“Moriyasu-kun, you can’t just say things like that!
You absolutely cannot joke about something like this!
If word got out to the nobility that someone was impersonating one of them, the consequences would be awful!” Momo blurted it out in a rush, grabbing at Moriyasu’s sleeve, trying to pull it back down to hide the crest, and went on: “There was a guy in our Advanced Class who claimed he was a mid-ranking noble.
Someone from the Noble Registry came around asking questions, and once they confirmed he wasn’t actually noble, he was just gone by that afternoon.
The teachers never even explained what happened to him.” “Moriyasu, Momo’s right, that happened just a few days ago.
Even as Shinigami, students like us can’t go around impersonating nobility.” Kira hurried to add.
“Are you trying to get yourself killed?” Renji shouted too, his voice tight with urgency.
His feelings right now were a tangled mess, but he still moved on instinct, angling his body to block Moriyasu’s crest from view, so no one else would see it.
Class was about to start, and plenty of people were passing through the corridor right now.
Getting spotted would mean real trouble.
“So, Moriyasu, you’re from a great noble clan?” A voice rang out from not far away.
Everyone turned, and there was Fifth Division Captain Sosuke Aizen, hands tucked into his sleeves, a gentle smile on his face, walking slowly toward them.
He came to a stop in front of the group, sunlight from beyond the corridor spilling over him.
It caught his glasses in a white glare, hiding his eyes from view.
Aizen spoke gently.
“It’s my calligraphy lesson again today.
Class is about to start.” Rukia bowed at once.
“Captain Aizen, I won’t be able to attend class today.
The Kuchiki family is adopting me, so I need to go pack up my things at the dorm.” She lifted her head slightly, speaking with real respect.
“Thank you for everything you’ve taught me these past months, Captain Aizen.” “Well, congratulations, Rukia.” Aizen answered gently, drawing a hand from his sleeve to pat her shoulder.
“I’ll admit, your leaving will make things a little quieter around here.
But if you ever want to join the Gotei 13 down the line, the Fifth Division would be glad to have you.” “Thank you, Captain Aizen.” Rukia gave the others a nod, then turned and headed off toward the dorms.
Only then did Aizen wave the rest of them over.
“Well?
Don’t tell me none of you want to attend my calligraphy lesson.” Over these past few months, Aizen had made a habit of coming to the academy one day each month to teach calligraphy.
Occasionally he’d teach Zanjutsu, Hakuda, Kido, or Shunpo as well.
His lessons didn’t separate the Regular Class from the Advanced Class.
That was exactly why Renji and the others had come looking for Moriyasu and Rukia today.
Whenever Aizen came to teach, it doubled as the one chance the whole group had to see each other.
“Of course not!
Being taught by Captain Aizen is a real honor!” Momo answered at once, hands snapping to her sides.
“Hahaha, no need to be so tense, Momo.
Come along to class now.” Aizen turned and headed toward the classroom, and the others hurried after him.
In calligraphy class, Aizen wrote out the character for “family” this time, then set the students to practicing.
As he made his way around checking their work, he came to stand beside Moriyasu, bent slightly at the waist, and asked quietly: “Moriyasu, Soul Society only has so many great noble clans.
Their standing outranks even a Gotei 13 captain, or Central 46, for that matter.
But I’ve never once heard of a great clan by the name of Tokoyo.
If you can’t produce solid proof, the consequences could be quite serious.” As he spoke, he crouched down slightly, bringing his eyes level with Moriyasu’s, and went on with a smile: “Of course, if what you said earlier was only a joke, you shouldn’t repeat it, and I won’t mention it to anyone.” Moriyasu started with a thanks.
“Thank you, Captain Aizen.” Then he offered an equally gentle smile of his own and answered, “But I wasn’t lying.” “But last time, Moriyasu, you told me you didn’t even know where your family’s estate was.
The gap between an ordinary noble and a great clan is about the same as the gap between a rank-and-file Shinigami and a captain.
Think this through carefully, Moriyasu.” Aizen offered the warning again, sounding genuinely well-meaning.
“Personally, I don’t think some of Soul Society’s institutions should even exist, and I certainly don’t think a small mistake deserves the harshest possible punishment.
But if you keep insisting you’re from a great clan, the consequences might be more than even I can help you with.” Moriyasu met Aizen’s eyes directly, his own gaze steady, without the faintest waver: “Captain Aizen, I really am from a great clan.
I’m the head of the Tokoyo family.” “Then I do apologize.” Aizen straightened back up.
“I’d imagine it won’t be long before the relevant people come to ask you about this.
If you run into any trouble, Moriyasu, feel free to come find me at the Fifth Division anytime.
A great clan may outrank a captain in authority, but that doesn’t mean we’d cross one lightly.” Moriyasu nodded, real gratitude showing on his face.
“Thank you, Captain Aizen.” Aizen smiled, tucked his hands back into his sleeves, and went on making his rounds, checking over the students’ calligraphy.
Moriyasu stayed where he was, staring down at the character for “family” on his own desk.
Coming out and declaring himself a member of a great clan had served two purposes.
First: right now, he still had absolutely no leads.
The original plan, waiting until he’d properly become a Shinigami before making contact with the Shiba and Kuchiki families to dig up anything about the Tokoyo clan, had been safe enough, if a little slow.
In truth, he’d already heard about the incident from a few days back, the Advanced Class student caught impersonating a noble.
If anything, it had given him an idea: why not just declare it himself outright, and let other people help dig up the leads for him?
Rukia had now formally become a member of the Kuchiki family, and that brother-in-law of hers clearly doted on her plenty.
But from what Moriyasu remembered, the man was rigid to a fault, and Rukia’s life inside the Kuchiki household might end up lonely and difficult.
She’d only agreed to join the Kuchiki family because of him, after all.
Doing this now could take a real weight off her shoulders.
Aizen, he suspected, would probably help fan the flames of his claim too.
Word would likely reach every captain, and every great noble house, before long.
Hopefully something useful would come out of it.
Second: if it managed to draw out whatever enemies the Tokoyo clan had, so much the better.
Ever since enrolling, he’d made a point of coming across as thoroughly unremarkable.
Anyone looking at him would assume he was just some kid with a talent for handling Reishi, still stuck at a spiritual power rank of thirteen.
Any enemy would surely want to wipe him out now, before he grew into any real threat.
When that happened, he’d have quite the surprise waiting for them.