#noblereason

𝐍𝐎𝐖 , 𝐋𝐎𝐎𝐊 𝐖𝐇𝐎 𝐈𝐒 𝐖𝐀𝐋𝐓𝐙𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐈𝐍𝐓𝐎 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐓𝐇𝐑𝐎𝐍𝐄 𝐑𝐎𝐎𝐌    ━━    the Captain , hell-bent on EXECUTING HIS OWN SISTER . Lady Hinamori's gaze grew dark , eyes narrowing to slits , lips pressed tightly together , lithe fingers curling into a fist on the arm of the throne . 

STILL ; SHE KNEW THAT ENGAGING THE NOBLEMAN IN DIRECT COMBAT WAS MOST UNWISE .

❝ KUCHIKI BYAKUYA , ❞ voice echoed , forgoing the formalities entirely [ for the man in front of her was not , and would NEVER be worth of such ] , ❝ how brave of you , to intrude in here … UNINVITED , might I add . ❞ Momo drawled out each word with measured , careful diction , so as to not betray the seething anger welling deep within her soul . Her manner of speaking seemed entirely foreign ; there was a SAGELY quality to it , unheard of from someone that once originated from the Rukon . 

❝ I highly doubt you came here to join LORD AIZEN'S great cause ; you and your fellow nobles stand to lose the most , should he succeed … ❞ she continued and threw one gaze out of the large window , onto the largest tower , where her LORD was quartered , and back to the Captain of the Sixth . ❝ … and , you're here ALONE . Surely , Elder Yamamoto hasn't grown ARROGANT enough to think you can defeat us all alone … did he ? ❞

Like the PHOENIX she was , the former Lieutenant was going to dance around the Kuchiki . Perhaps she couldn't face someone like him in direct combat just yet … still , a battle of WITS was a different story . THE WAR WAS NOT YET ON ; the preparations , still , remain incomplete [ incorporating THE HŌGYOKU would take a bit , after all ] . 

Rukia couldn't help the smile that spread across her face when her brother agreed to help with the carving of her pumpkin! She resisted the urge to clap in excitement, instead stifling her emotion to a small bow of gratitude toward her brother.

"I am grateful that you have agreed, Nii-sama." She glanced back up at Byakuya, shifting her weight slightly. "I was actually thinking that perhaps we could do a carving of Chappy the Rabbit with Wakame Ambassador as this would be the epitome of our combined artistic skill."

Rukia looked down humbly. "While I know my skill is not yet at your level, Nii-sama, I swear to do my best to ensure that I do not embarrass your art with my own." She began to pull out the carving tools Ichigo had provided to her.

"Only really talk bou' myself if someone's actually interested an' I trust 'em 'nough I s'ppose?" She tilted her head to the side and… understood what he meant. The two of them weren't friends and barely acquaintences. But! That didn't mean they couldn't be friends at some point.

ARCANE STARTERS | ACCEPTING!

“And you’re just okay with not giving any medical attention to these people? To your own Lieutenant?”

HER VOICE HAD AN edge to it as she clenches her fists, staring at him. She didn’t get him. How could he stand there and treat his own Lieutenant who had been following his own orders like this? Better yet, how could he be okay with his sister being sentenced to death?

She would do anything to make sure her younger sister was safe. To make sure that she would be okay. Kaguya meant the world to her, so the audacity for this man to be standing here, telling her this makes her blood boil.

“Last time I checked, Lieutenant Abadai was doing his job so why are you neglecting his recovery. He didn’t do it right but he went down doing his job.”

She was gonna get a lecture later, but she couldn’t sit here with the others in silence. She had always been the one to stand up when no one else was able to.

“Or do you value your subordinates as much as your own adopted sibling?” She’s shaking with rage.

Only once they were safely ensconced within Byakuya's office, did Sui-Feng continue speaking. As they couldn't cross their arms with only one, the shorter Captain folded the limb in question behind their back, instead; still rather awkward without their left, it would have to do. Holding themself rigid, lest they start — what did Captain Unohana call it, when they started making repetitive movements when stressed or uncomfortable? Stimming? Irrelevant.

Holding themself rigid, chin high even though they focused their gaze on the kenseikan rather than the taller swordsman's own grey eyes, the petit assassin finally spoke. "I will not prevaricate with you on this matter, Kuchiki-taicho. You are a man, though you were not born so, and thus are my senior in what I believe is called the 'Transition Process'." With their rigidly formal speech, the capitol letters were almost audible thanks to the emphasis placed on them.

starter  requested  by  @noblereason   ;   hitsugaya  tōshirō  ━━  𝐭𝐡𝐞  𝐋𝐀𝐃𝐘  𝐨𝐟  𝐋𝐀𝐒  𝐍𝐎𝐂𝐇𝐄𝐒  verse. 

                            𝐈𝐓  𝐖𝐀𝐒  𝐎𝐍𝐄  𝐎𝐅  𝐓𝐇𝐎𝐒𝐄  𝐍𝐈𝐆𝐇𝐓𝐒  𝐈𝐍  𝐋𝐀𝐒  𝐍𝐎𝐂𝐇𝐄𝐒,  𝐖𝐇𝐄𝐑𝐄  𝐍𝐄𝐈𝐓𝐇𝐄𝐑  𝐎𝐅  𝐓𝐇𝐄𝐌  𝐂𝐎𝐔𝐋𝐃  𝐒𝐋𝐄𝐄𝐏.  When  the  bustle  and  antics  quieted  down  in  this  palace,  out  came  the  intrusive  thoughts  and  introspections.  Momo  supposed  it  was  only  natural  for  one's  mind  to  raise  its  voice  when  the  quiet  and  stillness  were  at  an  abundance.  The  former  Lieutenant's  brows  were  furrowed  in  contemplation  as  she  took  yet  another  sip  of  the  tea  she  had  just  brewed  for  herself  and  her  brother----Aizen  had  certainly  taught  her  well  in  that  regard.

                           ❝  Tōshirō.  ❞  she  began,  almost  raspy  as  she  stared  outside  the  window.  The  days  and  nights  in  this  barren  wasteland  blended  into  each  other  ;  it  was  hard  for  Momo  to  tell  how  long  they  had  been  here----since  THAT  day.

❝  Another  day  has  come  to  a  close----we  should  be  fast  asleep  by  now.  ❞  she  observed,  ❝  So  why.  .  .  aren't  we?  What's  on  your  mind,  Tōshirō?  ❞

She  says  that,  trying  to  brush  over  the  fact  that  there  was  a  lot  on  her  own  mind  ;  but  she  would  let  Tōshirō  go  first━━a  lot  rested  on  the  former  Captain's  shoulders,  after  all  ;  least  [  or  most,  depending  on  how  one  looks  at  it  ]  of  all  the  responsibility  of  GUARDING  her.  She'd  never  asked  that  of  him,  but  it  was  something  that  he  took  to  an  almost  overzealous  level.