bakerstreet | /insert jail quote HERE

[She nods, remaining where she stands. She might agree with the reasons behind the actions of those involved, but the way in which they chose to carry it out was abominably inefficient - and has left both their superiors and their Divisions open to criticism.]

I understand that Second Division is demanding a full inquiry into the matter, sir. Or rather, Covert Operations.

[And if that happens, it's an open question whether or not the Kuchiki clan's affairs will become involved, as well as Sixth Division's.]

They are.

[He isn't worried about it. Let them call him into question. He understands the need for law and truth. But, as he has learned very recently, law is not always justice.

What he did saved lives. He doesn't regret abandoning his post as taichou to do so.]

[She folds her arms. She doesn't quite sigh. She would sigh, if she were alone with Kyouraku-taichou, but that would be different.]

You do know why we've been put in together, sir?

[He's being irritating on purpose. Because he's bored. and he can. Also, he knows people are listening and he's giving them nothing to work with.

He looks up at her and ticks up an eyebrow.]

I assumed that soutaichou thinks you had something to do with what I did. Or because he believes I will tell you my reasons.

Am I incorrect?

[She shakes her head. Once.]

It would be because a large number of vice-captains and captains are currently occupying high-reiatsu-blocking cells, sir. And due to the number of cells destroyed previously...

[That is, in the last year or two. And Fourth Division has had other rebuilding priorities.]

I believe the distribution of prisoners has been along the lines of who is least likely to incite their cellmates, sir.

[Or to attempt to break out with them, perhaps.]

[And that would be why he's not in with Renji. He and Renji would definitely break out, then break out Rukia. Or worse would be the pair of them. He's pretty sure that Kurosaki is alone. Probably for that very reason.

He inclines his head.]

I am honored to have your company. I will attempt not to incite you.

[Because he's amused.]

[She took a seat on the opposite bench, folding her hands in her lap politely.]

I am honored that you would not attempt it, Kuchiki-taichou. I had rather not add more charges to my, ah, 'rap sheet'.

[And the truth of the matter?]

Kyouraku-taichou is currently making representations to Yamamoto-soutaichou that the situation requires an investigation with a full view of the archives regarding the background of the matter. I understand from him that he does not wish to make Yamamoto-soutaichou feel, um, blackmailed by the fact that a number of the Gotei 13's command staff are currently in the cells.

[He ticks up an eyebrow.]

It had been my understanding that no one would be reading in the archives, until certain persons could be contacted.

[Such as the royals that were slowly filtering back into Soul Society. Not a prospect he looked forward to facing.]

I would be surprised if soutaichou has not read the relevant documents already.

Well, I suppose the question might be whether he's officially read them. Leaving aside the question of the fact that he might well have supervised the writing of them.

[She twitched a shoulder. Her voice grew dry.]

And then there's the Chamber of Forty-Six.

[Nanao entirely supported the fact that Soul Society was ruled by a civil authority, even an oligarchy, rather than a feudal collection of clans or a military dictatorship. But the fact remained that forty-six people with an imperfect understanding of the situation could make bad decisions.]

[He barely manages not to snort and completely ruin his image of stoicism. He knows that soutaichou has read the relevant documents. He's read the relevant documents - then again, they are among the Kuchiki papers.]

I have faith that justice will prevail. Even amongst the Forty-Six.

[He doesn't fully trust them, but he has his convictions. These are not the same ones that were manipulated by Aizen, after all.]

[And that "even" says it all, doesn't it. She doesn't even need a snort to perceive his opinions there.]

Some of the current rumors are unfortunate, however.

[She doesn't know how much of them he's heard. Kyouraku-taichou has given her permission to pass them on. It's important that Kuchiki-taichou be aware of them. She's hoping that someone can have a word with Rukia, as well, but she doesn't know who's sharing Rukia's cell, if indeed anyone is.]

[The forty-six doesn't understand noble politics. They leave it to him to handle the other noble houses and yet, when he does so not to their liking, they attempt to punish him.

He grows tired of it.]

Rumors?

[He ticks up that eyebrow curiously. It'd be just like Kyouraku to use his fukutaichou as a messenger pigeon.]

[She ticks off facts on her fingers.]

The return of 'certain people'.

[The "royalty", of course.]

The direct involvement of two members of the Kuchiki clan, concerning something which at least one member declared to be "the personal business of his clan". The rumors that a certain powerful substitute shinigami is shortly to be joined to that clan by matrimony. The rumors that a ranking member of the Shihouin clan will shortly be returning to restore that clan's power. A few similar details.

In short, sir, rumors of a conspiracy between certain high-ranking clans to restore the days when they held rulership of Soul Society.

[Even his stoicism cannot handle that. He actually snorts in amusement. Rukia got involved against his direct orders, he'd never let Ichigo marry in - though, he would consider becoming the boy's guardian - If Yoruichi is coming back she hasn't confided in him.]

And why would the Kuchiki clan care to rule Soul Society?

[Because who else could do it?]

[While Nanao entirely agrees with him, she has to pick through her words, wanting to make him understand.]

With respect, Kuchiki-taichou, the events of the last few years have left a number of people feeling - well, somewhat paranoid.

[And not just Second Division or Covert Operations, either.]

