บท 2: Childhood I

Year: 1

In the first few months, I tried to listen as much as I could. Thankfully the templates of both Mihawk and Flashy Flash included their knowledge of the Japanese language. I used the short intervals of time when I was awake to listen to everything I could. I wanted to understand the dynamic in the family and the Kuchiki clan in general.

My grandfather Ginrei always acts in an aristocratic manner — he seems always serene and apathetic towards other people and somewhat towards my father too. He is also extremely calm, and is noticeably quiet, rarely speaking unless to make his intentions known or make a point. Such instances are when he tells my father things about raising a child or some of his 'wisdom' or how a noble should act.

He is also extremely patient and does not give to rash actions and disdains it as a flaw in others, which he has told my father multiple times. He believes that power must be respected and mastered and that those incapable of knowing their own heart are not capable of mastering their own power. These are all things I found out by listening to the dynamic between my father and my grandfather.

But I can also see that Grandfather noticeably softens when he talks to my father especially when he talks with me or holds me. I can see that he does indeed love my father and me very much, but his training and decorum as the 26th head of the Kuchiki clan made him the way he is.

My father Sōjun was described as being kind, not possessing a fighter spirit despite his talents, in the novels I read in my past life. And I can say that it is correct. My father loves me very much and my mother as well. Her death has hit him very hard. Thanks to the words of my grandfather he managed to pull himself together and he has taken very good care of me.

Father does indeed NOT have a fighting spirit. This is something that concerns Grandfather. As the future head of the Kuchiki clan, Father should show his 'might' and be strong but he is just too soft. That's good for being a father and husband, but bad for being the clan head.

My father also appears to have health issues. He seems so frail all the time and I see him coughing sometimes. He doesn't eat as much as he should ... he doesn't eat even as much as me. That brings me to another problem. My appetite.

I am almost always hungry. I could eat so much, but they give me too little. I have no control over it and just start to cry when I am hungry. Stupid baby body. It took the maid a while to figure it out, but eventually she did and I was glad. It was only milk but it was at least food. I would need an exorbitant amount of food in the future. Grandfather said that must be due to my abnormally high Reiryoku reserves that I am this hungry.

And it makes sense. I am the amalgamation of four souls. Byakuya Kuchiki, whose body I reincarnated as, Me from the past life, Flashy Flash and Dracule Mihawk. So it makes perfect sense that I have monstrous spiritual energy already. Well for a child, not a Shinigami in general. But I heard my Grandfather say that I already have the spiritual energy amount of a Seated Officer.

That's bonkers.

Apart from my Father and Grandfather, I also had a lot of contact with the maid that was assigned to me. She takes care of my needs such as food when I expel and sleep as well as cleaning. That's pretty much my life in my first year of life. And as usual, when someone gets reincarnated in the body of a baby ... it is terribly boring. I can't get over the fact that there is nothing for me to do. I have these memories that I could go over but to not be able to move ... that's painful, torture even.

So to satiate my need for excitement, I thought it appropriate to begin my Haki training. Not Haoshoku or Busoshoku Haki of course. No Kenbunshoku or Observation Haki. I've seen it in other fanfics before. I think there was even one where the MC began training his Haki before being born ... yeah ...

Since I was sleeping a lot in the first few months, I couldn't really train that much. But listening to my surroundings and getting a feel for my new family and life helped me. So I started. I closed my eyes and tried to follow the instructions that Mihawk had in his mind to learn Haki. He had a lot of experience with it and I am sure that I will unlock his powers gradually but right now I'm still too weak.

This had mild success. It was a gradual process and I did what I could without getting angry or frustrated. I wouldn't go anywhere so what else was there to do? Well, there was something I could do and that went over the memories of the two templates I got. Both Dracule Mihawk and Flashy Flash had a well of experience and skills that made them the formidable fighters they were.

Year: 2

My first birthday happened. The Kuchiki clan wanted to use this chance to present me to the important figures of the Seireitei. The Future Genius 28th head of the Kuchiki clan was to be presented on a silver platter under the pretence of a birthday 'celebration'. What a drag that was. But I did the most of it. I used this chance to see whether the Bleach world I was reincarnated in was different in any way.

As the celebration began I was gradually introduced to more and more people. Most were some nobles I had no interest in as I found them to be arrogant. I was bored to death by their beliefs of authority or standing. But there were different people as well.

My father held me in his arms but I could already stand. I was a powerful child and wished to be seen as such. There was no need to carry me. So Father put me down and held on to my very small hand. It was a cute scene ... for others, not for me. Then my grandfather came with another old man and introduced me to him.

