Onihime's Keep

Passing through the main entrance to the 7th District, Onihime smiled and greeted her subordinates as she along with Kano and Arka made their way towards her Keep. In the distance, the large stone walls that surrounded her Keep loomed as they got closer. Upon arriving at the front gate, two of Onihime's Division subordinates bowed as they greeted their Captain.

"Welcome home, Xiana-Taicho! Greetings Uyusei-Taicho, Mukagi-Fukutaicho!" the pair said in unison, as the three passed through the gates.

As they approached her Keep, two of her servants slid the two large doors open and bowed their heads as the three walked inside.

"Welcome home, Mistress Xiana!" they said before bowing again to her guests. "Is there anything we can do for your guests, Lady Xiana?" asked another servant asked as she greeted them in the foyer.

"Yes. Bring us some tea, please. We'll be in my study room on the second floor. Also, have Eldric meet us there in a few minutes, I have a job for him. Thank you, Feyona.

"Yes, Mistress." said Feyona, bowing her head, before turning around and heading towards the servants wing.

"This way, Uyusei-Taicho, Mukagi-Fukutaicho." said Onihime, as she then lead her guests upstairs to her study room.

In her study room, Onihime took a seat at small table and motioned for the others to sit as well. "Please, sit and make yourselves comfortable. Tea should arrive shortly."

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"Welcome home, Xiana-Taicho! Greetings Uyusei-Taicho, Mukagi-Fukutaicho!"

"G-good day." Kano greeted back, unused to such cheerfulness from Onihime's men. Her own members was never this enthusiastic about her presence, nor did they greet her like thus whenever she went back to her division.

This division's culture was one of respect, while hers... it was one of nonchalance. Speaking of which, her vice-captain is still missing in action.

Unconsciously, they had already went up to the second floor and entered a big room which she presumed was Onihime's study room. Seriously, where does the demonness get the money from to build such a place? She had long since questioned this particular inconsistency. They are both captains, but her stipend was barely enough to cover her own small house and yet the taichou of the seventh division could afford this...

The only logical reason was that Onihime Xania is yet another noble from the realm of Hell.

Kekekekeke. What is with you and nobles Hime? Arn't you doing fine with Masaru-kun~
Masaru is different! He doesn't wave his money around in other people's face.
And the demonness do? You don't know her yet, moron.
...

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"Please, sit and make yourselves comfortable. Tea should arrive shortly."

"Oh... uh.. thank you." Kano replied, snapping out of her thoughts. She instinctively took the place furthest away from Onihime, which was her direct opposite.

"Thank you for getting me out of that mess Lady Onihime." Arka gave a short bow of respect to the Lady Demon for her help and as one of Noble blood to another. Even if they were different in who's family they came from, it was always important to show the proper respect. You never know, Arka might one day be head and it would be useful to have... well allies.

But really? She was truly worried. Arka couldn't be her happy go lucky persona around these two, it would just cause problems. Nor could she put on her other faces, so formal would just have to do for now. It also helped hide her impressedness from Onihime. This place was amazing!

Sitting down, she couldn't help but give a real smile to Kano. "Is something wrong Taicho-kun? You seem... ill at ease. Would a shoulder rub help? It is the least I can do to repay you for the whole...setting your kitchen on fire."

"Oh... uh.. thank you." replied Kano, as she took a seat. "You're welcome, Uyusei-Taicho. Now, I think we were about to discuss what happened with Masaru-kun earlier. I had started to get some answers from him myself, but was interrupted when we were called to the meeting." said the Demoness as she smiled.

Her attention went to Arka, as the Fukutaicho spoke to her. "Thank you for getting me out of that mess Lady Onihime." she said.

"Think nothing of it, Mukagi-Fukutaicho. My servants will tend to Uyusei-Taicho's kitchen, and it will be like nothings happened. So relax, and please, you can just call me Onihime." she replied.

As they sat and talked for awhile, it wasn't long before there was a knock at the door. "Mistress Xiana, I have tea ready for your guests." said Feyona from behind the door.

"Come in dear." called back Onihime. smiling as her servant then opened the door. Feyona walked over to the table where her Mistress and her guests were seated, greeting them again as she served them their tea. "Thank you Feyona dear, you may leave now." said Onihime, as she dismissed her servant.

Feyona smiled and bowed. "As you wish, Mistress Xiana." she said, before turning around and walking back out of the room. As she exited the the room, Eldric nodded to her as he then entered the room. "You sent for me, Mistress Xiana?"

"Yes. I have a job for you, Eldric. I need you to gather a few of the other servants and tend to Uyusei-Taicho's kitchen. There was an accident, and she'll need a new stove and counter top installed. There may also be some smoke damage, so if you can take some proper cleaning supplies with you and take care of that as well, we would be most grateful. Her home is in the 9th District, you should be able to find it easily. Just look for the smoke. That is all, dear." said the Demoness.

"As you wish. I shall get our best servants on this right away, Mistress Xiana." he replied with a bow, before turning and leaving the room.

Quote :

"Is something wrong Taicho-kun? You seem... ill at ease. Would a
shoulder rub help? It is the least I can do to repay you for the
whole...setting your kitchen on fire."

