Chapter 2: Life and Death Intertwined
The green inferno greedily engulfed the fourth division. Desperate, officers frantically attempted to extinguish the wild fire, no matter how futile their efforts. The death toll from the explosion was still rising; relief teams from the fifth division were overburdened with casualties. Victims with severe injuries were left for dead, the priority was to evacuate and stabilise officers quickly.
Jiro stood next to Miyu, his face devoid of emotion; an incident of this scale was rare. Shivering nervously, her palms sweaty, Miyu held her zanpakuto in front of her face. Her chin rested on her lotus shaped hilt, she moved her lips close to the blade, and stopped just when she could see the condensation of her breath.
"Blade of life, rejuvenate the light. Blade of life, suppress the darkness. Alleviate Jinsei," she whispered. The petals on her lotus shaped hilt grew upwards, and became pointier, they intertwined forming a thin spiral-cone like blade.
Miyu marched towards the inferno; she meticulously examined the area, her attention to detail was of no avail, the chaotic scenario had crushed all hope.
Jiro and Yuna scattered, Jiro administered emergency treatment to the most injured. Yuna interviewed those able to remember the event; every shred of information could prove to be crucial in finding the perpetrators.
Anxious, Miyu seemed to aimlessly move about, officers with water buckets rushed passed her. She stopped to listen, hoping to hear her husband or brother call out. The raging fire, accompanied by the shouts of anguish, silenced any individual scream.
"Hajin! Zanjiro!" She screamed, "Please hear me!"
"Captain Kuchiki," a tall man said, "your brother is fine, he has only suffered a broken leg, you'll find him against the south wall of the building."
"Thank you," she said, slightly relieved, "have you seen my husband?"
"I haven't, your brother was the last man with him," the man said.
Miyu ran to the south wall, Yuna trailed behind her.
A tear climbed down her cheek, as she saw her brother slumped against the wall ordering around her officers. His mid length black hair, was a complete mess, a complete contrast to how it was, neat and tied back. Fragments of stone were lodged next to his blue eyes. His athletic body was shaken from the impact of the explosion.
"Nii-sama, your leg!" Miyu exclaimed, as she fixated her eyes on his Tibia protruding through his skin.
"My leg is fine, it's just a small wound. Go to the infirmary, Hajin is there, and he's in bad shape. You are the only one that can save him, it's your duty as his wife and captain to go there," Zanjiro said firmly.
Miyu disappeared, Yuna moved over to Zanjiro.
"Captain Abarai did you see who caused this." she asked.
"No, but it's obvious the attack was a high level kido. A level that only a captain would possess."
"I must inform the head captain of this." She said abruptly.
Captain Kuchiki renowned not only for her healing abilities, but her flash step, quickly arrived at the relief station. The whole area was in panic, screams of patients undergoing emergency surgery echoed through the building, more injured officers poured in.
"Miyu, Miyu." A faint voice croaked.
Captain Kuchiki turned seeing her husband, her lieutenant, Hajin, lying in a small emergency medical bed, soaked in blood. She feared the worst.
"I thought the worst. If you died, I'd…"
"It looks worse than it is. Don't get so worked up." He said, coughing up a little blood.
She crouched over him, and leant in. He could feel her breath on his lips as she moved closer. During the explosion he feared he would never get to feel her lips again. She kissed him for what felt like an eternity of pure bliss to both of them.
"You know I love you." She whispered.
"I know," he muttered.
Tears streamed from her eyes as she pointed her shikai at him.
"Sorry, the pain will be over quickly." She whimpered.
She took a step back before quickly rushing forwards impaling him through the chest. Hajin yelled. The image of his wife slowly descended into darkness as he lost consciousness.
A cloaked figure rushed through the Seireitei, constantly checking around.
The plan went off without any evidence to link it to the captain and the distraction in district 75 really did fool the head captain, he thought, giving out a loud manly laugh.
"So, you think killing my subordinates and terrorising Soul Society is funny?"
Shocked, the figure turned around. Seeing two men.
"How did you find me head captain?" The figure shrieked.
"I didn't my zanpakuto did. You obviously can't be a captain level shinigami, otherwise you'd know about my shikai's kanjiru ability. Which makes me think who taught you Hado 85 Ao Rengoku?"
"You're smarter than you look head captain, but you can't fight the change coming your way." The figure sniggered.
The cloaked figure quickly ran, attempting to escape towards the senkaimon. Etsuo stood poised to follow, knowing full well that the man was heading for the human world.
"Don't go Etsuo, Furaijin is everywhere, you'll only get in the way." Ryuusuke warned.
Ryuusuke held his zanpakuto's grip firmly and swung at the air, whilst concentrating on the man. Cries of pain came from the cloaked figure as the air sliced through his legs. Ryuusuke appeared in front of him. The man pointed his finger at him.
"Hado 85 Ao Ren…"
Ryuusuke fluttered Furaijin, the man stopped mid sentence as his fingers burst into several slices.
"Pathetic, you lie here a head and a torso, crying. This pain is nothing compared to what you've done. I would hate to be you once captain Kuchiki interrogates you." Ryuusuke smiled.
"I'm pathetic? You've lost your sense of power, like Genryusai Yamamoto and Shunsui Kyoraku before you. Things will go back to the way they were, back when the original Gotei thirteen were a bunch of heartless killers." He struggled to say.
"Etsuo heal him, don't let him die from blood loss. That would be too kind," Ryuusuke ordered.
As Etsuo moved closer to the man, a blue shape started glowing on the cloak.
"Captain, shield yourself!" Etsuo warned, recognising the shape.
"The captain was too clever not to take precautions, he did warn not to be captured." The cloaked man murmured.
The man exploded launching a barrage of blue spikes and organs in all directions.
"Etsuo!" Ryuusuke shouted.
Megumi Koizumi, captain of the ninth division burst loudly into her fifth seats room. She stared at the annoyance, snoring loudly next her fifth seat.
"Kinnosuke get out of her bed!" She bellowed.
The slim man slugishly tossed and turned before leaning up, he ruffled his hand through his short white hair. His green eyes were barely visible as he was still half asleep.
"I'd gladly get out, and into yours Megumi," he said slowly, gesturing with his lips.
"Oh please do." She said sarcastically. "You always end up in my division after a heavy night of drinking sake."
His eyes opened wide, as he realised she was in her translucent nightgown. He had always fancied her; her hourglass figure complemented her naturally large bust, her smooth purple hair hung low, her magenta pupils always excited him.
"Can you blame me? Your squad has the best looking women in the Seireitei, and mine has the worst." He smirked. "Anyway you know why I always end up here, I'll woo you one of these days. A catch like me would please any woman"
"Pfft like you could, anyhow you know I'm not into men. Let alone ones that are less well endowed." She chuckled.
"You know that's a lie!" he snarled, "although, there is one way to find out." He added, smirking.
Shaking her head in disapproval, she let out a sigh.
"Pointless flirting aside," her tone now serious. "We have a captains meeting to attend, regarding an attack on the fourth division last night."
"It couldn't have been that bad, it's too quiet outside." Kinnosuke replied.
"This is serious, some important officers were in critical condition," Kinnosuke silenced out of respect. "For the first time since it was established, the fourteenth division I now coming in to guard and patrol the Seireitei." Megumi walked out, leaving Kinnosuke to ponder on the near future.