Chapter 2: Squad 4
"What a messed up day. And I can't even go home. I still have to go to squad four to let Unohana-taicho fix my nose."
It was dawning already when Isane was dragging herself to the squad four barracks. She was moody and tired and somewhat hungry. And she really did not want to see anyone anymore today. Yet, she had to go. She has been already the receiver of Unohana's smile today - and she did not want to make this experience again very soon. Isane actually shuddered to think what would happen if she tried to disobey the taicho's direct order.
Finally reaching her goal Isane walked up to a nurse at the front desk.
"Excuse me. Could you please tell me where I could find Unohana-taicho?"
"If it is not an emergency the clinic has closed for today. I am afraid you have to come back tomorrow to seek treatment. Besides, Unohana-taicho usually does not tread minor injuries of academy students," came the neutral response.
"I am aware that it is already very late," Isane replied through gritted teeth. Couldn't this day just simply end?
"Be that as it may, Unohana-taicho ordered me to come here today after class. If I had been able to come earlier, I would have done so. Trust me. Now, could you please tell me where I could find her?"
At this point Isane was deeply frustrated. Her whole day had been a mess. And now she was risking the wrath of one of the strongest taichos in Seireitei. Not that her list of today's misfortunes wasn't long enough already.
"May I ask what is going on here?" a male voice suddenly spoke up behind the two women.
"Fuku-taicho." The nursed bowed immediately to him. "This young student claims to have been ordered by Unohana to come here today and speak to her."
"Ah, yes I remember. You were the one who broke her nose today in class. However, I also remember that you were supposed to come immediately after school. Classes have ended over four hours ago. Explain yourself!"
For a short moment Isane considered to simply run away. Then again, she was too scared of Unohana-taicho's reaction. So instead she let her head drop and mumbled in the fuku-taichos direction.
"What was that? Look at me and speak up when talking to me!"
"I had been put into detention and couldn't leave earlier," Isane responded now clearer while looking straight into his face. She also felt her face becoming red from embarrassment. The only thing she wanted to do was to leave. Right. Now.
"And may I ask why you have been kept after class?"
"No, you may not!" Isane shouted without given a single thought to the probable consequences.
"How dare y..."
"May I ask what all this is all about?" a serene female voice spoke up behind them.
"Taicho!" The man bowed politely to his superior and so did the nurse. Isane on the other hand, was too shocked to react. She had just been caught red-handed fighting with Unohana's fuku-taicho. This couldn't be good.
"This brat here just refused to explain why she could not follow your orders, taicho."
"I see. Well, I am certain she is going to tell me then while I take care of her nose. Please follow me Isane-chan."
Isane didn't move. Or more precisely, she couldn't move. Her body was frozen out of fear what might happened next. Certainly the taicho would punish her for the fight she had just witnessed. And that would be even before she would find out the reason for her being so late. So instead of following the taicho, Isane stood rooted to the ground, looking down to the floor pale and shivering. Unohana quickly realized that the young woman was not following her and turned around.
"Isane-chan, please look at me," Unohana spoke softly, trying to gain the young woman's attention. It was, however, useless. Isane did not react at all. Clearly, this young student was in distress. Tough why was unknown to the taicho. Maybe there were more things than Isane's nose that needed to be fixed. In any case, Unahana needed to take a closer look at the girl. So instead of trying to talk to her any further, she simply lifted the young woman of the ground and carried Isane in her arms. This apparently brought the woman out of her stupor as she suddenly squirmed and tried to wiggle her way out of Unohana's hold. Unohana wouldn't have any of it.
"Isane-chan." The two women's faces were only inches apart at that moment. Isane was directly staring into that fearful smile and instantly stopped moving. Satisfied with the reaction Unohana continued her way to one of the single treatment rooms. When she got there she lifted Isane on the examination table. The girl didn't dare to move, instead she looked truly afraid at Unohana and the things that were to come. The taicho saw that and took pity on the girl.
