The months following Aizen, Ichimaru, and Tosen's defection had been difficult. The captains had been well loved and trusted; no one could truly believe they were evil. Trying to fill their spots was nearly impossible for the Captain Commander, as there was no one willing to fill the shoes of the traitorous captains. The treason itself seemed to pose a problem; everyone had become suspicious of each other. Friends turned on friends and the Seireitei seemed to be pulling apart at the seams without the help of the oncoming war.
Kai Ichida ambled through the hallways of her squad, her amber hair pulled intricately back into braided strands tucked into a barrette, then a ponytail that was braided and tied off with a white ribbon; strands of hair pulled out and tied off with thin cords to frame her small face. She wore a shortened hakama, and the sleeves of her top were billowy and loose. She didn't wear the traditional haori that befitted her station; instead she wore a cape of it thrown over her shoulder, just like a certain previous captain had and had the number and symbol of her squad tattooed on her collar bone. Her eyes were narrowed slightly, giving her an irritated air similar to Ichigo Kurosaki's, the young shinigami that had caused so much chaos in the Seireitei.
Kai smirked as she remembered the first time she met him; she had been training in a court yard a few days after the defection, using her break from cleaning duty to work with her zanpakuto. She had just mastered her Bankai, and was working on perfecting it. She would have gotten in trouble if someone caught her but she had set up barriers to protect anyone coming near. She'd just released her Bankai as the Orange Moron dashed around the corner. He'd tumbled right into her, knocking the girl clean off her feet. Luckily the idiot hadn't impaled himself on her zanpakuto. Spending time with him had led Kai to realize that she and Ichigo shared many traits: the orange hair, the easily irritated attitude, a need to protect others, and, surprisingly, relatives. Yes, Kai was in all actuality Ichigo's aunt, Isshin Kurosaki's sister.
Ichigo hadn't been too thrilled learning that his aunt was a shinigami like himself, but at least he was still unaware of the truth about his father; he could tell his son himself when the time was right (since at this point in time Ichi doesn't know about his dad yet.). Ichigo believed that Kai had died long before Ichigo had been born, which was true, but he didn't know that it had been a few hundred years since she had died. She taught him some tricks she knew to improve his fighting, reprimanding him harshly when he got it wrong, but rewarding him with food like a dog when he finally got it. Kai was thrilled to see her nephew, but also scared for him; she didn't know what the future held for him.
Now the female captain walked alone, concentrating on the latest discussion she'd had with the Captain Commander; her new promotion meant a surprising amount of training: actually filling out the paperwork, train new recruits, and-apparently- most importantly, she had to learn how to behave like a captain. After the shocking failure of training Captain Kyoraku, all new captains had to undergo strict lessons to behave properly. No wonder Hitsugaya was such a stick in the mud; anyone would be with Kuchiki and Yamamoto shoving decorum down his throat every time he took a breath. The discussion today surprisingly hadn't been about Kai's latest blunder, but about her predecessor, Gin Ichimaru. Kai had barely known the man when he'd defected; she'd been in Squad 13, with Captain Ukitake, comfortably seated as his Fifth. Kai had been brought forward as a candidate for Captain of Squad Three when it became apparent that Lieutenant Izuru had no intention of taking the spot and that Kai was one of the only non-Captain shinigami who could successfully wield Bankai. Captain Yamamoto was convinced that no new Captains could be trusted, so Kai was under near constant surveillance until she proved herself. None had acknowledged her new status yet, as she had not won her spot in the traditional way. Kai planned to change that by challenging the renowned Kenpachi Zaraki, the fight manic Captain of Squad Eleven.
With the thought in her head, Kai set off to the Squad Eleven Barracks, which were a fair distance from her own barracks for Squad Three. She kept a fast pace the whole way, avoiding anyone she saw that she knew. She blew past Renji and Ichigo who were hotly arguing...again… the small Captain of Squad Ten, and her Vice-Captain, Izuru Kira. As she passed Kira, she snagged his arm, dragging him with her.
"C-Captain? What are you doing?" He exclaimed as he stumbled to keep up with Kai's pace.
Kai didn't look back at her bewildered Vice-Captain as she answered. "I need you to be my witness." She declared, speeding up to a broken shunpo. Izuru just stared at her, allowing his body to be towed along, no longer fighting the female's superior grip. When she noticed Izuru wasn't answering, Kai slowed down to be able to turn and look at him "What's wrong, Izuru?" she questioned, peering up at her slightly taller (only by an inch!) subordinate.
"Captain Ichida, please don't tell me you need me as a witness to challenge someone!" he cried out in distress, he'd been down ever since Gin defected, and now was slightly unstable in his emotions.
Kai just stared at him blankly "Funny, that's exactly what I was gonna do…" She murmured, looking away, with a weak smile. Izuru grabbed her upper arm, jerking her forcefully closer to him. He glared at her with surprising heat.
"This squad has already lost a captain; they don't need to lose the one they just accepted so soon as well. Why are you doing this? You don't need to prove yourself. Yamamoto has named you Captain, that's all anyone needs." Kai yanked her arm back, glaring almost levelly at her Vice-Captain
"And what if I am not satisfied that I am qualified? Call it a selfish whim if you like Vice-Captain, but it is one that I intend to follow," she snapped. She turned away from Kira's stricken face before she added "resume your duties, Kira. I'll find someone else to witness. But…" she turned back again, surprising Kira with a warm smile "Don't worry about me; I know what I'm doing. After all, this is where it gets interesting," She strode away, once more intent on finding Captain Zaraki to issue her challenge. Even as he watched, Kai snatched another unfortunate subordinate to be her witness. What I wouldn't do to have our uncaring Captain Ichimaru back, Kira thought fervently. He would never go through something so ridiculous, never cause the squad to worry about him so. But as soon as he thought it, he took it back. Ichimaru truly hadn't cared about the squad; no one would have worried about him anyways. Kira shook his head, hanging his head to hide his defeated grin before running to catch up to his Captain.
Kepachi Zaraki was stunned. It took a lot to surprise him, and he'd honestly thought he'd seen it all, given both the antics of Squad Eleven and the little spitball he had as a Vice-Captain. But Kai Ichida had succeeded in astounding him and he wasn't sure he liked it. "Lemme get this straight," he rumbled, his visible eye narrowing into a slit that made him look positively demonic. Kira shrunk back, crouching just slightly behind his Captain in an effort to shield himself from that horrible glare. Kenpachi he could deal with- sure, he was a behemoth and completely psychotic-who wasn't after raising Vice-Captain Yachiru? But the sheer force of his reiatsu was enough to make Kira want to puke. Kenpachi scoffed at his obvious weakness before continuing "You're gonna challenge me in an effort to get accepted by the Seireitei?" Kai stared up at him, her eyes also narrowed, but in determination, not intimidation. She nodded, crossing her arms over her chest and glaring defiantly back, daring the much taller captain to refuse. Kenpachi's face broke out into a grin, leaning forward to look at Kai directly. "You've got yerself a deal, girlie," He struck out a hand in front of Kai, which she took as her face also lifted into a smirk.
"Pleasure doing business with you, Captain. Three hours sound good?" Kai asked, feigning politeness now that she had…procured… what she was after. One was supposed to handle these matters with decorum, after all. Kenpachi's grin widened before squeezing Kai's hand painfully and turning away. Kai, for her part, managed to keep a straight face even as she heard the bones in her hand creaking from the pressure, and refused to rub the soreness until Kenpachi was completely out of sight.
"Right," She quipped, massaging her hand vigorously "That's settled, so now I just have to…eh? Kira, what's wrong?" she questioned when she turned to see her Vice- Captain cowering behind her, his face contorted in almost horror as if he'd been trying (and failing) to keep a straight face. It made his features look humorously grotesque. She chuckled at him before sauntering away, Kira stumbling after her.
No one noticed the slim shadow shrouded in the corner behind where the captains had once stood. His lips twisted into a wide smirk as he watched the female captain stroll away. "So she's the one, eh?" he muttered to himself, allowing his gaze to run up and down her form. "Well then, I guess that means I'll just have to keep a close eye on 'er," he chuckled, turning away to disappear down the dark alley.
