Treading Ice

Murder wasn't socially accepted. That much was common sense, or so you'd think. Despite the Soul-Society's strict laws, those who enforced them were also held to the same standard, subdued by the tight leash of the Four Noble Clans. The Tsunayashiro Clan reigned at the top, beyond the very rules they sought to enforce. Tyrants, through and through.

Due to such, even a noble like Tsunayashiro Tokinada was only served a light punishment, forced to stay on house arrest for several hundred years. For the crime of murdering his wife, he was granted house arrest. A loathsome, repulsive man like him was only forced to abide by such a weak punishment after taking the life of another, and all because he was a born wealthy.

His sentence would have been much less had Shunsui Kyōraku not intervened, another noble. How was such a thing acceptable? Why did someone have to forcefully involve themselves in such a thing? Why wasn't a fitting punishment served?

These questions were flooding my mind as I glared at the man in question.

"You appear to be dressed quite nicely, but that stench emanating off of you is hardly avoidable, even if you try to cover it up, Hollow." Tokinada spoke out, his vicious tone of voice carrying down the stairs.

It all came natural to him. His brutal, noxious demeanor was only amplified by his razor-sharp tongue. He could cover himself with fancy clothing and hide his spiteful tone with polite vocabulary as much as he wanted, there was still no hiding the revolting man that hid beneath those layers of synthetic-flesh.

"Watch yourself, Tokinada," Takeko said. "He's a guest of the Tsunayashiro Clan, not a guest of Tsunayashiro Tokinada. Even if he's here to speak with you, mind yourself."

Takeko seemed like a stern, fierce woman. Her tone was soft, but there was a clear underlying stance of power beneath it. She knew her place in the world, as much as the next person, but I could tell she possessed morale. She wasn't evil.

"What could you possibly want to speak to me about?"

Tokinada waltzed down the stairs, his ominous spiritual pressure sneaking behind him like a cape as he walked into the lounge. There, he sat himself down at a long table, now sitting directly opposite a large, ornate throne at the end.

Sweat dripped down Takeko and Seinosuke's cheeks as we entered, their jaws shivering in his presence.

"Come, sit." Tokinada said. "If you're here to speak, I rather not waste energy standing."

I glanced at Seinosuke, who had a confused expression on his face. He was unsure as to make of this ordeal I'd thrust him into.

"You're too kind, Lord Tsunayashiro." I said, walking alongside Takeko towards a set of chairs.

"Well, you've already died. As a Soul-Reaper, disrespecting the dead is verboten. I'm sure you understand," he spat.

"W-wait a moment!" Seinosuke shouted. "I thought you two knew each other?!"

Takeko seemed confused, her eyes darting back and forth as she tried to grasp the situation. Her presence wasn't necessary, but I suppose it didn't matter. She'd make it out unharmed.

"Ha. A rather unassuming joke, Seinosuke, but I can respect where it came truly from," Tokinada laughed. "I am not familiar with this Hollow, though."

"Believe it or not, I'm actually an Arrancar," I retorted. "While technically still a Hollow, us Arrancar are in fact closer to that of a Soul-Reaper than a Hollow."

I refused to restrain myself in front of this man. Even if Takeko and Seinosuke had upheld a degree of respect, this man wasn't respectable in the slightest. I couldn't stand the sight of him, much less his words.

"Oh, I'm aware. Believe you me."

"Lance… You lied...."

"I did. I'm not friends with this man. I do know a great deal about him, though."

Tokinada's smile was still creeping up his face, though his mouth had shut rather quickly, his glistening teeth vanishing. He didn't seem very impressed with me.

"Are you perhaps referring to the death of my Wife? Quite a tragic end, wouldn't you say?" Tokinada laughed. Takeko, now sitting beside me, grimaced in response.

"What is it you wanted to ask, Arrancar? Lying is quite the sin, you know. I'd rather not sit in the same room as a sinner."

"Are you religious?" I asked.

"Not in the traditional sense of the word, no. Though, I do believe in a higher power."

"The Soul-King, then?"

For the first time since I'd arrived, his smug smile fell from his face. Takeko wore a shocked expression, while Seinosuke was lost in thought, entirely entranced by Tokinada's gestures.

Tokinada scoffed, "You're full of surprises, aren't you? Perhaps Seinosuke brought you here under the premise of an interview? Are you interested in the Soul-King, Arrancar?"

Somehow, he'd twisted my words against me. How he'd ended up with such a proposal was beyond me, but he'd done so. Such were the lengths this man would go to.

"No, I'd rather not participate in the creation of that patchwork monster you have planned" I said. "I only came to ask one question. If you can answer truthfully, I'll leave without harming a hair on your head."

Once I explained my position I released my spiritual pressure. The entirety of my reiatsu exploded out from me, instantly enveloping our surroundings in a lilac-haze. The sky above had shifted to the same color, almost as if the sun was setting.

The mansion soon began shaking uncontrollably, the very ground of the Seireitei rumbling as I removed my filter. Appearing like your average Arrancar was now out of the bag, I couldn't waste any more time messing around.

Takeko had immediately fallen under my reiatsu, her head slamming against the table with a thud. Seinosuke was conscious, though struggling, his arms suspended on the butt of his chair as he tried standing. Tokinada sat unamused, his Zanpakutō lying across the table.

"Do you plan on asking the entirety of the Seireitei your question?" He asked, unsheathing his sword.

"Tell me the name of your sword," I said. "Not the one taken from you after murdering your wife. The one in your hands."

"What a pointless question," he said, shrugging his shoulders. "This is Kuten Kyōkoku, if you must know."

He had a dumbfounded expression on his face, though it was entirely betrayed by the twisted smile crawling up his face.

"Release the blade. If you don't, I'll strike you down with an attack you won't be able to reflect." I said, directing all my spiritual pressure onto him as I sat up.

He didn't seem afraid, though. Even despite my monstrous spiritual pressure, he stood stern, his smile as vile as before.

"So bothersome," he sneered. "Venerate…"