Dear All,

Thank you for liking Gyakusatsu Koujo. I loved this story and yes, I've decided to rewrite and fill in gaps and holes that just makes no sense. This story was supposed to be much more in detailed on the whereabouts of Kyouya the Danna-sama and Yokaze the Royal Beast Guard. And it's also supposed to showcase more of Byakuya's love for Kaguya in his very own stoic way.

The ones that I've written are, in a way, co-written with another friend of mine with whom we have fell out of a friendship years and years back. Good riddance, I'd say. Her ideas are fucked up.

So I'll begun 'cleansing' and combing through my fanfictions after so long a hiatus, and hopefully I'll be able to come up with better idea whilst I'm on Movement Control Order until April 1st 2020.

Thank you for your support, and enjoy the updates.

P.S: Please, do start to read from the beginning again. There are major changes. :)

Artemis 615

Chapter 4

Living Seal

Upon the word 'brother' uttered out of Ukitake's lips, Kaguya's head snapped up to look at him so quickly he suspected she might have cracked her neck by doing that.

"How do you know about my brother being the living seal, Taichou?" Kaguya asked grimly, her brows furrowed and eyes glazing with riatsu, as if preparing to wipe out both the captains standing in front of her should the need arises.

Byakuya's eyebrow twitched. Kaguya's brother is the Living Seal? Then that would mean the eldest Miyagusuku siblings then, Miyagusuku Kyouya.

Kaguya's riatsu flared steadily, her eyes glowing from the power of drawing out her riatsu. As if she could defeat us, Ukitake thought to himself casually. Her powers are not strong enough to wipe out two Captain class Shinigami, let alone two that has a noble standing background in Sereitei. But she's brave enough to try it out. I'd give her that credit.

Ukitake smiled. "Kyouya and I are close friends, Kaguya-hime. He left me a letter before he becomes the living seal for the Phoenix. You can read it. Here, I brought it with me."

Drawing out a letter from his sleeve, Ukitake passes it to Kaguya. With shaking hands, Kaguya took the letter from Ukitake and read the content of the letter silently. Slowly, her riatsu subsided.

Kaguya has two brothers. The eldest, Miyagusuku Kyouya, is given the title of Danna-sama, the highest title a Noble who is not stationed as a Shinigami could achieve. As First Born, he is born with the gift of Living Seal, as do all First Borns of the Miyagusuku clan. In times of crisis, the First Borns will transform their living bodies and becomes the seal. Such seals can never be broken without the command of the Miyagusuku clan's head.

As such, Kyouya can – and could – return to Miyagusuku clan.

"Forgive me, Ukitake-Taichou," Kaguya said after she finished reading the letter written by her brother to Ukitake, understanding the reason for his knowledge in the Living Seal. "I was young. I never knew my brother thought of you so highly as to share with you the clan's secrets."

"Me neither," Ukitake said cheerfully. "The Danna-sama has always been kind to me. I supposed he took a liking to my white hair haha!"

"Byakuya told me I was to be the next host for the Phoenix," Kaguya started, looking up at Byakuya with an unreadable expression and ignoring Ukitake's cheerful answer. "The Phoenix is volatile. Its known to rejecting their new hosts and destroys them from inside out. There are no ways to know if the Phoenix could accept me."

The room grew silent. Ukitake was thinking hard, trying to remember what he had read about the ancient Phoenix that has existed since eons ago and serves as the fundamental of Riatsu in Soul Society.

There was no real reason why the Phoenix requires a host. In the lore of the Soul King, the Phoenix was the beacon of light in times of darkness bound to one soul. As true as when there is light, there is darkness. The Phoenix will be there as darkness recedes. It will not always be there, but it will be there, nonetheless. There are no explanations whatsoever as to when the Phoenix slumbers and how long it does at one time, or what particular trait a host is to have in order for the Phoenix to bond with. The last Phoenix Revival Ceremony was close to a thousand years ago, and the last living host's notes on the Phoenix was destroyed in a fire.

One will know when the Phoneix requires a host is when something is about to happen, the Living Seal will give out a loud ringing sound that rang throughout Soul Society.

It sounded just a few days ago.

"We…" Ukitake started. Byakuya and Kaguya waited for his answers. "…we… can only hope for the best."

Picking up the long-forgotten kiln cup from the floor, Ukitake sets the cup down on Kaguya's table. It was a beautiful cup, with iridescent purplish-blue color reflecting light in its own way. "There is no way to avoid this, but one thing that can be sure, Danna-sama will be back."