Kai stood rigid on one end of the arena usually used for the graduation battles. She had her hand placed on her hip, her features carefully structured into a neutral expression- though anyone looking closely would see the sweat beading on her forehead as she began to seriously regret her decision. Damn! Shoulda listened to Kira….she mused, still staring nonchalantly at nothing. Too late now I guess… but where is Zaraki? She perked up as a cocky voice carried over the vast arena.
"Oi, Ichida! Let's get this goin' huh? I got better stuff to do than grind your face into the ground!" Kai's face tightened in to a narrow smirk, her eyes darkening as her lips curled over her teeth.
"I was worried you'd be too scared to show, Zaraki." She taunted, leaning forward and closing an eyelid. "Or was it that you just got lost?" Kenpachi growled menacingly and Kai chuckled in reply. He pulled his sword from its sheath, the afternoon sun glinting along the blade. Kai drew her own weapon and ran her palm down the length of it.
A voice boomed throughout the arena before the two could launch into action "Captains Ichida and Zaraki. Before you begin, I shall inform you of the rules of this battle. There will be no use of shikai. There will be no use of Bankai. If you are wearing a block on your reiatsu, you may not take it off. This is not a fight to the death. First to fall and not get back up after a ten second period shall be claimed the loser. Questions?" Captain Commander Yamamoto boomed. As expected, both began protesting at once.
"Old Man, you can't be serious!" Zaraki exploded, his mouth tugging into a deep frown.
Kai stepped in beside him. "This isn't the fight we agreed on, Captain!"
"There's no fun in a fight like this!"
"The whole point of this was to use our repertoire of attacks to see who's truly stronger!"
"CAPTAIN!"
"SILENCE!" The two fell silent, glaring heatedly at their superior. The crowd hushed at their blatant disregard shown to the Head Captain. "Captain Ichida, I believe we discussed these outbursts at our last session, did we not?" Yamamoto demanded. Kai looked away, scowling, before nodding her head curtly. "And Captain Zaraki, surely this battle will be a better test to see who is truly stronger without needing to rely on handicaps?" Zaraki stiffened, then also grudgingly nodded his assent. The shadow under one of the arches of the arena snickered and settled down to watch the fight. He was becoming increasingly more interested in this 'Kai Ichida'.
The two rivals stalked off to their respective ends of the arena. They glared at each other, not caring that the other couldn't see it but knowing that somehow they could feel the malice. Anyone unfortunate enough to be looking at their faces shuddered as they felt a sudden cold tear through their bodies.
A tense silence ripped through the arena, like the calm before a storm. Both captains tilted their heads to watch as Yamamoto held his hand up imperiously. Their eyes focused on his hand, concentrating fiercely on the extended limb. The hand dropped and the opponents sprang into action.
Zaraki charged down the field, waves of dust trailing uselessly behind him. Kai sprinted forward as well, her arms and sleeves fluttering out behind her to give her balance. The two clashed in the middle and the shrieking sound of metal against metal rang throughout the arena. Dust flew up around the two as their swords met, shielding them from view. As the dust settled, the crowd could see the two trying to muscle their way out of a grid lock. Zaraki obviously had more in the way of brute strength, and his sword slowly but surely bore down on the smaller female captain. Her teeth ground together as she strained her muscles to fend off Zaraki. The battle would end soon if she couldn't get out of the stalemate.
Growling ferally now, she twisted her sword, allowing it to slide closer to Zaraki while his did the same towards her. Zaraki looked faintly confused and surprised as she opened herself up to attack, which he immediately took advantage of. Exactly as Kai had hoped. She slammed the heel of her palm up, allowing it to crash against Zaraki's jaw, twisting her body as she went to avoid being impaled on the end of his Zanpakuto. As he staggered back from the force of the blow she hooked her zanpakuto around his own to dislodge it. She leapt backwards out of the way as Zaraki let out a roar. Her landing was off and she stumbled back, keeping her arms outstretched to regain her balance. Zaraki swung violently at her and she threw herself out of the way, rolling to avoid any injury. He kept up the attack, forcing Kai to stay on the defensive. He got a slice in that ripped open the flesh on her side. She grunted in pain, dropping to one knee and slashing at his leg. She managed a shallow wound, not one that would impede his speed, but still bled heavily. She lunged off the ground, swinging her zanpakuto up to cut deep into the side of his chest. She grinned in triumph, but her expression slid to one of disbelief as he grabbed the hilt of her sword, encasing her hands with one of his own massive hands. He smirked down at her.
"Game over," he whispered as he tore off the eye patch that controlled his reiatsu. His Spiritual Pressure skyrocketed as a manic grin covered his face. Kai struggled to free her hand, but to no avail; Zaraki was much stronger than she was, and threw her like a ragdoll down the arena. She crashed into the opposite wall and landed with a sickening thud. Dust motes swirled around her still form as the crowd erupted into a furious mob. Zaraki glared up at the stands.
"She said she wanted to be accepted. How can I do that if I can't fight her with no restraints?" He growled accusingly. "If anything, it's what she wants!"
"Damn right…you bastard…. Coulda… at least warned me or something" Kai grumbled, clutching her side as blood seeped through her fingers. She staggered back to the behemoth of a captain. Zaraki smirked at her, allowing one corner of his lips to rise so that Kai caught a glimpse of a sharp fang.
"Well, wouldja look at that. You survived. Must be a Kurosaki thing," He drawled looking at the bloody female. Kai stiffened, it wasn't a secret that she was a relative of Ichigo, but she hadn't thought Zaraki cared enough about the gossip of the Seireitei to know that.
"I've had enough…" she snarled, gasping for every breath she drew in. "It's time to end this. Maul, Ookamitesai!" She swung her Zanpakuto in a sweeping arc, bringing it back to hold it horizontally before her face. Her reiatsu flared around her, causing a windstorm to strike up around her. "This is where it gets interesting…" She lowered so that she was crouching with one knee bent and the other extended to the side. "Bankai! Kowareta Ookamitesai!"
Izuru's eyes widened as he saw Kai's transformation "She's moving straight into her Bankai?" he whispered, drawing the attention of the shinigami standing next to him, Lieutenant Abarai.
"What was that, Izuru? You're lookin' a little pale there, buddy," Renji questioned, his tattooed eyebrows lifting as he spoke.
"Captain Ichida must be angrier at Zaraki than I thought; wouldn't she normally attack with a shikai attack,and then activate her Bankai?" Kira voiced his concern to Renji as he turned back to watch the fight. Ichida's attack, Izuru noticed, was a lot like Captain Komamura's. An enormous wolf spirit swirled around her, growling and snarling savagely. When Ichida swung her sword, the wolf followed, attacking with teeth and cruel claws. From what Izuru could vaguely discern, the expression on Kai's face could be explained as nothing short of murderous. He knew that his captain valued a fair, clean fight more than anything; Zaraki breaking Yamamoto's rules, ridiculous as they were, must have sparked a rage in Ichida that usually never saw the light of day. A fire sprang to life in her eyes as she slashed at Zaraki. He managed to block most hits, but the few he missed left him with gouging wounds.
"You're uh…really worried about her huh, Kira?" Renji said a little awkwardly as he rubbed the back of his head.
"I just don't want to lose another captain so soon…" he muttered softly.
Zaraki was wearing Kai down; her attacks slowed, her footing became clumsy and her breath caught in ragged gasps in her throat. He towered over her, grinning manically in triumph. "This was a good fight, Ichida, too bad it's gonna end. I'm glad though: you put up more of a fight than I thought you would. If you didn't fight so much like your nephew, you woulda won,"
Kai looked up at him, her chest heaving as she panted heavily. "I'm….not done…yet…" she heaved, gripping her zanpakuto. Her Bankai flickered, then faded, dissolving around her. The sword reverted to a completely sealed state; not a good sign. Zaraki grunted suddenly as something sharp seemed to penetrate the skin of his abs. He looked down to see Kai's blade protruding from his stomach. The small captain was latched on to the other edge, heaving for breath as she expended the last of her energy. Kai wobbled dangerously, releasing her white-knuckled grip on her zanpakuto. She slid to the ground, dropping to her knees. Zaraki followed suit, resting a massive hand on her slim shoulder.
