Ten years had passed since Yhwach's defeat by hands of the Substitute Shinigami. It might not have been easy, but everyone was eventually able to pick up the pieces to rebuild Soul Society, as the Wandenreich city was now replaced with what was once known as Seireitei. The Gotei 13 had to undergo several changes during the battle, with a few replacements here and there, especially with the Captains of the 4th, 7th, 8th and 13th Divisions. Things were finally returning to normal; until Akon picked up a strange reading on the sensors. That reading was similar to the Reiatsu of their enemy during the thousand-year war.
Byakuya, who was now back to wearing the three kenseikan on top of his head, were rushing towards where the alleged Reiatsu was. "It's thought to be remnants of Yhwach's energy, but the Reiatsu response is coming from the West 55th Block!" reported the Shinigami who was next to him. "That's the final area under reconstruction that connects directly to 13th Division's barracks!"
"Kuchiki!" called Soi Fon from above before she joined beside him. "13th Division's Captain left immediately once the ceremony ended."
"It matters not." he said. "It's been quite some time since Rukia and the others had any down time. There is no need to bother them with this. I shall handle it personally."
They then spotted Kurotsuchi standing across them. Ten years after Yhwach's defeat, his face was painted to resemble and black-and-white mask, with the white portion circling his forehead and covering his upper lip and nose, and the black portions consisted of his lower lip, chin, forehead, and around his eyes. He wore a large golden headpiece resembling a pair of ram's horns that curled backward behind his head. "Oh?" he said when he saw the Captains approaching him. "How peculiar. I don't recall informing anyone of this incident."
"You'd be wise not to underestimate our espionage and information networks." remarked Soi Fon.
"Since you're here, I'll assume the information we received was accurate." noted Byakuya.
"Accurate?" repeated Kurotsuchi. "Whether it was right or wrong, you're about to find out with your very own eyes." At that moment, a large mass of Reiatsu manifested in front of them, proving Byakuya's previous statement about the accuracy of the reports. But as they got ready for the mass of Reiatsu to attack, it completely vanished, shocking the Shinigami present.
Meanwhile, Asa was completing some documents inside her Captain's office. She had cut her hair shorter and tied it into a small, low bun secured by the golden kanzashi. She was wearing a light blue kimono jacket and her Shihakusho underneath. Putting away the stack she'd signed, she heaved a sigh and looked at the large pile of paperwork with an impassive stare. 'To think that ten years later, and Taichou's paperwork seems to have not decreased one bit.' she thought. 'Rangiku hadn't changed when it comes to paperwork.' She got up from her Captain's seat and made her way towards a ladder, dragging it towards the large pile of documents before climbing it to grab some more.
"What do you think you're doing, Asa-san?!" came a familiar voice from behind, causing her to turn her head and look at the person who'd just entered.
"Oh, welcome back, Taichou." she greeted casually.
"Don't "welcome back" me!" scolded Hitsugaya as he rushed towards her. "Get down from there now!"
The confused woman could only do as she was told, not before carrying a stack of documents in one hand. "If you say so." she said.
"You should know why I'm telling you so." he sighed, taking the documents from her. "I know I've stopped sending you for missions months ago, but that doesn't mean you have to start climbing around my room and risking your safety."
A sweat drop appeared on the back of her head. 'But the ladder is only...' she trailed off, referring to the ladder that wasn't as tall as he exaggerated.
"After all, what would Kuchiki say if anything happens to the baby while you're under my watch?" he added, looking at her over his shoulder. "As your Captain, I can't let anything happen to both of you."
Asa smiled at this as her hand rubbed the six-month bump protruding from her Shihakusho. As the bump was becoming more noticeable, she had to adjust her obi by pulling it up so it wouldn't restrict it. "You're right." she said before looking back at him sheepishly. "I'm sorry."
Her Captain returned the smile with a smirk. "You have nothing to be sorry about." he assured, turning back to the documents on his table as he went to take a seat. "You've already proven to be a great mother, so I trust that you know what's best for your child. I just wouldn't want to face Kuchiki's wrath when I'd swore to keep an eye on you." He was about to reach for his brush when a thought came across him. "Speaking of which, how's Hirohito?"
A little boy with slate grey eyes and chin-length black hair was blinking owlishly at the ground beneath him. He was clad in a dark blue kimono with a light grey obi secured around his waist, and had a messenger bag strapped to his back. He dug out a book and looked between the strange orange plant on the ground and the book, seeming to be confirming that this was what he was looking for. With a triumphant smile, he put away the book and bent down to pluck the plant, putting inside his bag before using Flash Step to arrive at a house.
"Kanako-baasan!" he called from the doorway. "I've returned!"
Upon hearing her name, the old woman stepped out from the back room and smiled widely at the sight of the boy. "Why, Hiro-chan!" she greeted, walking towards him. "Welcome back! Did you find the orange clove?"
The said boy gave a curt nod. He reached into his bag once more and retrieved the orange plant. "Here you go!"
"Thank you so much, dearie!" said Kanako gratefully before gesturing towards the boxes of vegetables on the racks. "Here, take some vegetables. Think of it as a token of appreciation. I'm sure your mother would love them."
After thanking her, the little boy picked up some vegetables and put them inside his bag. It was a little heavy for him, especially with the addition of a big daikon radish, but he merely tightened the strap and began making his way towards the door. On his way back home, he heard some rustling coming from a box laying on the side of the empty street of Rukongai. Curiosity got the best of him, and he knelt down to open the box. When he saw its content, his face lit up and a smile etched on his face. He closed back the box and picked it up before making his way home.