The fact that Aizen and Tousen and Ichimaru were all trusted and respected Captains has not encouraged people to regard the rest of the Gotei 13's officers with undisputed faith. And I believe there is a saying in the world of the living about how people accuse others of what they feel guilty of themselves?

[She's talking to him about paranoia? He sleeps with his zanpakutou at his side, in a kidou barrier. Renji has taken to sleeping near his room. The pair of them sleep in shifts and he's forbidden Rukia from sleeping at the estate, forcing her to stay at the division, where there are more than two hundred trained shinigami between her and any assailants.

Still, he inclines his head. He's playing a desperate gambit. There are ways to remove the royal power, control the nobles, retain the autonomy of the Gotei 13, and leave the Forty-Six in a semblance of control.

But it involves shogunates, and a shogun. Something Soul Society has not had in... millennium.]

Your taichou would be well aware that there are rumblings and stirrings amongst the noble houses. And which noble houses could be trusted and which... cannot.

[He can be, the Shihoins - for all he dislikes what Yoruichi did - Kyourakus, Ukitakes, Omaedas, perhaps. The rest are... wild cards. And he has to wonder upon whose side the Shibas will fall. They were once a great noble clan, but now... he doesn't know.]

[Good, so he has some awareness of what's going on.]

Kyouraku-taichou would certainly be aware of such things. But with the current situation...

[She adjusts her glasses, a little nervously.]

Some people might see it as the first move of a greater scheme. To be honest, the wider involvement of other shinigami mitigates against that, and will be argued in support of the innocence of various clans.

[What with Momo getting involved, and then Kira and Hitsugaya-taichou following her, and then Matsumoto following Hitsugaya-taichou, and then... well, it just piled up from there.]

But as you have said... rumblings and stirrings.

[He's aware; he's just not sure it can be done without bloodshed. Even if they made soutaichou the shogun - something he isn't quite sure is a good idea - there will be those that protest.

Ukitake had suggested him as shogun and while Kuchiki would do it, he really doesn't want to.

And if he knew Momo is involved, he'd have a fit on someone. Hasn't she been through enough?]

The noble clans have become stagnant, and comfortable within that mediocrity. Something that can only be to their detriment.

[It's time to shake things up. Something... well, he seems to be very good at it. The only question is will the non-noble shinigami back him as shogun?]

[She nods carefully: he, as a member of the noble clans, can happily criticize them, but she's not sure that he'd take the same level of criticism from her, outside them.]

I understand that some of the noble clans never agreed with Yamamoto-soutaichou's decision in the first place, when he set down that shinigami from outside the clans could actually hold commissions as officers in the Gotei 13.

[Of course, that was about two thousand years ago.]

[As long as she doesn't criticize him, or those he cares for... Okay, it'd still get a raised eyebrow, but he'd allow it.

He ponders on that for a moment.]

And yet, the Gotei 13, for all its flaws is stronger for it. A result that should be noted, not condemned.

Oh, I entirely agree, Kuchiki-taichou. A pity that some of the noble clans do not, even now.

[But then again, she's not of noble ranking herself. A middle-class type, neither high nor low. But she's been here since she was a child.]

[He glances out the tiny, tiny window they'd been given. He knows what is out there. He also knows that Ojii-sama has the clan well in hand, while he waits in here for judgment to be passed. He's wondering how far it will go, before something has to be done, before all of Soul Society is divided and destroyed.]

The clans scrabble for power amongst themselves. The lack of a royal guiding hand has been felt for a long while, and now that it returns, they chafe under the possibility that they will not be recognized as they feel they should.

[He flows to his feet to watch out the window. He can't see much - he's not supposed to - but it's easier to look there, than into the cell with his words heavy in the air.]

The peace soutaichou wishes will not come without bloodshed. There are those who have waited, patiently, for the return of the royals, so that they might make their moves. Now, the time has come.

[And he's not sure that all the failsafes he has will be enough. Again, Kurosaki is too much of a wildcard.]

Edited 2013-01-21 22:38 (UTC)

[Nanao considers rising, but decides against it. Bobbing up and down would just look stupid in her.]

[She also can't help thinking that it's a good thing she isn't some sort of secret agent set in here to spy on him. Fortunately Kyouraku-taichou doesn't need her to do that sort of thing.]

Kuchiki-taichou, have you considered the possibility that the recent business was deliberately incited in order to cause a problem like this?

[He's saying nothing that isn't common knowledge. At least amongst the nobles. And he wants the noble clans to know that he knows, that he has things in place to block them that they will not tear apart Soul Society. Not while he lives.

... Though that might explain the assassination attempt.]

I have.

[She knows that she knows less than he does in a number of areas. She knows that Kyouraku-taichou doesn't tell her everything, and that's as much for her protection as for his own. She knows that there may be things going on in the background that she doesn't know about, which will make her worries unnecessary.]

[And yet, she worries.]

I dare say we will be out of here soon enough, once Yamamoto-soutaicho has decided how he wishes to handle the matter.

[She can't help but hunch her shoulders in a little. However large the gap that separates Kuchiki-taichou and her own reiatsu may be, she is quite sure that Kuchiki-taichou has never had to confront an angry Yamamoto. There are some things she still has nightmares about.]

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