"D-damn you… Ichida…that was actually...pretty good…for a chick…" Zaraki wheezed, blood trickling from the corner of his mouth. His body slumped, putting even more pressure on Kai's trembling body. His other hand curled into a fist, planted on the ground to help him balance. He had to fall after her after all.
"Tch. Paws off…Zaraki…I'm gonna win this thing… quit cheating an' stand…on your…own…." Kai groaned, weakly shoving at his hand. It didn't budge, but he removed it anyways, holding himself up on all fours. Kai slumped forward so that her weight was on her hands as well as supported by her kneeling position.
Zaraki forced a laugh "You cheated too…releasing both shikai and Bankai…plus…this wasn't supposed to go to the death…"
"Well, like I was gonna…actually listen to the old man…after that stunt…you…pulled…" she coughed, blood spotting the ground before her. Her vision swam and her arms gave out.
1…
The crowd was silent, many willing Kai to get back up.
2…
3…
Izuru saw his captain's arms twitch, almost managing to push her body up even a little before she collapsed again. Zaraki watched her emotionlessly.
4…
Zaraki's blood dripped off the zanpakuto, landing on the hard packed dust to mingle and run with Kai's. He refused to fall, tapping into his inhuman strength to keep him alive; a feat Kai would never be able to match him in.
5…
6…
"I win," scattered cheering met Zaraki's words, but many were too terrified of him to make a sound. Only the members of his division cheered.
7….
The grinning shadow turned and disappeared into the darkness, his robes fluttering around him as he moved.
8…
9…
10…
Kai's breathing stopped as members of Squad Four reached her, the orange haired Ryoka girl not far behind.
Kai woke to bright fluorescent lights blinding her already spotty vision. Death? She wondered, but no, it couldn't be; her body was in too much pain to be dead. She craned her neck to check the damage to her figure, but could only see gauzy bandages wrapped about her torso where her shihakusho should have been. She was satisfied when she saw that a white robe had been tied around her lower, uninjured body. The torso and sleeves hung empty around her waist.
Kai decided she was done laying on the lumpy something that vaguely resembled a bed and swung her feet so that she switched to a sitting position. She eased into the top of her robe, grimacing when she realized that the top was very loose and would have exposed a lot if not for all the bandaging. She hopped off the bed, noticing now that she was in a hospital room. Her feet hit the cold linoleum floor and her vision flickered in utter agony. She groaned softly in pain and latched onto the bed post to support her suddenly weak body.
"What the…" she muttered dizzily, putting her other palm up to her forehead.
"Lay down, Captain Ichida. You're still injured," A voice floated from the doorway. Kai glanced up to see Captain Unohana watching her with a gentle smile-so gentle it was creepy when Kai noticed the angry aura emanating from the other woman. Kai meekly sat back down. Unohana continued to gaze at her, so Kai stretched out on the bed once more. "Good," Unohana said smiling.
"Umm Captain Unohana, I have a question," Kai began uneasily. Unohana turned slightly to listen. "Wasn't that Ryoka girl…ummm Inoue there at the battle? Couldn't she have just healed me?" Kai ventured. Unohana just shook her head.
"I am sorry, Captain Ichida, but the orders came directly from Head Captain Yamamoto that both you and Captain Zaraki were not to be healed permanently. It is your punishment for breaking the rules he set for your fight." Unohana chided quietly, her eyes sparkling mischievously. What could she say? Even she could have a sadistic side to her humor.
Kai's expression plummeted and she puffed her cheeks out in irritation. "Stupid old man…." She mumbled childishly, glancing sideways away from Unohana.
"Now, now Captain Ichida, you know your manners. Leave that behavior to Lieutenant Kusajishi," Unohana chided again, covering her mouth with a delicate hand to stifle a giggle at Kai's actions. Kai only grunted at her. She'd always secretly envied the other woman for how feminine, elegant and graceful she was. "By the way, the rest of your punishment includes confinement to your office until you heal. A bed will be set up in there and meals will be brought to you. You will be allowed to leave for supervised training for up to three hours." Kai's mouth dropped open in shock, leaping up to stand on the bed.
"He's seriously going to ground me? THAT OLD SENILE BASTARD!" she roared, jumping to her feet on the bed, not caring that she could barely stand straight with her injuries. She snorted- actually snorted, before looking down at Unohana. 'Wait…no it's his fault…" she reasoned, shoulders sagging as she calmed down a bit. Unohana sighed in relief. Too early- Kai flared up again. "IT'S THAT DAMNED ZARAKI'S FAULT! WHERE IS HE? I'M GONNA KILL THAT MOTHER—"she was cut off from her rant as something collided into her side, knocking the wind out of her lungs. She toppled sideways off the bed to the floor. She snarled at the one who attacked her, expecting to see Unohana. But it was only that scrawny seventh seat, Yamada.
Hearing the snarl ripped from the throat of the woman he tackled, Hanatarou realized what he had just done. Shakily, he peeked up into the eyes of a woman high above him in rank. Her eyebrows narrowed dangerously as she glowered at him. A rumble of a growl emitted from her throat.
"I suggest you get off of me before I get really angry, Omega" Kai ground out through clenched teeth. The small shinigami cocked his head in confusion at the odd title, but jolted when she growled at him again. Hanatarou scrambled off her and dashed off to hide behind his Captain W-w-w-w-what happened to Captain Ichida? She used to be so…so gentle. Now she's…well, she's a beast! Hanatarou shivered at just how accurate the comparison was. Kai had gotten up and was pacing back and forth like a caged animal, muttering how she refused to imprisoned for a fault made by Zaraki. What was she supposed to do? She couldn't follow the rules after that! She definitely would have died if she had. Surely the Captain Commander would understand. She snapped her head at Unohana as she thought this, knowing that she was close to the Head Captain. Kai gazed at the other captain intently, but Unohana could only shake her head.
"I've already tried reasoning with him, dearie. I even told him that you may very well demolish your whole Squad complex to get out; nothing would change his mind. I'm sorry," Unohana sighed. She could see where Kai's wolf Bankai came from now. A wolf needed her pack. Needed that social aspect in her life. As forcing a wolf into solitude caused it distress, so it would to Kai. She couldn't live without daily interaction. Unohana couldn't bring herself to be annoyed at the other female's reaction to an unfair punishment; it was in her nature after all.
She leaned to speak to her timid seventh "Don't think too harshly of her, Hanatarou. She can't help it. This confinement goes against her spirit," She told him soothingly. Hanatarou looked up into his Captain's eyes, greatly comforted by her words. Unohana smiled at him "She'll get better once she's free, just give her time. For now…" She said, straightening to look over at Kai, who was still pacing. "I need you to find a way to restrain Captain Ichida so I can rewrap her wounds before she leaves. Hanatarou? Hanatarou, did you even hear-"She glanced at her seventh seat, sighing when she saw that he had passed out in fear. She shook her head, amused, yet slightly annoyed. "Honestly, you're a seated officer, Hanatarou," She chuckled, spinning on her heel. She glided away, leaving both Hanatarou and Kai as she went off to search for Isane to take care of her request.
Kai sat at her desk, back in her custom shortened shihakusho, glaring up those standing around her. She had one leg crossed over the other and her arms crossed over her chest. There were three people towering over her: Captain Kuchiki, her traitorous Vice-Captain, and Captain Kyoraku.
Kai reviewed her options- they were bleak to be optimistic. She decided to go with her best bet; she was a lady, after all. She had to take advantage of her gender among all these barbaric, roguish men. She knew just the heartstrings to pull on, too. Kai lowered her head to hide her sadistic grin. This was going to be fun. Quickly she composed her expression.
She glanced up through her eyelashes enticingly at her target, knowing he couldn't stand a chance against her charms. After all, Kai could be very captivating when she wanted. She allowed a coy smile to slide over her features as she gazed alluringly at Kyoraku. The unfortunate man caught the gaze at full force. "K-Kai…uhh…h-haave I ever told you just how…stunning you are?" Kyoraku stuttered, picking up his lady-killer personality as he overcame his shock at earning such a look from Kai of all women. He'd never noticed her…striking figure before.