Uh, what? Shoulder rub? "No, no need. Thank you." Kano hastily replied, almost jumping out of her chair. The woman will set her shoulder on fire and break it like what she did to her house!

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"Yes. I have a job for you, Eldric. I need you to
gather a few of the other servants and tend to Uyusei-Taicho's kitchen.
There was an accident, and she'll need a new stove and counter top
installed. There may also be some smoke damage, so if you can take some
proper cleaning supplies with you and take care of that as well, we
would be most grateful. Her home is in the 9th District, you should be
able to find it easily. Just look for the smoke. That is all, dear."

"There is really no need to do that Xania Taichou." Kano said, though she knew it would be futile to refuse. As the servants set their cups down in front of them, Kano took a gander at the clear liquid in their cups. It looked like sake, yet smelled anything but. Kano was sure that it taste like anything but sake too. It was her first time drinking tea, and such high quality ones too.

A waste. The tea would be such a waste on a commoner like her.

"Thank you though." She softly said, in appreciation for both the help and the tea.

"Oh something happened with Taicho Shirakawa? I wonder what it could be..." Arka was intrigued and smiled at the person who served her tea before sipping it carefully. Quite good, probably what the higher members of the family drank in her home or served to guests.

"Thats right, before I set your house on fire...I am still very sorry for that Taicho Kano, you had been wondering about... Taicho Shirakawa? Is he okay or has something happened that might be not...good. Are you involved with him Taicho Kano?" Arka sipped her tea while asking questions, she was a curious person and they seemed perfectly normal. "I have not had much contact with him to be honest. It should be interesting to learn if you two will enlighten me."

Did she HAVE to be so uptight? It just felt like her as if she had been brought in front of the head for misconduct again. Sheesh. Maybe the tea would loosen her up. Arka hoped so or she'd probably ruin anything.

Onihime looked to Arka a bit surprised she hadn't heard about what had happened. "Yes. Earlier today Masaru-kun lead a group to the Living World to investigate something, and I had started to ask him just what it was when the meeting was called. I was hoping Uyusei-Taicho could fill me in on the details, that is if she knows anything about it." she said, as she sipped her tea.

Turning back to Kano, the Demoness smiled. "So, is there anything more you can tell me? If there's a threat to the Seireitei, I would like to be informed." she said, and took another sip of tea.

Kano looked a little uneasy as the topic encroaches onto Masaru and the stuff he was doing in the living world, until the point of time Arka mentioned something.

Quote :

Are you
involved with him Taicho Kano?"

Wait.. what?

"Huh?" Kano was startled. How in the world did that happened?

"I... uh.. no?" Sensing that it might have sounded wrong, she quickly hurried to explain herself. "I mean... I am not involved with him ro-romantically, if that is what you mean."

"Yea." She finished, saying that more to herself than to the others present.

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"So, is there anything more you can tell me? If there's a threat to the Seireitei, I would like to be informed."

"Its... just an arrancar." Though frankly, why did they ask her of all people regarding this? They could have inquire about the details from Masaru himself, or even the twelfth who logged all the data. Unless... she had been giving them the impression she would be the go-to person to ask if anything happens regarding the Shirakawa noble...

Oh the horror, is that really the case?

"Oh! I do remember now mention of that. Not too much, but going to check things out." Arka did sort of vaguely remember this, but she had had a minor emergency to deal with in her own squad. When someone spills their soft drink all over the console controlling some of the inner security stuff it was a problem.

Arka accepted the fact that Kano wasn't dating Shirakawa-taicho and shrugged. Kano wasn't to her taste, but everyone had their quirks. Still, Arka lifted her hand automatically when a butterfly flew into the room. Landing on her finger, she felt a bite and sighed. "Dracufly, why do you always do that? Fine bite all you want, if it means telling me whats so important."

Dracufly noticed one of his thralls sitting there, near his main thrall. The small thrall was looking very out of place, but she shouldn't. When he ruled ALL she would take her place near his throne along with his other two thralls... Especially that scrumptious one who had the most beautiful hair... Her lithe body. It sent shivers up Dracufly's body. Still, passing on the message as was his job for now, he then fluttered over to Kano, his small thrall and landed on her cheek. Oh his love...

"I am...I have been promoted." Arka sat in shock, her hand still up from where Dracufly had sat. "I'm a captain now..."

"An Arrancar? I'm glad Masaru wasn't hurt too badly, the Arrancar aren't to be taken lightly." she said. Onihime was about to ask another question, when Arka had received a message.

"A Captain now? Well then, congratulations Arka Taichou!" said Onihime as she smiled.

"Congratulations, Arka san." Kano distractedly said, her attention on the peculiar hell-butterfly that had found the need to perch itself on her cheeks. Somehow it seemed slightly familiar and she suddenly had a inner fear of it biting her.

Wait... what?

Why did she thought a butterfly is going to bite her? That is utterly ridiculous.

"Arka san... is this your butterfly?" She asked.

"Thank you, Taicho Kano and Onihime." Arka a bit shocked, she had just gotten used to the idea of following under Enn and now he was leaving to Division 13. Still a large smile was on her face and she turned to both of the women.

"I should go soon to let my Division know, erm no he's not Kano. Not really. He's sorta his own butterfly, and likes to bite women. Especially on the neck, hence the name Dracufly."