Continued from: Unpleasant Day
Byakuya gave a short order to his lieutenant Abarai before leaving walls of 6th division. He had read the final riddle, and finding the precise location would take time. Time he did not have to waste on frivolous games.
'You give me breath,
You give me life.
You give me too much,
I die.'
Either the riddler thought he was a fool, or he chose an easier one to balance the first maddening poem, but a possible answer came to Byakuya's mind immediately. Fire. You billow air into the spark to make the flames strong, but if you blew too much and too quickly, you kill it. Anyone who knew anything about building a fire knew that much, especially when watching the heat of forges. However, that answer gave rise to another bite of irritation. Where was this fire?
Was it possible that another answer fit the riddle's parameters and yielded an easier search?
He continued down his current pathway. Until he found another solution, he would search the forges in Rokungai. His first riddle had been discovered there. It would be probable solution to begin his search there.
...
Byakuya's ignored the whispers that followed him as he walked the streets. Thankfully, no one had approached him to sell their wares. If left alone, his patience was deep. He raised his eyes to examine the next forge in his sights and felt no pull from Senbonzakura.
Closing his eyes, he turned down the next street.
Perhaps it was because he had blocked out all outside noise with his mind, maybe he had a momentary lapse of alertness, yet at that moment, a small child slammed into him with a small cry of pain. At the same time, something red and rubbery brushed against his face, rising upwards.
Until he caught it by the string by which it was attached. His other arm steadied the girl.
A moment passed.