Mentally, Kai grinned in triumph. Her plan was working! Now to lay it on thick. She tossed her head flirtatiously, even adding the girlish giggle that she'd always hated to hear from other women. "Oh Kyoraku, you're such a flatterer." She blushed prettily. Who said women were vulnerable? They just knew how to work their assets to an advantage. It got the men to do all the work.
Kyoraku moved into full skirt-chasing mode. Oh, how lucky Kai was to wear a skirt rather than standard issue hakama pants! Please note the extremely heavy sarcasm. "Well, little lady, I only give compliments I mean," he replied, pulling the rim of his hat down slightly. Kai worked to hide her sickened face behind a charismatic smile. Kuchiki, pansy that he was, (Kai wasn't inclined to be very nice to her friend and mentor after his betrayal of forcing her to follow Yamamoto's punishment) turned away from the nauseatingly blatant flirting that was happening before him in digust. Kira on the other hand, was fixated on the scene, his face distorted in revulsion.
Kyoraku leaned over the seated captain, placing his hand on the back of the chair to steady himself. Kai stretched up a bit, snaking her hand up to Kyoraku's neck to whisper to him.
"Hey, Kyo, let's get outta here and ditch the stiffs," Kyoraku gawked at her, almost unable to believe what he was hearing. He grinned impishly at her, reaching for her wrist to draw her closer. He leaned farther so his lips were next to her ear, as if he was about to whisper something extremely raunchy and not meant for children's ears. Those who understand may get a tissue for their nosebleeds now.
"Not on your life, sweetie. Nice try though. I give you points for actually putting your gender to advantage; not many women would do that," he pushed her lightly back into the chair to continue, a little louder. "I've got my orders, and those are to not let you out no matter the…circumstances." Kuchiki rolled his eyes and swept out of the room, no longer caring to hear the conversation now that he knew the whole exchange had merely been a ploy to escape. Kira was blushing heavily, covering the lower half of his face to conceal a nosebleed.
Kai slouched back into the chair, pouting. She looked away from Kyoraku. "Too bad. Maybe I'll just seduce Kira when you and Kuchiki leave. This is where it gets interesting, heheh," she taunted, giving Kyoraku a sidelong glance, noticing in her peripheral vision that Kuchiki had frozen in the doorway and Kira had toppled over.
Kyoraku chuckled at that. "Well, luckily I know you won't actually do that. You're not that kind of girl. That makes me happy," he said, ruffling her hair lightly and affectionately. She giggled and shoved his hand away. Her laugh subsided as she looked at the mass that was her Lieutenant.
"Besides, there'd be no fun seducing that. I'll just wait for the right man, thanks," Kai sighed dramatically. "Alright, alright, go, Kyo. I'll leave him alone. I know you have work to do and I don't want it to be my fault when your pretty little Nanao-chan yells at you," she joked. She turned to the figure still standing at the door. "Thanks for visiting me, Kuchiki. Oh? What's that? Come on, I was just kidding~ I won't seduce little Kira. Don't be jealous that I didn't try it on you~…hey! Come back!" She called to Kuchiki's rapidly retreating back. She scoffed as she leaned back into her chair, spinning to look at Kyoraku.
"Aw, you flustered him, Kai. You shouldn't do that to him," Kyoraku jokingly admonished. She smirked up at him, allowing her eyes to slide shut in amusement
"Ah, Shunsui, without you I'd be a monster, wouldn't I? " She quipped. He could only chuckle at her.
"I'll visit you, Kai. Old Man Yama didn't restrict that yet, fortunately," he sighed, making his way over to the door. "I'll get Byakuya to, too. It's not gonna be that bad, you'll see." He touched her shoulder in parting as he brushed past her. He ambled out of the door, and Kai finally dropped her smile. She stood and looked dully out the window.
"Kira," Izuru jolted at his name, rising to his feet in what little dignity he had left.
"Yes, Captain?" he asked, awaiting her order with enthusiasm to show he was ready to support her during her confinement.
"Dismissed," Came the monotone order. Kira deflated bit, but righted himself before slipping around his captain.
"Yes…Captain. Captain?" he ventured, waiting till he saw a slight twitch in Ichida's shoulder that indicated she was listening. "Just…tell me if you need anything," He finished lamely, staring at his hands. Kai glanced over at him, favoring him with a small smile. She uttered one word before returning her gaze to the scene outside the window.
"Thanks"
Hidden directly under Kai's window so that she wouldn't be able to spot him, the wraith following her howled with laughter.
Author: (Now we can finally get to the romantic part *looks up at story* jeesh it's long. Hopefully you'll think it's worth it.) ((to clear up any confusion as to why Byakuya and and Kyoraku are her friends is because Kai is Bya-kun's age so they met at the academy. Kai was in Ukitake's squad, so she saw a lot of Kyoraku and they became friends- Ukitake is kinda like her dad in a way)) (((also, Kai's last name is Ichida because she got adopted into a family while living in Rukongai, so she took that name instead of keeping her own)))
One week into Kai's punishment and the Third Squad was ready to die. Initially they'd been relieved when their gregarious captain was confined to a place they could watch her, but now they seriously bemoaned agreeing to Yamamoto's idea. Even being locked away to a single set of rooms seemed to be…disturbing to her to say the least. The very least. Everyone in the squad had quickly adapted to taking headache pills with them whenever they had a reason to pass by the Captain's Office. The only one grudgingly allowed in was the unfortunate Vice-Captain. No one envied his job, even if the charge was easier on the eyes than their previous captain. Kira gained a new title of respect for his sacrifice.
Kira balanced a tray laden with food as he maneuvered to open the sliding door. He reached for the handle just as the door soundlessly cracked opened. A small face met his, staring vacantly up at Kira. He wordlessly handed the woman kneeling at the door her food. She silently accepted it, placing it on the floor next to her. She glared up at him accusingly. It'd been only a week since her confinement, but her body was taking an abnormally long time to heal. Kai had been blaming it on the fourth division, but Kira thought it was Yamamoto's doing to prolong the punishment. He cursed the much older man to the deepest pits of Hell for unleashing the Beast of the Gotei on the Third Squad.
"Please don't look at me like that, Captain. It's not my fault you broke the rules. Don't take it out on me," The tired lieutenant sighed in exasperation. A cold grin slid over Kai's features hearing her subordinate's complaint.
"What's that, my dear Beta? That sounds just a little too familiar to me. You need to learn some respect. You're assigned to all the paperwork," She told him, that demonic smile still frozen in place. Kira looked at her blankly, trying to figure out the odd title she gave him, before the implication of her words set in.
"What? But Captain there's just too much for one person—"he protested, cutting himself off when he saw the phony grin slip from Kai's features. "U-uh I mean…. I apologize, Captain Ichida! I'll get started right away!" He bowed in apology, sweating profusely as he prayed that the captain would spare him. The gods were with him and he thanked them all as Kai just sighed in frustration. She ran her fingers through her tawny hair, glaring at her Lieutenant. He knew that she wasn't angry at him specifically, but the look still made shivers run down his spine.
"Please, Kira…just do the paperwork. You can spread it out among the subordinates, but I swear, if I have to sign another paper without being able to take a reeaaaalllly long walk I might just kill someone…" she muttered, now averting her eyes from Kira. He smiled sympathetically at her, nodding in assent. The door glided shut and Kira heard the woman behind the screen stand up. Shaking his head, Kira walked away to retrieve the mountain of paperwork that now awaited him.
Kai sighed deeply, her shoulders slumping forward as she turned into her private rooms that connected to her office. She brought up her hand to rub her eye with the heel of her palm resignedly before looking up to walk across the room. Her eyes widened drastically when she did, letting out a gasp of alarm when her eyes focused on something that was clearly out of place in the room.
The man turned slowly when he felt the reiatsu of the woman now standing across from him. Her eyes were still wide, her pupils shrunk in obvious shock and even a little fear. The man stood half-turned, holding various personal belongs of Kai's as he stood in front of her vanity. (Nothing bad!)
