The two of them sat on a rectangular-cut rock in the middle of Byakuya's yard in the 6th Division. The 6th Division Captain's yard was twice as big as Itachi's and was more aesthetically pleasing to look at, or sit in— as they were currently doing.
Whereas Itachi's yard looked like a nature spot with the trees in it, Byakuya's yard looked like a training ground— if a training ground was decorated to a noble's taste.
"I doubt you called me here just for a game." Itachi moved a tile on the Go board between them. "Not that I do not appreciate the game."
One of Byakuya's eyes left the game and laid on Itachi with a mildly irritated look in it.
"I called for you for a reason, Captain Uchiha. There is no need for you to be patronizing about it. It is below you."
Itachi shook his head as he played another tile. "You are mistaken. I do appreciate the game. You have quite the good hand at it. It would be nice to play with you again, perhaps without the social visit."
"Quite." Byakuya said and took his turn. "I will say the same of you."
Itachi relied without missing a beat. "Of which? The game or the social call?"
"Yes."
Itachi looked up and two pairs of detached eyes locked into each other.
"And here I was under the impression that you couldn't stand my actions. You certainly make sure you are heard when you voice them out."
Byakuya sneered. "And I would not be wrong. You have not given me a choice to think otherwise. On the contrary, you seem to prefer it if I didn't."
"Mm. So we say. So we say." Itachi muttered as he stared intently at the game before him. He wasn't surprised by Byakuya's skill at the game. It was one of the myriad games board nobles were good at.
"Good. At least I'm not wrong in the assumption." Itachi said and he played another turn. "So, Captain Kuchiki, with your mild apparent dislike for me made more clearly, tell me why I am here, Captain Kuchiki?"
Byakuya looked at him with plain irritation in his eyes. "I said to not patronize me, Captain Uchiha. If you couldn't tell the simple reason then you would be more disappointing than the image of you I have in my head."
Itachi sighed. "If you know I know, why bother to call me in the first place? Keeping up petty appearances is below our station."
Byakuya picked up a white tile and held it between his eyes. He placed it in a tight spot on the board and replied without looking at Itachi.
"Because unlike you, it means something to me. My values are not yours. I'll address it anyway I deem fit."
Itachi nodded. "Of course." A soft wind blew across the yard and carried with it leaves that it left over Itachi's hat and the Go board – or it tried to but Byakuya pushed it away.
Itachi took the leaf on his hat and held it between his fingers for a few seconds before letting go. As the leaf fell to the ground it fell with a new hole in its center, one that burned it to ash before it touched the ground.
"So?" he picked up his piece and continued the game.
"You must have heard of the new addition to my family. A sister to my wife. I found her in the Rukongai."
"That so? I've heard what most have heard, which is nothing important." Itachi said, managing to sound more invested in the game than the conversation he was having.
In the middle of Byakuya's yard, the two seated Captains painted a stark picture of clear opposites. Whereas Itachi looked like someone melding with nature as leaf petals blew and landed on his body, Byakuya remained untainted as the leaves avoided his person as if pushed away by some barrier.
"Her name is Rukia Kuchiki. My request is simple: vet her."
"Why?" Itachi questioned, still taken by Byakuya's fascinating play. "You are more than qualified to give any test I could give her."
Itachi's words were accepted with a nod.
"True, but…"
"But…"
Byakuya sighed, which was the first emotion-filled action he had taken since their meeting began.
"If you must know then–"
"Okay." Itachi answered, and then gave a nod in compliment to Byakuya's move.
Byakuya looked at him in surprise. "You don't want to know?"
Itachi softly shook his head. "I'll find out soon enough, it's more interesting that way. And besides, I already have an idea on what is eating you up. Trust me, it doesn't get easier but it tends to make you better."
"Do you mind if we continue the game at another time?" Itachi asked and raised his head to look at Byakuya who was staring at him inquisitively.
Byakuya looked down at the game and a slight frown crept up on his face. The pieces on the board were suggestive and he didn't like what they were trying to say.
"Very well." He looked up at Itachi and gave him a nod, one his fellow Captain returned as he stood up to leave.
"I still don't tolerate your actions, Captain Uchiha." He said as the man put on his hat.
"Good." Itachi replied nonchalantly. "If everyone started tolerating them then it would mean I'm not doing my job."
Byakuya stared at him as he made to leave. He still remembered his grandfather's words all those years ago and also remembered Itachi's own words concerning Noblesse Oblige.
That was what painted the image of Itachi Uchiha in his mind. Only now he was trying to learn more about the person than the image portrayed only to find out at many turns that there were smears on not just the image but the module character.
In his own words, Itachi Uchiha did not fit conveniently into the mold that was his station.
"Let us continue the game another time then." Slowly Itachi walked out and left Byakuya who kept staring at the game board.
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.....
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[POV: With Itachi]
He left the 6th Division with a few thoughts in his head, one his Zanpakutō spirits found interesting enough to chime in for.
'Ah, the foes of having a younger sibling.' Tsukuyomi remarked in a whispering voice. 'At least he is smart to know that he is far out of his depth to play the good hand. It doesn't suit him.'
'I think rather than it doesn't suit him, he doesn't know how to be anything else than he is.'
'Right you are. He is probably doing this for both women's sakes but given what we know of them, I doubt they'll realize it.' Tsukuyomi said in a soft somber. 'You share a lot of similarities, you and him both.'
Itachi did not say anything to that. He could see it, and he acknowledged it. In a way, Byakuya Kuchiki resembled a younger version of him. Maybe not as jaded – and thankfully it was so – but in a more mannerly way.
Watching the man wear stoicism and noble pride over something as simple as care made Byakuya Kuchiki's character more understandable to him.
'It still doesn't change anything. I'll do what I can and what I must. Hopefully it won't require more than her best.'
It didn't take him long to arrive at his next destination: the Research and Development Institute.
Someone saw him walking in and promptly ran to inform their Captain who sauntered out a minute later with a semi-permanent smile on his face.
"Itachi."
"Urahara."
"Bah, stop it." Kisuke waves him off with a laugh as they both disappeared into the building.
"So what brings you here?" Kisuke asked after he led Itachi into his lab. He turned towards a screen that displayed continual strings of data and read through each of them with a critical eye.
"You." Itachi replied.
"Directly or indirectly." Kisuke asked without missing a beat or looking away from the screen.
"Don't answer that. Let me guess: both." Kisuke said with a small laugh.
Kisuke stopped and took one look at Itachi and a moderate bit of humor left his face before he turned around.
"Let me guess, either you need something… or Mayuri did something."
"How perceptive." Itachi said. He always appreciated how smart the man was. Even if they weren't particularly the closest of friends, Itachi took Kisuke as one of the smartest, if not the smartest man he knew.
Kisuke groaned. "Great. It's about Mayuri, isn't it?"
He finally turned away from the screen to address Itachi. "Well to be honest, I thought you'd come a month or two ago."
"So you knew?" Itachi asked, keeping his time free of accusations, to which Kisuke scoffed.
"Please. He needs at least 50 more years to pull something like that over my eyes." Kisuke said. "I'm guessing you're here to tell me to put him on a leash, or at least tighten the one I've let so loose."
Seeing the question in Itachi's eyes, Kisuke scoffed once more. "And what makes you think I haven't? I grew up with Yoruichi, Itachi. I know a dozen ways to mute a jester."
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