"Isane-chan, there is no need to be afraid. The treatment is not going to hurt and I will not punish you for your little outburst with my fuku-taicho. I know, he can sometime be difficult. Do not worry. All I want is that you talk to me and tell me the truth. Understood?"
Isane looked into that beautiful face. She couldn't find any signs deceiving Unohana's words. So she nodded and relaxed a little. Unohana now genuinely smiled at her. That was so much better. She then carefully took Isane's head into her hands and turned it towards her and the room light. Holding her right hand above her patient's nose, she summoned some reiatsu into it and started to heal her. Ten minutes later all bones were set into their rightful places.
"That's it. You nose is a good as new. How do you feel?" Unohana asked, clearly satisfied with her work.
"It feels fine. Thank you taicho-sama," the young woman said while moving her nose a little bit, testing it for any pain.
"Good. Now I want to know, what took you so long to get here Isane-chan? And please tell the truth. I promise, I will not be mad nor will I punish you."
"Ahmm ... ," Isane started while feeling suddenly very warm and self-conscious, desperately trying to avoid looking at Unohana.
"Well?"
"Ahm..., I ... , I got kind of into a fight. And then Riyamoru-taicho ordered me to clean each and every single class room. That's why I came so late. I am sorry Unohana-taicho," Isane spoke. Her head had now a striking resemblance with a tomato with silver hair on top instead of green.
"And why and with whom did you get into a fight Isane-chan?" Unohana inquired. Earlier that day the taicho had gotten a report by the academy nurse that three boys were brought to her with several bumps and bruises. However, there was nowhere a girl mentioned. So Unohana wondered if that report was somehow related to Isane's story.
"They made fun of my younger sister Kotetsu Kiyone, because she made a mistake during her kido lesson. So at first I yelled at them, but they wouldn't stop and Kiyone-chan was crying. I only wanted them to stop making fun of her and somehow that ended in us fighting."
"And who exactly are 'they'?"
"The three boys from Kiyone-chan's class. Those stupid, good for nothing boys!"
At this information and only for a second Unohana was raising an eyebrow. Could it be that Isane was talking about the same three academy students that were mentioned in the report? And if that is the case, how come Isane herself wasn't mentioned?
"And did anyone get hurt in that brawl?"
"Hm, I believe the boys were sent to the nurse, because I had managed to hit them a couple of times. Though, I do not believe I hurt them so much."
"And what about you?"
"What about me?" Isane was slightly irritated by that question. She didn't get hurt. Well, not so much anyway. And certainly not nearly enough that it would demand anyone's attention. And certainly not the attention of the best healer in Seireitei.
"Are you telling me, that you fought against three grown boys without getting hit at least once?", Unohana asked, her voice dripping with obvious skepticism and a slight warning tone in her voice.
"Yep," Isane simply said, completely oblivious to Unohana's insinuations.
Suddenly all of Isane's hairs were standing on end again and a chill was running up her spine. She looked up into Unohana's face and gulped hard.
"Isane-chan, just three minutes ago I asked you to tell the truth. Now I do not believe that in that fight only the boys sustained injuries, such ones that a very well qualified nurse had to take care of for over an hour. Which also means, that I believe you are lying. Let me be very clear about that Isane-chan: I do not appreciate nor tolerate being told anything but the truth; neither from my subordinates, nor from anyone else. I simply find it disrespectful when people try to deceive me. After all I am a taicho of the Gotei 13. So I am asking you for the last time Isane-chan: where you hurt during the fight with the three young men?"
While Unohana was lecturing Isane, her face never lost that smile. And although her voice sounded very calm and controlled Isane couldn't help but notice a deadly threat ringing in it. Being scared again for her life, Isane quickly got up in order to bow very low to Unohana-taicho. Calming her breath, which had sped up unbeknownst to her for the past minute, Isane got up again but remained looking down on her feet.