"If I survived the ordeal, Ukitake-Taichou," Kaguya said, her eyes sharp and glowing. "If I were to die, Kyouya Nii will only continue his life as a Living Seal. The Phoenix needs to accept me for sure for us to set Kyouya Nii free."

"I'll search for ways to help ease your way with the Phoenix," Byakuya broke the tense air, surprising Kaguya as he has remained quiet for quite a while. "The Kuchiki clan has extensive library on the Ancient ones. We'll be able to find something there before the ceremony."

Kaguya bite her lips. "When will the ceremony commence?"

Gravely, Byakuya replied her, "A week from now."

ByakuyaxKaguyaxByakuyaxKaguyaxByakuyaxKaguyaxByakuyaxKaguyaxByakuyaxKaguyax

That night, Kaguya had a dream.

She was on a large pool of water, similar to the one in the Phoenix Hall compound, where the Phoneix is sealed. There were Wisteria tree everywhere and its flowers fell lazily from its tree, creating a rather beautiful dreamsccape, soothing one's mind and soul.

I could stay here forever… thought Kaguya casually.

A beautiful bell sound rang out in the silent water pool, waking her up from her reverie. Following the bell's sound, Kaguya found herself standing in front of a white podium with a phoenix frozen in mid flight. Enveloping the phoenix statue was a golden ball of shimmering light that one wouldn't notice much if it doesn't make much of a move.

Afterall, the barrier was and remain as it is – the Living Seal.

"Kaguya," the Living Seal calls out in a faraway voice. Shimmering again, the Living Seal slowly materializes into a being with long flowing white robe. The man has Kaguya's eyes – dark cherry red with gold flecks, as do all who carries the name of the Miyagusuku. She has not seen this person for 50 years, and it has been so long for her.

"Kyouya Nii-sama," Kaguya called. Strangely, she does not feel surprised at seeing him here, as if the dreamworld has dulled her senses of sort. Dreamworld? Kaguya thought. This must be it. This must be a dream.

"Kaguya," Kyouya called again. His hair once a brilliant black, now becomes pure silvery white, a supposed side effect from being transformed into a Living Seal for so long. "The Phoenix Revival Ceremony is soon. Have you come prepared?"

Kaguya turns forlorn. She can never lie to her brother. Wrapping her arms around her body, she admitted in a small voice, "I…am not. I'm afraid, Nii-sama."

"Afraid of what, sister?" Kyouya asked, his now otherworldly appearance seemed to drift closer to her in this dreamworld. One hand patting her head comfortingly, Kyouya asked again, "Afraid of the possible death in this already-afterlife world?"

"No!" Kaguya answered, surprising Kyouya. "No, I'm not afraid of death, Kyouya Nii-sama. I'm afraid that if I were to die in this ceremony, you will forever be trapped as a Living Seal and our clan would fall."

Turning away from him, Kaguya walked closer to the Wisteria tree closest to her. Sitting down on its many large roots, Kaguya signed. "Our clan is the Forger. We forge Zanpaktou spirits. Our clan grounds also host the many rare plants that Shinigami needs for the healing of their bodies and soul after they're hurt. If ever we were to fall…if ever we were to disappear from Soul Society…"

"We won't," Kyouya said to her, one hand extended for her to take. Obediently, Kaguya placed her hand in his as he pulled her up and wrapped his arms around her comfortingly, patting her head to sooth her troubled mind and soul. "We won't disappear. That I can promise you. The Phoenix being a volatile being is merely a rumor – a talk among st the commoners that bears not an ounce of truth or evidence in it. You will not suffer much in the ceremony."

Kaguya sighed. Wrapping her arms around her brother, she nuzzled into his protective embrace. "I missed you, brother. I don't want to be alone again in this world."

Smiling, Kyouya patted her head. She remains small and fragile after so many years, coming just right up to his chin. Kyouya and his brother Yasha adored their little sister, and to see her enduring her days alone is heart wrenching. Such a lovely sister, she should be adored and pampered if the massacre of the Miyagusuku clan didn't happen. "You are never alone, Kaguya-chan. You always have someone close to you. You just haven't realized it yet."

Scoffing, Kaguya detaches herself from her brother's embrace. "Byakuya, you mean?"

Kyouya smiles, shaking his head in denial. Kaguya's smile disappeared from her face. "Do you mean…Yasha Nii…?"

"Time for you to go back, Kaguya," Kyouya breaks the moment. Wisteria flowers swirled up from its lazy falling pattern and circles Kaguya in a whirlwind of flower pool. "You have been in the dreamworld for too long."