Kai stepped back, her eyes narrowing as her brain recognized the man as a threat and her instincts kicked in. She crouched in a battle stance, positioning her body so that she prevented any escape. "Ichimaru…." She spat, looking at the man with contempt. He still stared at her, his eyes closed, but his customary smirk was nowhere to be found. Suddenly, the grin slid into place and he turned to face his replacement fully.
"Ah, Kai-chan, you're looking well. I've heard a lot about you, and I must say I'm impressed with how you are handling my Squad. Especially Izuru; he seems to have warmed up to you quite nicely," the silver haired traitor mused, almost to himself. Kai snarled warningly in response, bunching her legs under her body to prepare to launch herself at the defector. Gin held up his hands pacifyingly "now, now, Kai-chan, calm down. I ain't here to hurt you or nothing. No need to act like an animal," he cooed his smirk widening.
Kai growled in shock and anger. An animal? That bastard.
"Didn't you know, Kai-chan? A shinigami's zanpakuto takes a shape and personality that best suits its master. Your Bankai is literally a wolf, am I right? So you must be wolf-like yourself," Gin lectured, loving the glare he received from the woman standing before him.
"Don't call me 'Kai-chan.'" She muttered, her voice dangerously soft. "How dare you act so familiar towards me? You are both a stranger and an enemy, both of which would treat their opponent with respect," she groped for her zanpakuto, which would normally hang loosely at her hip. Belatedly, she realized that she had left it in her bedroom, believing she wouldn't need it if she was only going to stay in her own rooms. She cursed silently, berating herself for leaving herself unarmed. Gin chuckled at her.
"Ah, ah, ah. How rude, attempting to draw a sword on someone who just wants to talk? That doesn't reflect well on all those lessons from the Captain Commander, does it?" Gin reproached her, smirking at her enraged face. His face fell just a fraction when he saw the female captain's expression shifted to a scowl, straightening up. She knew very well that taking on an armed opponent without her zanpakuto was a very bad idea. While her kido was decent, she wasn't nearly proficient enough with it to even dream of taking someone on with only that.
"Then talk," she ordered gruffly, glaring up at the man. Gin looked down at her with a small measure of surprise. She was being…compliant. Gin looked up very slightly in wonder, eyes still closed and his lips tugging down into a minor frown. Before Kai could catch the change in his demeanor he smirked, regarding her once more.
"I'm curious in you, Ichida," he chirped, enjoying the confusion that clouded the female's eyes. "How didja manage to snare my spot? I thought Izuru would get it for sure,"
Kai scoffed, wondering why the traitor would risk his life by sneaking into her office just to ask such an asinine question. She stared at nothing to her left to avoid his gaze when she answered "He declined the offer. I was stronger than him anyway, So Yamamoto offered me the spot," her eyes narrowed slightly in irritation, hating the unorthodox way she'd gained her position, knowing she'd lost her chance at proving herself when she lost to Kenpachi.
"So, you were forced into the lonely role of Alpha, eh? Don't pity yourself so much," Kai swung her head forward to glare at the man standing nonchalantly before her.
"You're the one that asked," she snapped. "If you don't like what you hear then don't ask," a light blush dusted her nose, flustered that he had used one of her titles, not the official title of the Seireitei.
Gin waved his hand dismissively at the woman's words. "I know how it feels to have people who are always suspicious of you…"
"Yeah, I'll bet," Kai muttered under her breath, glaring defiantly when Gin frowned disapprovingly at her before resuming.
"You can't prove it to them. They either like ya or they don't. Simple as that. No use worryin' about it," he finished with a careless shrug. His forehead creased a little when he saw Kai looking at him intently. "What?" he finally demanded. Kai shook her head slightly, jerking out of her reverie as she realized something.
"You." She said suddenly, surprising Gin.
"…Come again?" he asked in confusion, a frown beginning to tug at his lips
A small grin worked its way onto Kai's face. "That's what happened to you, isn't it? You're bitter!" she exclaimed, pointing her finger at the taller man. His face fell to a slight glare. Kai grinned recklessly, not realizing that she was putting herself in more danger.
"You'd better watch it, girlie," Gin warned, uncharacteristically serious. He didn't like what the woman was saying and decided to ignore it. She looked closely at him.
"What're you doing here, anyway, traitor?" she questioned, defensive now that she'd seen this darker side to the former captain. "You'll be executed when the others find you,"
"The others?" he asked suspiciously, knowing exactly where she was going with this. Pity. He'd been enjoying himself.
Kai's eyes narrowed acutely. "You don't think I'll let you go? Even without my sword, I only need to slow you down long enough for Kira to raise the alarm. You're a traitor to the Seireitei. You betrayed your Squad and your duty. You broke your oath. For that you must be punished. I must say, you're an intriguing person, but that won't stop me from doing what's right," She crouched again. Her next words surprised even the usually the unfazable ex-Captain.
"I'm sorry,"
She lunged at him, grunting softly in surprise when he disappeared from her sight. She landed and spun on her feet, twisting her head to find the man, her fists raised defensively. A foot connected with her back, propelling her viciously forward. She stumbled forward, spinning as she collapsed, lashing out a foot to catch the man in the stomach, pushing him back long enough for Kai to recover.
She leapt to her feet, facing the man before her. Her eyes widened when his whole body slammed into her, shoving her against the wall. The silver haired man planted both hands on either side of Kai's head.
"That was pathetic," Gin sneered. "You really expect people to respect you when you can't even stop a 'traitor'? Don't make me laugh," Kai glared daggers at the man.
She ducked, bringing her arm back before slamming her elbow into Gin's side. As he staggered to the side, she darted past him farther into her rooms. She dove over her bed, grabbing the zanpakuto that had been left there haphazardly when Kai rolled out of bed in the morning. She winced as the stitches holding her side together split, feeling fresh blood beginning to well up beneath her shihakusho. She ignored it, quickly flicking the catch of her sword, allowing her to pull it out. She flung open another door, speeding through it. Gin followed her, taking out Shinso as he ran. He subconsciously noticed the blood spattering the ground, but not realizing whose it was, as he hadn't cut Kai, ignored it. He tracked her into the now opened room, soon skidding to a halt. The room was completely empty, not to mention huge. Why didn't he have a room like this when he'd been Captain? He crept into the room, stopping in the middle to fully take in his new surroundings. The room was literally an enormous box, wood paneling stretching across the floor and up the wall, much like the standard dojos the shinigami usually trained in. Calligraphy phrases spotted the walls-some motivational, others almost thought provoking. There was no decoration in the room with the exception of a stand holding three training bokken.
"I had it commissioned after I was promoted," A voice announced behind him. Gin swung around, seeing that woman standing behind him. "It's big enough for me to safely release my Bankai without hurting my subordinates while training," Gin smirked at her, his face twisting up into one of his famous sneers. He decided that he liked toying with this woman when she faltered, looking at his face.
"Now, now," he smirked, making the woman captain shift uncomfortably under his fixed stare. "No need to be so violent." He heard a loud gasp of pain as he shunpoed into the female, once again slamming her into a wall.
He realized her mistake in leading him here. She might have been able to release her Bankai, but she hadn't raised the alarm and the walls were obviously soundproof. He could kill her and be on his way if he wanted. But he wanted to have some fun instead.
Kai found herself to be in the same position she'd been in not two minutes ago. This time felt a little different. Gin's arms kept her caged against the wood paneled wall, but this time, he also pressed his body against hers, restricting any movement. He grasped her wrist, pressing a pressure point under the heel of her palm to force her hand to go limp, zanpakuto clattering to the ground uselessly. His other hand snaked down to pin Kai's right hand to the wall. He grinned widely at her, leaning in closer so that she could feel his hot breath on her face.
"I thought you'd put up a better fight than that, Kai-chan. I guess the Captain's position just ain't what it used to be," he whispered mockingly, grinning inwardly when he felt the woman imprisoned between him and the wall flinch against him. She looked up at him, her eyes fiery in her anger.
"You bastard…" she ground out, allowing her bangs to cover her eyes, so that the man couldn't see them turn over bright when tears welled up, but didn't fall. She refused to be that weak, especially in front of this…this brute (love that word haha). He was crude, taunting, and to top it off, a blatant traitor. "I will kill you" He chuckled, amused by how angry he'd made her, not caring that setting off a wild animal could have potentially dangerous consequences.