"Unohana-taicho. I am very sorry. I certainly did not mean to be disrespectful to you. After all, you did show me nothing but kindness today. I am very sorry. Now about the injuries - yes, I got a couple of bruises on my chest and back, but they are not too bad and thus do not need to be treated. I assure you."
"Isane-chan, you are not a healer. Thus it is not up to you to make a judgment about the necessity of treatment for any injuries. Now please, take off your robe and show me your "minor" bruises so that I can decide what or what not to do about them," Unohana requested not as sternly as before but still quite determined.
Isane had no choice but to comply and took her robe off. Unohana was not pleased at all with what she saw. Isane was sprouting some huge bruises, two directly below her rib cage on her chest and one enormous one on her back, though the later looked like to consist of several bruises that had just joined forces.
"Isane-chan, these certainly need medical attention. Are you seriously telling me that you do not feel any pain?" Unohana asked worriedly.
"Well, they really didn't hurt so much in the beginning. Just about an hour ago, while I was finishing cleaning the pain began to increase. Now that I think about it - it might has something to do with the pain medication you gave me this morning. Don't you think?"
"Yes, that is a very plausible explanation. Now, I am going to heal you ..."
"But..."
"No buts, " Unohana admonished the protesting woman before her.
"I'm going to heal you right now and afterwards we will have some tea while talking about taking care of oneself and when it is not only appropriate but necessary to see a healer. Isane-chan you have to understand that not a high tolerance for pain but the absence of pain is normal. And that it is okay to ask for help and to lean on others from time to time."
While lecturing Isane, Unohana had motioned her over to the table again and made her sit down. Speaking inwardly a kido spell for diagnostic, the taicho summoned some reiatsu into her hands and started to move them above Isane's bruises on the front. To her relieve no inner organs got damaged and she could quickly heal the tissue and remove the pain there. However, while doing so Unohana did notice the tired look on Isane's face. No wonder, it was already late and the young student had a really exhausting day behind her.
"Isane-chan, I think it might be best if you lay down while I take care of your back. You will be much more comfortable," Unohana suggested softly while pressing her hands slightly down on Isane's shoulders."
Isane on the other hand really did not want to do that. Even though she had already been feeling tired before entering the fourth squad, the last thing she wanted to do was to literally fall asleep at the taicho's hands. After all her body had send her all possible signals that it wanted to rest. Which was fine with Isane; just not here please. Nevertheless, not wanting to give the taicho another reason to be angry with her, Isane followed Unohana's lead and lay down on her stomach. Instantly sleep threatened to overwhelm her and her eyes got very heavy. Isane had a hard time staying awake.
It did not pass by Unohana that Isane's body was very exhausted. She didn't, however, say anything about it as she did not want to force the young woman more than necessary. Instead, she focused on the injuries on Isane's back. Sadly enough, these bruises were not as easy to heal than the others. Below the dark colored skin, Unohana detected two cracked ribs along with several pulled muscles. Sighing and shaking her head slightly, Unohana summoned again healing kido within her hands and tenderly and softly started to heal the wounds.
Isane could feel the benign, careful and tender treatment Unohana was giving her meanwhile. She also realized that the injuries to her back must have been more severe as it took the taicho much longer to heal them. As Unohana's treatment continued the back muscles relaxed more and more and at some point Isane could not help it but close her eyes. Her body took finally control over her mind and when Unohana was finished Isane had fallen into a deep slumber.
"So much for having tea with this young fiery spirit tonight," Unohana thought smiling down on the sleeping girl. She easily, yet carefully, picked up the tall woman and carried her over to an empty single room and tucked her gently into bed. Isane didn't even stir once.
"Sleep well Isane-chan," Unohana whispered while stroking some stray silver her out of Isane's face. She then quietly left the room and gave instructions to a walking by nurse that Kotetsu Isane was not to be disturbed under any circumstances and that she wanted to be notified when the young woman wakes up. After that she returned to her office finishing her work before turning into bed as well.
