The Hollow Queen

Discussions over Sake

 Once a year, the elders of the Kuchiki clan and head are to gather at the estate's great hall to discuss any matters that pertain to both the clan as well as their role as the historians of soul society. Internally Byakuya didn't enjoy these meetings, he'd rather spend time grooming one of the numerous bonsai trees he kept around his estate. The primary reason why he detested such meetings is because nothing ever got done. For the past few decades the elders have become insistent on either him remarrying or marrying off Rukia to one of the other clans. They knew full well that he was still grieving the loss of his wife, but it has been 70 years since she passed but he knew he had a role to play in the Kuchiki clan, since he was the eldest male and the heir of his grandfather Ginrei. With both his parents and his grandfather now having passed, he was the head of the clan. He could name Rukia his successor as head of the clan, but that decision might go just as poorly as his initial decision to marry Hisana in the first place.

"The reinstatement of the corrupted shinigami as well as the deserter captain will need to be noted in the scrolls." One of the elders, an old woman named Hama says not bothering to hide the distain for the vizards in her voice.

"They may have hollow powers, however they have my respect and I recommend you give them that respect as well." Byakuya retorts, sitting at the head of the large table in the great hall. "Captain Isshin Shiba, had completed the oath that all shinigami swear at their entrance into the Gotei. To protect and preserve the lives and souls of the human world at any means necessary. He sacrificed his soul reaper powers so that Masaki Kurosaki could live, as he explained to me."

"Speaking of the Shibas, it seems that Yamamoto has reinstated them as a great noble house and with that reinstatement, Kukaku Shiba named her nephew Kurosaki Ichigo the heir of the Shiba clan. The half breed power thief is now of noble blood." Byakuya's uncle Komoda practically growled at both the names of Shiba and Kurosaki Ichigo.

"He did what was necessary to save his family, and Rukia did her duty as a shinigami that night. I was blind to see it, however I will not have my clan speaking poorly of the man who saved my sister." Byakuya's patience was beginning to wear thin. "I have selected a suitor for Rukia, however I myself will not be looking for a new bride for the foreseeable future."

"It's about time you allowed that street rat to actually become useful to the clan, who did you select for her suitor?" Another elder says. Byakuya disregards the insult to Rukia, but a slight smirk grows on his lip as he prepares his answer.

"Shiba Kurosaki Ichigo." Byakuya answers firmly, "Thanks to Aizen's experiments, Rukia has fallen victim to an inner hollow of her own. Kurosaki Ichigo seems to have one as well and almost killed me during our duel the day she was to be executed." The elders gasp in horror at this revelation.

"Rukia Kuchiki should be expelled from the clan! We never should have allowed that disgusting street rat into the Kuchiki cla-" Hama shouts but she immediately goes silent when a sakura petal manifests right before her face and drifts slowly to the table in front of her.

"The next person to speak ill of my sister will be dragged out of here on a corpse wagon." Byakuya says darkly, his reishi now flooding the room threatening to crush the other nobles in the room. "Her power with hollowfication was enough to wound the traitor captain Aizen, the traitor managed to dispose of multiple captains with barely any movement. Komamura, captain class Lieutenant Kurosaki, myself, Captain Soi-Fong and ex captain Yoruichi were all powerless against him. Her hollow injured him, and demonstrated the ability to use Kurosaki's bankai. The only two of us that could face Aizen are her and Kurosaki."

"Was this what drove your decision to have your sister and Kurosaki Ichigo court?" One of the more level headed but still as stuffy, elders asks.

"While an offspring between them would be a natural born prodigy, with potentially the highest natural reishi to ever occur in the history of soul society" He begins, "That isn't why I decided on them courting one another. It was my failure to uphold the last wish of Hisana that drove this decision. I feel that I am unfit to protect her like Hisana asked. I may have been overzealous in my attempts to keep her from danger and stifled her growth as a soul reaper and as her own woman. I will speak to Kukaku Shiba and Isshin Shiba about having them married, however until the war with Aizen is over they will continue to court. Additionally, Kisuke Urahara and Mayuri Kurotsuchi have made a breakthrough with a secret weapon that can be used against the traitor captains." Byakuya pauses to take a slow sip of the hot sake a servant had brought to him. "I have agreed to take part in this experiment with the assistance of the Vizards."