouth to express his sorrow after the attack. Until then, he understood him by silence.

As they entered the taller building and heading toward the main hall, a Nobusama quickly used its claws to climb up from the side pocket, in which accidentally pierced his fat red hips.

" Ouch!" The third demon yelped in pain, thinking that it was a mosquito biting him, which was unusual in the late autumn.

" Move it, cunts! Otherwise you'll be enjoying your nightmare while it last. "

" But it hurts! " the third one complained.

" You'll whine when you'll enjoy your new home for a long time : in jail. " he smirked, which terrifies them. Number ten robustly pulled all three of them to the Senzaikyū, screaming and wailing, which fell on everyone's deaf ears. Shuru chuckled at himself, while a Nobusama escaped from the demon traffickers and began searching for Kyoraku. Not knowing if someone was following it.

It's search for him was more complicated than usual as the SeireiteI had the most gigantic area in the spirit realm history ( but not as huge as the stadium). ' Time is running out. I can't disappoint the emperor. ' it thought, but had to figure wherever Captain Kyoraku or his wife were. Until it spotted Nanao from the hallway, carrying a bowl of noodle soup and chopsticks . It assumed that she knew Kyoraku as well. So, it followed her until she ` lured ` it towards a hospital ward, which was a strange and worrisome on whatever happened to them.

Inside the ward, Ramune was half asleep after an ample amount of sedative treatment. Her hair remained as scruffy and shaped like a cloud, whilst covered in white sheets despite she covered her naked body with Shunsui's pink kimono. When she turned to her left, facing the window, Nanao gently shook her body with her warm hand and said:

" Lady Ramune, your dinner is served just the way you like it. "

She slowly got up against the wall, opening her pink rose colored eyes. Nanao wanted to help her because Captain Kyoraku was married to her for nearly 3 ( shinigami) decades; yet not only she could help herself, but also had issues from her at the past that caused her insecurity. She simply gave her a faint smile and said :

" Aww, hot and sour noodles soup with roasted chicken, my favorite. Thank you, Nanao. "

" Hey, be careful with that soup, I almost burn myself while carrying it. Here's the table. " she remarked, drew out the hospital table towards her .

' Perfect, she's here!' A Nobusama rejoiced thoughtfully, as it eventually recognizes Ramune's sweet soft voice. As it tiptoed through the door, it really didn't took long before someone noticed that something was moving from the wall. A Nobusama crept through as it watched her slurping the noodles from the bowl. Then, it took the note out from its squirrel-like leg. Suddenly, it heard a little girl and a man arguing as the mumbling began to expand and became more clearer. A Nobusama grabbed the tiny scroll and had to place it somewhere visible enough for Ramune to see.

" ... I swear, Kenny. I saw something moving through the door and it's coming right here. "

" Dang it, Yachiru. First it's those quincies and now this. I came all the way here to find you, only to show me this nonsense. " he bellowed.

" No, it's not nonsense. I saw it with my own eyes. Fine, I'll look for it myself. " Yachiru scoffed and began examining the room.

" Captain Zaraki, what is she talking about?" Nanao asked.

" I don't know. Something that ` crawled against the wall and inside this room`. I didn't even sense any spirit energy in here." Captain Zaraki argued.

As soon as the Nobusama thought it might be a good idea to drop the scroll onto her head, it had to do it quickly because the festival was about to start. It was famished for blood and embers, but had to finish its mission. Briskly, it made a move and almost threw the scroll onto soup by using its vampire-like fangs. Instead, it landed on Ramune's small breast and it gave her tiny scare. Both Nanao and Captain Zaraki noticed something Yachiru kept on searching.

Ramune picked it up on her right hand and found a tiny on her breast.

" It looks like a message. " she said, but could hear growling as if someone's stomach was begging for food. They detected around the room and gave enough time for the Nobusama to escape, despite its invisibility was slowly ending. By the time it had the chance to escape as the moon rises, Yachiru spotted it and grabbed Captain Zaraki's jagged edged Haōri for attention and yelled in a high pitched voice, while pointing at it:

" THERE IT IS, KENNY ! THERE IT IS ! I TOLD YOU SOMETHING IS CRAWLING AGAINST THE WALL !"

" WHAT DO YOU MEAN `IT ` ?", He barked, yet Yachiru was fuming mad at him. She rapidly pointed out the direction where the Nobusama was. Captain Zaraki glanced at it and its entire body was disintegrated into visibility.