"No! Kyouya Nii-sama! Was it Yasha Nii?! Tell me!" Kaguya screamed amidst the swirling vortex of Wisteria flowers, looking frantically at the gradually disappearing Kyouya. He was smiling at her the last time she managed to get a look at him as the Wisteria flowers brings her back to the waking world of Soul Society.

"Not yet…" Kyouya said with a smile as he disappears completely, transformed right back again into his Living Seal Form. The last Wisteria flower vortex disappeared alongside Kaguya, leaving the dreamworld silent once again.

All was still.

ByakuyaxKaguyaxByakuyaxKaguyaxByakuyaxKaguyaxByakuyaxKaguyaxByakuyaxKaguyax

Kaguya woke up with a start.

Sitting up, she realizes she's back in her room. No Wisteria tress planted around the silent pool of the Phoenix Hall compound, no Phoenix statue, and no Kyouya.

"Hime-sama," a deep otherworldly voice called outside her room near the veranda that leads to her private garden, linked to her study where she accepts guests. "You've awakened."

"Yes," Kaguya replied. The being outside took it as a sign that she's decently dressed enough and used its many tails to slide the sliding door open, revealing bluebell flowers surrounding a large Wisteria tree. Kaguya never got tired of the view from her veranda – it was a scene worth waking up for and it was Byakuya's favorite as well.

Outside sitting up stiffly was a huge tailed fox. To be precise, it's a pure Nine Tailed-White Fox. Eyes a piercing dark cherry red, Kaguya never got around to ask her elders how they got around to have a Royal Beast Guard guarding the head of the Miyagusuku family before they died. As far as she remembers, Yokaze the Nine Tailed-White Fox was already there by her side when she ascended the throne of Miyagusuku clan head.

"You were calling Danna-sama's name in your sleep," Yokaze said, turning to sit facing the garden as Kaguya's servants came in with washing water and helped her change into her attire of the day. Kaguya ignored him, still in deep thought as to whether it was wholly a dream and everything is just a figment of her imagination or was it really a warning of sort? Perhaps it really is Kyouya calling out to her to tell her everything will be fine. But how about Yasha, her other brother? They were just getting into that topic when that Wisteria flower vortex shipped her back to Soul Society's real world.

Hearing no reply from her, Yokaze started to whip his tails around in an annoyed manner. She always does this to him, ignoring his questions and sank into a deep thought. The fox's eyes narrowed into slits as it grinned evilly for a revenge plan.

As they were arranging hair pins and flower into her hair, Yokaze piped up, "Byakuya was here by the way."

Kaguya was sipping tea on her kiln cup when she was snapped out of her deep thoughts by the mere mention of her fiancé's name and dropped her kiln cup out of surprise. The kiln cup spilled hot tea everywhere and the servant girls screamed in fright.

Yokaze was crackling with laughter in a foxy way. He delighted in teasing the young head of the Miyagusuku clan. Her reaction at the mention of Byakuya's name never failed to crack out a laugh from him. And he adores her miffed expression. They were ever changing – each time are different and never the same with the previous ones.

As if on cue, Byakuya was led by the groundskeeper to her study. He had came by earlier, but she was still asleep. He had just finished with his early morning meetings at his squad and was bombarded with questions on Kaguya's spells and the massacre of the clan council members. He brushed the questions off and decided to come by again to see if she's alright after yesterday's ordeal.

With Renji in tow.

Yokaze crackled silently and held his breath for the drama to drop.

To simplify things, Kaguya's study and her bedchambers are separated by one empty room she liked to call the Side Room. Its where she eats, where she plays shoji, and where she likes to laze in. This Side Room has shoji screen door with the Miyagusuku clan's Wisteria Flower symbol on each side, allowing one to enter from Study to Side Room, from Side Room to her chambers. It's small enough that if one were to speak on a normal volume in her study, she can hear it clearly in her bedchamber.

The kiln cup spilled hot tea on the hem of her dress. The servants all panicked to get her a new set of clothes and quickly apologize to her and took off the soiled ones to clean. One servant to get a new set of clothes, one servant to take the soiled ones off to clean, and one to draw up another basin of washing water.

Not knowing Byakuya is just right outside the corridor, Kaguya walked to her Study room and brood for a while seeing as her servants now must clean the mess off the floor. Sitting down with one leg propped up, she propped her cheek on one fist and elbow rested on her knee looking out of her garden. The morning hasn't even started and there's already so much mess.

