#if you can guess what Ratatosokoro is a reference to you win a prize

[gallusrostromegalus]

AEIWAM question: Was Senbonzakura originally Furoufushi's sword, or did he originally manifest with a different person in the Kuchiki family?

Senbonzakura was the Kuchiki family sword for well over a millennium by the time Furofushi married into the family. He was quite fond of her, for being so protective of poor Kyoga (it's a regrettable trend that clan scions are often bullied extensively by the family in a misplaced desire to protect the clan as a whole that manifests as trying to control every aspect of the scion's life), and also that she genetically contributed an exceptional amount of health and vigor back into the line- the Kuchiki Clan probably would have genetically imploded in a few generations if it weren't for her.

She had her own zanpaktou named Ratatosokoro that Senbonzakura was also very close to- it's rare for him to get to interact with other zanpaktou outside of work- and they had a standing agreement that, were there ever an emergency or something catastrophic happened to Ratatosokoro that Senbonzakura would allow Furofushi to wield him, and should something happen to Senbonzakura, she would step in as the new Clan Sword and look after their descendants.

As far as Zanpaktou go, that's True Love.

Alas, Ratatosokoro passed with her mistress,as many zanpaktou do. While Furofushi is buried in the clan crypt with her beloved Kyoga, Ratatosokoro has the unique privilege of being buried in the courtyard under the place where Senbonzakura typically sets his roots. Or she was, some 800 years ago. Iron rusts, and is easily absorbed by the surrounding foliage, and ever since, Senbonzakura's blooms and cherries have been a notably deeper shade of pink and red.