" IT'S A YOKAI! " Captain Zaraki roared. The Nobusama was terrified as it accelerated through the hallway of the hospital. Captain Zaraki briskly ran for the the Nobusama.

They passed towards crowded nurses and doctors of the 4th division and over the 3rd and 2nd division.

" STOP RUNNING, YOU PUSSY-ASS COWARD! "Captain Zaraki commanded, but the Nobusama ignored his demands and bumped one of the soul reaper.

Furiously and driven by hunger, it scrambled and drank his face with its sharp claws and fangs. His screams and wails echoed from here to the main hall. Captain Zaraki arrived and did his very best to remove it from the poor soul reaper. After the soul reaper rolled himself out from agony, Captain Zaraki immediately grabbed its head away from him. Attempting free itself from Capitain Zaraki's grip, it leeches onto him by biting his arm and its fangs are strong enough to pierced through the most toughest skin. Captain Zaraki tried to free himself from its powerful bite, even if it'll kill him instantly.

Crowds drew over and caught attention by Captain Zaraki and his fight. Everyone was afraid of the Nobusama after what they saw to that soul reaper. It even drew attention to Captain Yamamoto and lieutenant Chōjirō.

' Now what is going on?' He thought. Until he noticed Captain Zaraki was bleeding heavily by the bloodthirsty squirrel Yokai. When everyone noticed him, they moved themselves out of their way. Captain Yamamoto went towards Captain Zaraki and grabbed the Nobusama by its neck and head. It bites nonstop, until it eventually calms itself down to unconsciousness.

" Captain, that Nobusama belongs to ___." Chōjirō said, but Captain Yamamoto interrupted.

" Emperor Hirōshi, from the Yokai district. I know. Whatever it was doing here, it must be something important." ,He turned around and asked Captain Zaraki," What was that Yokai doing here in the Seireite ?"

Yachiru answered:

" I have no idea, so does everybody else. It came here all the way on its own and gave a mysterious package to Mrs Kyoraku. I noticed that it crawled through the door, like a ninja."

" Yeah, whatever she said. " he added and winced throughout his pain.

He looked at everyone else as they slowly walked away because ` the show was over. `

Few from the 4th division took the soul reaper and Captain Zaraki. However, Captain Yamamoto placed his hands on one of them, who actually looked exactly like the one at the bar yesterday and demanded:

" Hanatarō Yamada *, you come with me. I have an important mission for you."

Hanatarō swallowed a gulped and does exactly as he was told.

Once they've reached to Ramune's room, she saw Yamamoto and almost choked herself.

" Shīfù*, I didn't see you there. Thank you so much for saving me and my husband and ___ ." She said in a guttural tone, after choked up one of the pieces of boiled egg.

Captain Yamamoto stopped her from showing anymore kind gestures from her hometown.

" No need, Ramune. There's actually a note from the emperor. "

" Oh, there it is. I haven't opened it yet. "

She gave him the scroll and Yamamoto seemed delighted.

" That's great." he beamed as he gave the unconscious Nobusama to Chōjirō and he excused himself and placed it onto the Senzaikyū.

When he removed the red thread and opened the scroll, he was amazed to found out that Rukia, Renji and Shikamaru were okay along with the triplets.

` Kyoraku

You're the one I can trust. The lieutenants are safe here with me along with the kids from the world of the living. And their lives are endangered by Jupiter. All you have to do is go to the mountains and meet me there by dawn. I'm counting on you.

Hirōshi.`

' It's definitely Hirōshi alright. Time for me to send him a message. ' he pondered and said to Ramune, " I know you can do the Telepathic message. There's something I want you to do. "

Just as the Yokai ceremony started, Ramune prepared an ancient dance to cast a Telepathic spell onto the hell butterfly. After unlocking it, Captain Yamamoto decided to give a message to Hirōshi.

~~~~~~~~

A FEW MOMENTS LATER....

" If you want your messenger alive and unharmed, bring the lieutenants to me by tomorrow morning. We will have to discuss this immediately afterwards. "

" Shigekuni, you sure are a twisted old fuck. " said Hirōshi in a calm voice and playing with a sphere shaped bottle filled with violent coloured elixir and decided to give this to the triplets as the festival ends. He poured each drink for the Kagami kids.

' This should send them to sleep. I hope it works. '

He then went towards them and gave them each cups because they were thirsty during the dance. And when they took a sip, unknowingly, it took them minutes when they went to bed.

By dawn, they have to leave under Yamamoto's orders. Because he knew he'd no choice but to save a life of the Nobusama.