Kai was shaking slightly in poorly restrained rage. The spirit of her zanpakuto was screaming for blood, anything that would cause the bastard holding his master to shriek in pain. His rage was doing nothing to help Kai; she hated the piece of filth touching her with every fiber of her being. She hated him so much it hurt in her chest, something she'd thought only happened in sappy books. "How dare you…if you're that insulted by my taking your position, why'd you leave? If you loved your job so damn much why did you betray the Seireitei? You're a monster. I hate you, and I'm going to kill you, even if I die trying. But I'm not going alone, and I'll make you pay for hurting Kira!"
Gin was taken aback by the pure loathing behind the words of the smaller woman. How could she have so much hatred for someone she didn't know? Her last words struck a chord in Gin: he hurt his subordinate. He didn't really care about him-he'd just been a pawn when he needed him-but the way this female accused him of it, Gin actually felt a twinge. That reaction startled him even more-Rangiku had been the only person to make him feel an emotion besides his usual cold indifference. He examined the woman before him closely, finally fully taking in her features. Her auburn hair gleamed slightly in the muted lights of the dojo, and her deep brown eyes, so close to Ichigo's, had vigor to them that not many possessed.
Kai didn't like the knowing smirk that slid into place onto Gin's face. "Now, Kai. Is that any way to speak to your Alpha?" he chided playfully, leaning over her to watch her reaction.
He wasn't disappointed. "My Alpha?" she sputtered, her nose stained bright red in obvious discomfort, embarrassment and anger. "You are not an Alpha, and you most certainly not my Alpha!" He let her wrench her hand from his grasp, fisting it in his robe to jerk him to her level. He lifted his now free hands in mock surrender.
"Y'know what I mean, Kai. Every Alpha female has ta have her Alpha male. And I'm the highest ranking member of this Squad besides yourself."
"You're not a member of anything from the Seireitei but the traitor list!" Kai snarled, baring her teeth. Gin was faintly surprised to find that the woman's canines were actually sharp like a wolf's.
"Can't be an Alpha without me, Kai-chan. They'll just stomp you into the dust like Kenpachi did," he whispered, observing in silent glee as Kai reeled back, eyes widening drastically.
"You saw that? How long have you been stalking me, you creep?" Kai demanded, trying to shove the bigger man away. It didn't work and in response he just shoved her body up the wall with his. His smile seemed to become even creepier, turning from a harmless smirk to a threatening sneer. Kai's side spasmed as agony flowered in the newly opened wound. Now she saw why it had been taking her so long to heal; Squad 4 had only loosely stitched her up, keeping the wound open slightly so it took longer to fully heal.
"I wouldn't anger me, given the circumstances you're in, Kai-chan." He murmured, his nose brushing against the curve her neck, his hot breath caressing her exposed skin. She stiffened completely. Gin noticed her rigidity and leaned back to look at her face. He peered nosily at her features, breaking into a huge grin when he saw the light blush dusting her nose and cheeks. Her chocolate orbs flitted to his own closed eyes, pupils shrunk in alarm and panic.
Kai was in overdrive. Everything this…traitor… was doing positively screamed dominance to the wolf-like instincts of the new Third Division captain and as much as she as she fought it-internally- her nature simply dictated that she submissed to him. The mere idea repulsed her. The revulsion swirled throughout her entire being, battling with all it had against her slow, arduous descent to surrender.
When Gin felt the girl slump against his chest, he took it to mean her sign of defeat. With a slightly triumphant grin, he pulled away to look at his new toy. His smirk fell with Kai as she collapsed to the ground, no longer held up by the force of the Ex-Captain pinning her to the wall. The blood that had been forming a silent puddle around the Captains' feet bloomed and soaked into the female's long auburn hair. Gin stared down at her, grin no longer visible, for a long moment. Then with an uncharacteristic sigh, hoisted his replacement into his arms so that she reclined between his forearms, with her head resting against his chest.
"Yer pretty troublesome," he remarked to the unconscious girl. "No wonder Izuru wanted ta lock you up tight," he carried her back into her office, arranging her limp body so it looked as if she had collapsed here rather than her training room, pulling off the top of her robe without even thinking about it, simply trying to find the source of the wound. It wasn't until he saw the binding and bandages covering her slight torso that he realized just what he was looking at. The deep gouges bled sluggishly. They definitely explained her poor performance while fighting him. He slid her sleeves back up immediately. A very light-only visible if you squint and tilt your head to the left in the evening on a cloudy day-blush crept over his features. Almost of its own accord, his hand reached out to trail down Kai's small face, coming to a rest at her chin. He pulled back, turning away to stride up to one of the file cabinets nearby. He toppled it over the slightly younger captain, knowing it would only add to the injuries, but knowing if he didn't, Unohana would know something had happened was more than just an "accident". Besides, he knew his Alpha could handle it-she belonged to him now, after all. And he only kept toys that took a long time to break.
He knew the crash would draw members of Squad Three so Gin strode over to the window, sliding it open, slipping thought the gap, and carefully closing it behind him. He leapt out of sight just as Izuru crashed through the office door. Gin knew Kai would say nothing of their meeting, just as he knew he'd go to see her again.
Everything's so dark….around the edges of my vision, there's only a blur. Distantly, I hear yelling and screaming. A familiar face hovers in front of mine. I faintly recognize him, my lieutenant Izuru. With half-glazed eyes I stare up at him, but my eyelids are so heavy that I can't keep them open for very long. I'm losing consciousness. Everything hurts so bad, it's like a building fell on top of me. It shouldn't hurt this bad. Shouldn't my reiatsu protect me from this sort of thing? Now I feel strong arms sliding under my body, and the ground disappears from under me. I struggle. The arms hold tighter. I'm falling. I'm not. I'm losing… I'm gone.
When Kai woke again, her body was throbbing and her head was screaming in pain. Her mouth went slack as she felt bile rise in the back of her throat. She rolled off the bed, her knees giving out when her feet hit the floor and she tumbled to the ground in a bandage wrapped heap. With a groan, she hauled herself back to her feet using the edge of the bad. She looked down, noticing with derision that she was once again clad in a hospital kimono. A headache slammed home with a dizzying force now that she was back on her feet and it almost sent her sprawling once more. She clung to the bed post in a viselike grip with one arm, the other hand flying to her forehead. She jerked it back in horror when instead of strands of hair her fingers brushed against thick gauzy material. Her hand dropped flaccidly to her side, shoulders slumping forward slightly forward in defeat. Kai stared listlessly at the wall, trying- unsuccessfully- to find a reason to place all her blame on the confines of cold white plaster. Her blank stare hardened and, in a moment of uncontrolled fury, she lashed out at the wall. She pulled her hand- now dusted in the white sandy debris- from the newly formed hole in the wall. Kai drew her throbbing hand to her chest, but otherwise showed no outward appearance of pain. She cursed under her breath. She shouldn't have felt anything from that, not even a slight pang; her reiatsu should protect her from injuries caused by anything lower than her spiritual pressure. A terrible thought crossed through her mind, latching on, refusing to let go. What if my powers are fading? What if I'm no longer a shinigami? Her headache deepened, and she slid to the ground, an icy dread filling her.
Byakuya strode into the room, intent on finding the origin of the loud thud that had sounded just moments ago. He found Kai curled up into a ball on the floor beside her bed, head cradled in her arms. Moving slowly now, he crouched near the huddled form at his feet.
He noticed her hair fell in a curtain over her features, blocking his view of her russet orbs with a veil of auburn locks. His hand reached out almost hesitantly, to sweep it from her eyes. She glanced up, startled at the sudden contact from her passive friend. He stared silently back at her before bluntly asking "mind telling me why you favor the floor to the bed? I confess I do not understand this new preference." Kai could only chuckle hopelessly for a moment before even that died out.
"Byakuya… how am I supposed to fill my role as a captain? How can I protect my men when I can't even protect myself? And now….now…." a very un-Kailike thing happened. She burst into tears, sobbing uncontrollably. Her shoulders shook violently and her chest heaved with effort. Byakuya looked dumbfounded at the usually upbeat girl's state. He crouched stoically before her, unsure of what to do. Finally, he tentatively extended out an arm, wrapping it around Kai, drawing her into his lap. She slumped, her legs curled up to her chest, which twisted so that it pressed against Byakuya's in the hopes that if he couldn't see her cry, it wouldn't be as humiliating.