"Headcaptain Yamamoto-san, I am glad that you could make it today. May I introduce you to my grandson, Byakuya Kuchiki.", Grandpa introduced me to an old man. I stood in front of a fair-skinned man of about 170 cm in height. The oldest captain in the Gotei 13, he has aged into an elderly man with a bald head, deep wrinkles, hooked nose, and pronounced cheekbones. He has red eyes, long eyebrows, a long white moustache, and a hip-length white beard secured by a purple band crossing down it.

He has many scars on his body, with the two most prominent being a pair of long scars crossing above his right eye, speaking of his long life of battle and hardships. I can feel his presence with my senses and they are almost unbearable.

The man looks me in the eyes with half-closed eyes and I can feel his presence and aura. What a man, I think as I look in his eyes. I can feel something rise inside me. I refuse to let this affect me. Something stirs and my will pours out of me. A wave of Haoshoku Haki permeates a short distance around me and clashes with the aura of Yamamoto Genryusai Shigekuni.

We both look each other in the eyes as this goes on. It feels like a few minutes pass, but in reality, only two seconds pass. We both stop this display at the same time and then ... Yamamoto begins to laugh. A hearty deep laugh.

"Hahahahaha. What an interesting young man you are. I look forward to your future accomplishments. That's a strong child you have there Kuchiki Sōjun."

"Thank you very much, Headcaptain Yamamoto.", my father answers.

It doesn't seem that many people understood what just happened since it didn't take very long. But my grandfather, father as well as Yamamoto understood the implications of this occurrence. I had just resisted the old monster with my will alone. That was bound to make history.

During the celebration, I got to meet more Captains than I imagined.

"Captain Kyoraku, I would like to introduce to you my grandson, Byakuya Kuchiki.", Grandfather said.

"Oh? Well, aren't you a strong little fellow? And so pretty too. I imagine that you'll break the lady's hearts in a few years. I have to keep an eye on you, haha.", Kyoraku Shunsui said with a smile.

Shunsui is a laid-back and flamboyant man, evident in his style of dress and general attitude, and is usually smiling. Shunsui is a peace-loving man who will always try to talk his way out of battles, though he does not wish to insult opponents by refusing to fight, just like his fight with Coyote Starrk. But I sense something else inside him. Something darker ... something sinister almost. I can feel that it's not evil per se, just darker.

I can only imagine this to be his Zanpakuto or Zanpakuto spirit, Katen Kyōkotsu. She is a bit twisted and that is seen in each of his fights. It is never truly clear if Shunsui will survive the fight, because he is also a player in her games and can be killed.

Next to Shunsui stood Ukitake Jushiro. He is also a noble from a less important house and was invited here because he is a student of Yamamoto and is a minor noble. Ukitake is well-respected and highly honorable, and always treats those around him with respect, even those who are weaker or not as highly ranked as he is.

As a result, he can be easily approached by other members of the Soul Society who seek favours or advice from the captain. Due to his high moral code, Ukitake will never let any harm come to either his underlings or those who attempt to protect them.

I had a very good feeling about these two friends. Both Kyoraku and Ukitake were good people. I would surely become friends with them. Although I was not really one to make friends. We'll see I guess.

Among the noble houses, there was one clan among them who I knew, would get on my nerves. Or one person in particular. That was the Shihōin clan. Their standing was the same as the Kuchiki clan. It was this day when I first met ... the Cat monster. Oh yes, it was this day, on my very first birthday that I met a young Shihōin Yoruichi. She was a small girl at this point in time not older than 13 or 15 years old.

She looked like a young Yoruichi from the story. She was dressed in a traditional noble way that was expected of her, but I could also see that she didn't like it. Yoruichi is intelligent and witty. She likes to joke around a lot and just like a cat is unpredictable. Although of noble birth, she acts differently from most other nobles and that is something I can relate to.

Although I have a serene expression on my face all the time and it might appear like I am apathetic or unbothered, that's just what my face looks like. I don't care about noble houses at all. Strength is all I care about. If you aren't strong then no matter your birth, you don't have a say in most matters. But if you are strong, then no matter your birth, you will always be listened to.

"Hello~", a feminine voice said next to me. I turned my head around and saw the girl smiling at me. She looked like someone who knew some secret of yours and was just about to blackmail you.

"Hello.", I said with my child-like voice. Remember that I was only 1 year old and speaking was unheard of at that age.

"My name is Yoruichi. Yoruichi Shihōin, but you can call me Yoruichi.", she said to me and smiled. It seems like that is a high honour for her to say it like that.

"Nice to meet you, Yoruichi. My name is Byakuya Kuchiki."

"Hihi, you can talk really well for someone that is only one year old. I'm impressed.", she said and then began to touch my cheeks. It seems she liked what she felt and began to pull them a bit like the old grannies do when they meet you.

"Hihihi, I think I will enjoy teasing you Byakuya."

Oh boy.