All while wearing her thin Hadajuban tied losely (A thin Japanese undergarment).

The groundskeeper announced Byakuya and his lieutenant's presence. Startled, Kaguya's head nodded off violently from her perch and scrambled up noisily. "W-wait!"

Too late. Byakuya slides the door open in one swing and all is revealed.

"B-B-Byakuya!" Kaguya stuttered, face reddening up in an alarmingly rapid degree. Noticing his lieutenant standing just right behind him, she called out forlornly as well, "A-and Renji!"

Renji heard someone called him and stood on tiptoe innocently to get a look at who called him.

And jaw dropped audibly.

Here they are, standing in front of the Miyagusuku clan head's Study room, in shock at the sight of the barely dressed said head, blushing like a new bride on her wedding night. Kaguya couldn't even form coherent words from the unexpected attention in her current situation and could only manage half-formed syllabus and stutters stupidly like a retard. Scrambling to get something to cover her body, she quickly rush towards her chamber.

And slammed into and oncoming servant carrying a new basin of fresh washing water.

Yokaze howled in laughter at the sound of the basin clanged loudly onto the tatami floor.

Dripping wet from head to toe, Kaguya now realizes she's thoroughly exposed. The water soaked through her undergarments thoroughly and now, they are see-through.

Before anyone could digest what had happened in the span of that few seconds, Byakuya whipped off his haori and draped it onto Kaguya quickly before Renji or anyone else could see her in such a situation. Blocking Renji from getting another glance at her, Byakuya pulled Kaguya's small frame to his body, both hands wrapping tightly behind her small back and her head possessively.

Shocked, Kaguya squeaked adorably.

"Renji, get out," Byakuya ordered, his eyes glowing with annoyance and flared up his riatsu.

"I get it, I get it. I'll get out really quick," Renji said, hopping into the garden with the still laughing Yokaze and shutting the shoji door behind him.

The servant dropped down on her knees beside the fallen basin and begged for forgiveness. But before she could, Byakuya moved past the servant into one corner of the room and once again flared up his riatsu.

"Get out," Byakuya ordered, and the servants quickly shuffled out of the room and leave behind her new set of robes.

After makings sure that doors are all shut, Byakuya lifted Kaguya into his arms.

"B-Byakuya! Let me down this instant! This is scandalous!" Kaguya protested, kicking her feet up into the air. She wanted to hit him as well, but his captain haori effectively caged her arms in it and she was having a hard time trying to untangle her hands from his haori.

Byakuya stopped on his tracks. Thinking that he will finally let her down, Kaguya stopped squirming in his arms.

But no. He was not.

Instead, he stares at her in his arms as she looks up at him. He had on an unusual expression that she has never seen before and curiously angled her head like a puppy highly curious with a new toy.

"B-Byakuya?" Kaguya stutters adorably, her eyes flitting from Byakuya's face to everywhere else. "L-let me down please? You're scaring me."

Byakuya sat down on the tatami floor with one leg propped up for Kaguya to lean, all while he fusses with his haori wrapped securely around her in his arms like a babe. The day is warm, so he's not concerned with Kaguya falling ill.

Nobody falls ill from a cold in Soul Society anyway.

With the back of his fingers, he brushes across Kaguya's soft cheeks, noting that her cheeks flushes up in shyness. "Don't fear me. I'm not going to hurt you."

Kaguya couldn't comprehend what kind of situation she is in right now. She's wet, she needed to change, but here she is wrapped tightly in his haori and encaged in his arms, not letting her go. Looking up to his face, she noticed that he has softened his expression. Concerned maybe? On her being afraid of him right now?

Leaning in, Byakuya kisses her temple gently and hugged her closer to him. "I've come here to tell you of my findings on the Phoenix Revival Ceremony. There is no information on how to ease the Phoenix to the new host. They have never managed to record it down. The ceremony is rare enough as it is that not many knew how or what to do when the time comes for the Phoenix to call on a new host."

Kaguya nodded in his embrace, both her hands fisting lightly onto Byakuya's Shihakusho (Garmen of Dead Souls. The one that every Shingami wears). Byakuya finds this a rather endearing sweet gesture. She has always tried to be strong, putting up an upfront cold persona to make herself look like a leader, and has never relied on him to help her with any mess she gets into. Finally, she's willing to rely on him.

Releasing her from his embrace, Kaguya looked up at him and said in a small voice, "I dreamt of Kyouya Nii last night."

End of Chapter 4: Living Seal
Written on: 24th of March 2020