The two sat like that for what seemed like hours. Neither mover or made a sound, except for the sniffles emanating from Kai, but those soon died out, leaving a comforting silence. Though he'd never admit it, he felt a faint spark of contentment in the position he had found himself in. It just seemed natural for him to comfort this girl, this girl who had been with him since his days at the academy. Soon he felt her breath even out and felt her slump the rest of her weight on him. She didn't weigh much; less than she had before her confinement. Byakuya felt his lips tugging down to a frown at that, she should take care of herself better.
Moving slowly so as not to disturb the sleeping girl, he shifted her body so that the curve of her back rested on his arm, her head on his chest. He contemplated the girl in his arms, wondering if they would have ever had a chance together, knowing that it could never truly be a reality. She had moved away from him, becoming her own person. She could never depend on him the way he would want her to; and he could not give her the freedom she wanted. He could never have her, but that only made him want her more. She had no idea of course, though Byakuya knew Kyoraku suspected him of it. It didn't matter. He would never tell her, she didn't have to know. And so he simply sat there.
Kai dreamed. She was falling. Dark swirling mist surrounded her, tangling her in its viselike grip, refusing her freedom. She struggled helplessly, flailing her arms and legs to kick it away, drive it off, anything. But it only trapped her more tightly. She opened her mouth to scream and the stuff poured into her mouth, cutting off all noise. It suffocated her. Still she thrashed, refusing to give her life to the black haze. The mist constricted until Kai could not move at all. She was truly imprisoned. Her floundering weakened, then finally faded altogether. She gave up; willing herself to die if that would grant her escape. Black formed in the edges of her eyes that she could not blink away.
Through the darkness she made out a figure walking, no, sauntering towards her. As he drew closer she could see the shock of silver hair that framed his foxlike face. It was a face she recognized, yet could not name. He leaned over her prone body, grinning eerily. She stared up at him, pleading him desperately with her eyes. The smirk slipped from the man's face. "I guess that means you'll give in to me," he whispered softly. As he spoke, Kai could feel the mist binding her lifting. She stood, wobbling on weak knees. He caught her by the arm, jerking her to him. His arms encircled Kai, trapping her just as securely as the mist had. Her face pressed against his chest, his chin resting possessively on the crown of her head. "Now you belong to me." The words should have struck fear in Kai's heart; she knew that was the demanded response, but she simply couldn't help but feel a sense of being home.
Kai sat silently, confined to her rooms once more. She stared at her bandaged hands which were shaking imperceptively as she remembered her last conversation with Captain Unohana before she was released from the hospital.
"You will heal slower than you normally do. Most of your reiatsu was siphoned away after your fight against Captain Zaraki so that your punishment would be drawn out. It will eventually build up again, but as of right now you have both the strength and healing capacity of a regular human. I would advise that you do not do anything reckless so that you can actually heal this time," Kai flinched under the piercing stare of the other female. Apparently they all believed that she managed to topple a file cabinet on herself somehow. Kai didn't really understand where that story came from but she wasn't about to argue and face even more punishment for allowing a high priority criminal to get away. Even though she had had no reiatsu to be able to compete with Gin, it was unacceptable that she had failed.
"Why can't I have my reiatsu back? My punishment should be over now anyways. I saw Zaraki walking outside my window just yesterday," Kai pointed out, hoping she'd get to go outside. She visibly deflated when Unohana shook her head.
"The punishment lasts until you are fully healed and you, obviously, are not fully healed," Unohana reprimanded.
She was allowed back into her rooms the next day.
Byakuya hadn't been to visit her since the morning of her breakdown.
Zaraki was out, yet she was still imprisoned.
He was still out there, and she had let him go.
She had failed.
A few days passed uneventfully. The squad went through their daily routine of training, paperwork, and the occasional mission without their captain striding around the compound, helping to correct a stance here, a parry there. It was peaceful. They believed that their free willed captain had resigned herself to her punishment gracefully. She sat dutifully in her rooms, signing every scrap of paper that appeared in front of her. Kira knew something was off about her, but couldn't quite place it so he said nothing. Kyoraku had visited once with Nao in tow to help with some paper work and there had not been any other unexpected visits. She became the perfect model of the qualities a captain should have.
He'd made certain that Kai hadn't told any one of their little "encounter" before deciding to see his toy again. She hadn't and she was past due for another visit. He slipped through the window again, just as the shadows were lengthening under the eaves of the building. The room he entered was dimly lit, the lamps turned down so they cast off a soft glow rather than a bright sunshine.
Gin glanced around, knowing that there would be no one in the rooms at this time: it was Kai's allotted to go to the bathhouses, the only time she had to interact with anyone outside her squad, and Gin knew she stretched the time out as much as she could. He had at least five minutes before she was expected back; Kira would be escorting her, but then she'd be alone for the rest of the evening. It couldn't be more perfect.
The clocks around the Seireitei struck five 'o'clock and right on cue, Kai swept into the room, her haori sweeping out gracefully as she spun neatly on her heel at the entrance of her rooms to close the shoji doors. She had made quite the imposing view to the members or her squad when she strode through the hallways in her only allowed excursion throughout the day. She made a point to converse with as many people as she could on the way, using her open time to interact and learn firsthand of the problems among her men. Kira did a good job of keeping the men in order, but there were some things simply made for a captain to handle. She had broken up a disagreement between two low ranking shinigami about some unimportant reason or another and had come up with a compromise for the two before the discrepancy could blow up into a full-fledged fight. It was something the previous captain had never bothered with.
Now her shoulders slumped forward, a silent relief that she no longer had to keep up the act of complying with the wishes of Head Captain Yamamoto. Her eyes were downcast as she turned to enter her rooms. Her body collided with a hard barrier. It may not have been as hard as running into a wall, but it was certainly unyielding. Strong arms snapped around her back, constricting her. Her scream was smothered within the folds of heavy fabric. Panicking, Kai thrashed against whatever was holding her hostage. A mockingly soothing voice stopped her cold.
"Is that any way to greet your dear Alpha, Kai-chan dear?" Kai could hear the smirk in his voice. She craned her neck to look into the face of Gin Ichimaru.
"What are you doing here? She whispered, her voice ragged with rage and fear.
"Simply here ta take what's mine" he answered cheerfully. He could feel the girl in his arms tense up, but that only made him hold her even closer.
"Nothing here belongs to you anymore, traitor. You gave up your position when you betrayed us," Kai snarled, her voice slightly muffled by Gin's oversized robe.
That's not true, dear," he told her, his voice deepening and becoming just a slight bit more serious.
"Oh yeah? And how do you figure?" she retorted. He grabbed her chin with his fingers, tilting her face up to look into his closed eyes.
"You do," he responded before capturing her lips in a dominant kiss. She pulled back immediately, straining against his arms. Enraged, she bit down on his lip until she could taste the metallic taste of blood fill up in her mouth. Gin released her, shoving her back. She spat the blood on the floor, her nose wrinkling in revulsion. Gin wiped his sleeve over his wounded lip, gazing down at the smear of blood, no trace of a smirk now on his features.
"I…do not… belong to anyone!" Kai growled. "Least of all you. You are nothing but a traitor."
Gin advanced on the girl, who took a step back in turn. The two repeated this action until Kai's back bumped against the wall. Gin took the advantage to slam his fists on either side of her face. Kai flinched away against the wall. She was still in no condition to take on someone of a captain's ranking.
This time when he gripped her face, there was quite a bit more force behind his hold. "Play nice now, puppy," he chided. The smirk that now played over his face seemed just a bit forced.
"What the hell makes you think you can just waltz in here and claim me as yours? I am my own person, and I will NOT allow you to own me!" Snapped Kai, her eyes narrowed to slits as she glared up at the man towering possessively over her.
To her surprise, her outburst made Gin take a step back, shoulders shaking with a poorly concealed chuckle, which he attempted to hide behind his sleeve. "Oh Kai-chan, you really are such an interesting little captain"" he chortled. Kai just stood there dumbfounded. She had been completely serious, yet here he was laughing at her!