Back at the Kuchiki Family Manor, Hirohito dropped off the vegetables in the kitchen much to the delight of the family chef who'd received fresh vegetables. When that was done, he took the box to the garden and gently placed on the ground to open it. He reached in and, as slowly as he could, he brought a pair of Silver Fox rabbits out, followed by their two bunnies. He got rid of the box and watched the rabbit family explore the garden until the adults found a suitable spot to dig their home.
"Hirohito, what are you doing?" came a voice from behind.
The said boy turned around and smiled. "Okaa-san!" he greeted before fixating his gaze on the rabbits. "I'm watching the bunnies find their new home."
Asa, who had changed into a light green kimono with a gold obi, raised her brows at him. "Rabbits?" she repeated. She looked towards the garden and noticed the black bundle of furs dashing across the garden, and chuckled. 'I wonder how would Byakuya react when he sees this.' she thought. With one hand on the bump, she took a seat next to the boy, joining him on watching the new addition to the garden. "I used to bring a flock of ducklings to the Sasaki Family Manor."
"You did?" beamed her son. "Did you found them in Rukongai?"
She nodded as a reply. "I remember cleaning up the area that was beneath the house." she continued with a smile. "I even made a nest near the lake so they could return home after swimming with the koi fish. Did I mention that I was doing all this while wearing a kimono, and your father was on his way visiting me when I was covered with twigs and mud?"
Hirohito giggled at this. He always knew her as a sophisticated lady who was often admired by her peers, including the Captains. So the thought of his own mother getting herself into a literal mess was pretty foreign, yet amusing. "I bet Otou-san was surprised to see you in such a state."
"Not really." she corrected. "Eiichi-san found me while I was busy doing all that. Needless to say, he had the servants clean and dress me up."
The boy let out a laugh, for he knew the said man well. "I can imagine the surprise look on Eiichi-san's face." he commented, trying to picture that thought in his mind. His gaze then landed on the bump and gently placed his head on it, rubbing it as well while his mother stroked his hair. "How is my Imouto?"
"Isane-taichou said she's healthy as usual." replied Asa. "You'll be able to see her after about three months."
"Have you and Otou-san decided her name?" he asked, tilting his head to look at his mother.
"We have thought of a few names, but we haven't decided on one." she replied. "But we'll decide when the time comes." Asa got up on her feet and reached out her hand, letting him hold on to it when he stood. "Let's go. Dinner is almost ready."
Night fell, and Byakuya had returned from his duties just in time to join his family for dinner. After a nice bath, he changed into a light purple kimono with a yellow obi around his waist, and a dark blue kimono jacket. He entered the dining room where he saw his son helped his wife to sit at the chabudai filled with delicious food prepared by the chef. That sight alone made him smile as he felt warmth in his chest. As he took a few steps closer, his son looked up and smiled at him.
"Welcome home, Otou-san!" he greeted. "How was your day?"
"It was alright." he replied with a smile etched on his face while patting his son's head. He then walked around and took a seat on the right of Asa as Hirohito sat across his parents. After saying "itadakimasu", the three of them dug in. "How was yours, Hirohito?"
"Great!" he replied excitedly. "I was visiting Kanako-baasan, and she told me to get her an orange clove for her medicine. I even brought back some rabbits on the way back."
Had Byakuya sipped on his tea, he would've spat it out. He was about to put a piece of sashimi into his mouth when Hirohito said the last sentence. He lowered his chopsticks and looked at him. "You brought home rabbits?"
"Yes, they were inside a box abandoned on the streets." explained the boy, who was oblivious his father's impassive expression. "I thought it'd be nice to give them a home since we have a big land."
Asa glanced at her husband's expression and giggled. While Hirohito was busy peeling some crab meat from the claws, she leaned near him and whispered, "I think it's very kind of him to do that."
"But wouldn't the rabbits have to dig a hole in the ground for their homes?" he questioned back, fearing the thought of the garden full of rabbit holes. "And what happens when they decide to breed more?"
"I'll send them out for adoption." she assured. "So you don't need to worry."
Byakuya stared at her before heaving a sigh. "I guess there's no point bothering myself with trivial matters like this." he commented.
"How is Tadashi?" she asked, right before consuming a piece of braised daikon radish. "I haven't seen him much since Hitsugaya-taichou asked me to stay in the 10th Division barracks."
"If he think becoming the Lieutenant of the 8th Division gave him the right to barge into my office after working hours, then you shouldn't worry about him." was his reply, causing a sweat drop to form on the back of her head. Byakuya resumed eating until he saw the bump from the corner of his eyes. He used his free hand to rub it affectionately, then continued eating while occasionally placing some vegetables on his son's plate to encourage him to eat more vegetables.
While watching the father and son exchange, Asa's mind drifted off to her life before this. Sure, she might have experienced a lot of loss; from her parents to her brother, her first husband, her grandfather, and some of her friends. But eventually, she had to get up on her feet and push through. It was interesting how she and Byakuya came together, although the story behind it wasn't the sort of fairy tale one would expect. They both lost their lovers, healed together, and created a new chapter in their lives. While she taught him to be more open, he taught her that it was okay to move on as long as she was happy. He gave her the extra push she needed. In the end, she learned to let go of the past and move on; life was too short, anyway.
After all, it was their noble love which made it possible for this to happen.