She shook her head, a defeated expression sliding over her face. "I can't keep up with you… you are psychotic…" she muttered, refusing to look the man directly in the eye.
"Best not to think into it too deeply, love," Gin replied lightly. He loved the bright red blush that spread over his new toy's features. She was really so easily flustered for all her flirtatious actions around Kyoraku. "You are my new toy, I hope you keep me entertained," once again he took advantage of her confusion to place a swift peck on her lips. "I'll be back soon." He told her before backing away and disappearing out the window.
Days passed, then weeks. Gin made good on his promise and visited the lady captain often. Over time, she became used to the intruder. She no longer saw him as simply a traitor, but as a human who had made the wrong choices. He didn't regret them, but Kai couldn't fully blame him anymore. She could see the corruption of the Seireitei, and while she would never dream of betraying her comrades, she could understand how someone as twisted as Gin would. She held no hopes of reforming him; he was content the way he was. Kai healed slowly, but eventually she declared fit enough to fully resume her duties as captain. She roamed the Seireitei for hours at a time; alone, with her Lieutenant, with Kyoraku or Byakuya, even with Gin. But, like all else good times must end.
Kai was in her office with Gin. The two were curled up comfortably on the floor, whispering to each other so that no one would have reason to enter if they heard voices drifting out to the hall. Gin helped Kai with some paperwork that had been piling up. Well, Kai had intended for him to help. Gin himself was more interested in nuzzling his nose against the back of her neck, running his fingers up and down the side of her torso, lifting her into his lap, nibbling on her ear, anything to distract her from the work she was supposed to be doing
"Gin, stop," she giggled, shoving his roaming fingers away and leaning over the paperwork.
"I am playing with my toy," he explained patiently, as if he were talking to a small child. "Toys should be played with, not left to get old and gather dust."
Before Kai could make a remark, a tapping on the door to the office sounded throughout the room, followed swiftly by the light scrape as the door slid open. Gin moved at once, hauling Kai up with him. His lips pressed against her ear as he breathed out a command "Follow my lead." Kai found herself in a chokehold, her arms pinned to her sides. Although she knew it was just Gin, she panicked, knowing that although she was healed, she was still weak and lacking in most of her reiatsu. She struggled against his grip, which was the scene that Kira Izuru walked into.
Upon seeing his former captain, Kira's face blanched to such a pure white that Kai thought he might have actually died where he stood from shock. It became quickly evident, however, that he was very much alive. "Captain Ichida! Get your filthy hands off of our Captain, Traitor!" he yelled, drawing his zanpakuto.
"Kira," Kai wheezed out through Gin's hold, though she couldn't manage anything more. Gin squeezed her a bit more tightly, his smile no longer gentle as it had been for Kai, but cold and cruel, the perfect picture of a reviled villain.
"Ah, Izuru, how nice to see you again," Gin called out mockingly. "How did such a weak little girl get chosen over you to become Captain? I had really been hoping that you would follow in my footsteps," Kai froze at this. Gin didn't believe her to be strong enough to be a Captain? Izuru also stiffened at the comment.
"Our Captain is the best thing that has ever happened to our Squad! If she had even half of her original power, you wouldn't stand a chance!"
"Oh, I'm sure that's true, but unfortunately, we are in a bit of a different situation aren't we? So put down that zanpakuto and I may even be kind enough to allow yer little Captain to go free."
Izuru grimaced, but allowed his blade to clatter to the floor. "You won't get away with this, Ichimaru. This Squad will stop you,"
"Ah, but in the meantime, your pretty little Captain makes such a good tool for me. You wouldn't want to risk her being hurt, now would you? You don't want to have to get another Captain again, so soon after the last time."
Gin had used her. Kai could see that now. He had built up her trust, so that she would be off guard when he made his move. She should have known. How could she be so stupid? Why would he, a traitor and enemy of the Seireitei, have any special feelings for her? She was a fool.
Gin backed up, closing the distance between himself and the window, Kai still in his clutches, her hands scrabbled against his oppressive forearms, searching for a purchase to wrench his arms off of her neck. The two made it to the window. Gin somehow managed to open the frame and pulled Kai through the opening. As they dropped from the room, Kai could hear Kira's shout as he called the Squad to an emergency. The reaction was immediate. Shinigami streamed not only from the Third Division's barracks, but also from the Second and Fourth. Kai knew that members from all the Squads would be racing over. Gin had no chance of escape.
He shifted his hold on Kai so that she was pressed up against his body. His lips pressed to her ear once more, the words meant for her alone, words that she had never heard before: "I love you". Her eyes widened. She couldn't answer, not with all the other Shinigami present to see her lips move, but she squeezed his arm, letting him know she had heard him, that she returned the feeling. it didn't matter that he originally only meant to use her as a safety measure; she had managed to change him, even if was only a little. he was now able to act on his own feelings, something he hadn't been able to do for Rangiku.
The shinigami formed a ring around the Ex-Captain and his replacement. None moved to attack him, but it was clear that even a single misstep would provoke the entirety of the Gotei 13 to attack. The Captains of the other Divisions shoved their way to the middle of the ring, each Lieutenant hot on their heels. Matsumoto's gasp could be heard over the ringing silence as her eyes fell upon her childhood friend.
Captain Yamamoto finally made it to the center of the mob, standing in the middle on the foreground of his captains. "Gin Ichimaru, you have signed your death away by coming here. There will be no second escape for you." the elder Captain intoned, his voice piercing.
Gin's smirk widened. "You aren't really so eager to see yer new Captain killed so quickly, are ya? Although, she didn't put up much of a fight if ya ask me. I guess the requirements of becoming a Captain have slipped since I was gone?"
"You bastard! You must have known that Captain Ichida was injured and targeted her!" that would be Renji, the loyal Lieutenant of Byakuya. Kai may not have known him well, but she had seen him many times during both her lessons and visits with Byakuya.
Gin ignored the younger man. His grip on Kai tightened as he addressed Yamamoto again. "As much as I would like ta stay, I really must get going. And I believe Lord Aizen might be able to find a use for this one," he shook Kai for emphasis. As he spoke, a ray of yellow light descended on him and Kai. The protection of the Gillians. Nothing could touch the two of them now. But being inside the light was agony to Kai;she was no friend of the hollows and their protection did not extend to her. Her screams of anguish rent the air of the Seireitei even as the two vanished. The Shinigami and their Captains could only look on and listen in horror at the fact that one of their own had been taken before their eyes.
"Damn!" the outburst came from Kyoraku, showing a rare fit of rage. Tears welled up in his eyes. The others may not have known or respected Kai, but she had been a good friend to him.
Byakuya's face remained impassive, though his eyes betrayed his own pain. "she is as good as dead," The other Captains nodded silently in agreement, their eyes downcast. Each of the Captains knew that there was nothing that could be done for the Captain; she knew the risks of being a shinigami. Nothing could be done.
Although most went home soon after, a cloud of despair hanging in the air, the few that had known Kai, those who could be considered close, sat vigil in her memory for the rest of the day and night.
There was pain. Blinding, agonizing, endless pain. Kai could feel herself dying. There was no way her body could endure this any longer. But then, just as suddenly as it had started, it stopped. There was no trace of it left in her body; it was as is nothing had ever happened. Slowly, hesitantly,she opened her eyes. Gin sat before her, a deep frown of concern tugging at his lips. A look of pure relief entered his features when he saw Kai's eyes open. She realized that she was once more in his lap, curled up protectively to his chest.
He pulled her close, burying his face into the crook of her neck. Kai wrapped her shaking arms around his neck, trying to comfort him. "I didn't think you were gonna make it, Kai-chan." He muttered. Kai pulled back, studying Gin's features.
"I don't like not seeing that creepy smile on your face," she confided to him, startling a smirk onto his expression.
"Better get used to it then, sweetheart, cause this is the face yer gonna be lookin' at for a long time,"
No, Kai couldn't change him, couldn't turn him into a better person. But at least she could understand him, and stay by his side when no one else could. He was, after all, her Alpha.