Rain, Forgive Me
Chapter Four: Traitor awaits death
Then… Arrows.
"Santen Kesshun! I reject!"
Riina had her sword up but only barely when she heard the voice. She looked up to see and orange shield in front of her. It had repelled all the arrows. Riina lowered her zanpakuto to the ground.
"Orihime!" Uryuu yelled. "What're you doing?"
The shield evaporated and gathered together as a blue clip in the girl's hair. That was strange, the power came from the clip.
The girl looked a little shy and she spoke quietly in response to the man, "She's being honest Uryuu. She doesn't want to hurt us. She's scared and tried to defend herself."
Riina's eyes were wide. 'Did she just protect me?'
"Orihime…" Uryuu brought down his bow. "But she's a soul reaper. Its her job to kill us. Don't you understand?"
"No, not her. She said she'd never harm us." Orihime said.
"Y…you two are human?" Riina barely spoke up.
"Yes." The man pulled up his glasses, they reflected the sunlight.
Riina put her zanpakuto in her Sheath. "Why didn't you just say so?" Riina smiled a little. She let out a breath of pain and held unto her shoulder. She winced. "A-are you trying to destroy the Seretei?"
"Why would we want to do that?" The quincy's bow disappeared. "We're here to save our friend from being executed." He frowned, "I don't believe this act. You're a soul reaper, you thrive to kill, don't you?"
The girl in the back was quiet. Her dark eyes seemed kind.
"Heh." Riina looked down at the ground, "I kill hallows and any enemies of the Seretei, but I don't kill humans."
"We're enemies of the Seretei though. You're contradicting yourself."
'Sarcastic little…' Riina frowned. Then she stood up as straight as she could. "If they ever conflict, like now, then I protect the one more important to me."
"Which is?"
"Humans." Riina smiled.
Uryuu still looked unconvinced.
Riina untied her white sash and let her zanpakuto fall into the dust. She tied it around her shoulder, which had the largest wound. Then she picked up her sword and slung the strap on it, over her opposite shoulder.
"Fine, then I won't kill you, let's go Orihime." He turned the other direction.
"Like you could have anyway..." Riina murmured but she obviously, could have been defeated by him.
"You're hurt?" The girl walked towards Riina.
"Orihime, come on. You don't need to bother with her." Uryuu touched her shoulder.
"But, Uryuu." Orihime kept walking toward Riina anyway.
"Orihime?" Riina asked. "That's your name? Your friend is right, I don't need to be heal-" Her voice was cut off by a strong pain in her shoulder. She cringed.
"Soten Kisshun." Orihime placed her hands a few inches from Riina's body and another orange barrier appeared. This one covered Riina's arm and shoulder.
Riina looked over at her shoulder, the pain was going away and the blood that was on her white belt was disappearing. Riina gasped, "Why? Why are you helping me?"
Orihime didn't answer at first. She had a slight smile on her lips. "It's the right thing to do."
Riina couldn't believe her eyes. This human, she not only had powers, but she had such a kind spirit. And when she retracted the shield a minute later, her wounds were healed. Riina untied the white belt and saw that her skin was perfectly intact.
The two humans began to walk off.
"Wait!" Riina ran up to them. She bowed, "Thank you." She whispered. She then raised her head again. "Let me do you a favor in return."
"And that would be?" Uryuu said rather rudely.
"The Seretei is a large place, no doubt you're having trouble finding your way. I'll lead you to your friend." Riina knew that the prisoner Rukia had been placed in a repentance cell at the very edge of the Seretei. She knew her way there.
"We don't need your help, I can find it myself." Uryuu said and turned away again.
"Oh really know?" Riina crossed her arms smugly, "Then which direction is it in?"
Uryuu paused. Then he sighed, "Alright. You can lead us there. But if this is a trap…"
"It isn't." Riina said and walked in front of the two taller people. "Follow me."
"Coast is clear." Riina said while sticking her head around the corner. Her eyes squinted in concentration. She waved her hand signaling the others to follow. She then proceeded to barrel role into the walkway to the other side.
She got up quickly. "Quietly, now!" She whispered loudly. "Do a barrel role too."
"Okay!" Orihime said willingly and barrel rolled to the side where Riina was at.
"I am not rolling on the ground." Uryuu walked across the opening.
"Are you insane?" Riina ran at him and pulled him to the other side quickly. "Do you want to be caught?"
"No, I'm just saying that if we keep moving this slow we'll never get to the tower!" Uryuu said angrily. He twitched a little.
"If I'm not going quick enough then you lead the way." Riina said but she walked ahead of him anyway, not intending to give up her leadership role.
"Is this always how long it takes for you soul reapers to get around?" Uryuu asked.
It had been nearly three hours of walking and dodging other shinigame. He had a point…. "Truthfully no." Riina answered with a sigh. "I don't know flash step yet, otherwise I'd be moving a lot quicker."
"Flash step?" Uryuu asked. "I have a similar technique called,"
"Yeah, yeah good for you." Riina said as they approached another corner. "Shh…" She put up a finger.
"Clear again." Uryuu said looking past the shorter girl.
Riina put a hand over his face, "I'll be making the calls around here." She removed her hand and proceeded to barrel role, yet again, to the other side.
"You coming Uryuu?" Orihime asked, she too was on the other side.
Uryuu paused, then he gasped a little. "I fell two strong spiritual pressures. One of them is Ichigo's and the other…" He stopped. "Is the lieutenant Abari's."
Riina didn't bother pulling Uryuu to the other side safely when he walked over because she was too concerned to care, "Wait who? How can you sense them?" Riina felt nothing.
"What kind of soul reaper doesn't know how to sense spiritual pressure?" Uryuu yelled.
"I can sense it when its close." Riina hung her head in shame. "How can you sense it?" She asked continuing to lead.
Uryuu sighed. "It'd be a waste of time to explain it to you."
"What's that supposed to mean?" Riina frowned. They were close to another intersection.
"It's an easy procedure." Uryuu began explaining, probably just to show Riina how inferior she was to him. "You focus your thoughts to pick up spiritual pressure. Then you focus in on all the spiritual pressure you pick up. Lastly discern one spiritual pressure from the other."
"Sounds easy to me." Riina shrugged her shoulders.
"If its so easy then why can't you do it!"
"Shh…" Riina held up her finger. She looked around the corner.
Uryuu growled under his breath.
Riina thought she might as well try this technique. She closed her eyes. 'Spiritual pressure… spiritual pressure….' Riina frowned in concentration. 'Spiritual pressure… nope I got nothing.' She opened her eyes and walked out of the corner.
"Clear." She said and barrel rolled again.
Uryuu walked across.
"So this Ichigo guy, who is he?" Riina asked.
"A nuisance." Uryuu answered.
"He's a substitute soul reaper." Orihime answered excitingly.
"Never heard of such a thing." Riina pondered.
'What kind of soul reaper did we get stuck with?' Uryuu thought.
"We're almost halfway there." Riina said after a moment of silence. FWOOSH!
Riina's eyes opened wide. 'Renji!' She gasped. She could feel it! The spiritual pressure! It's like something clicked inside of her. How could she have not sensed it before? It was clear as day!
Riina stopped walking. It was strange feeling this spiritual pressure from so far away, as a matter of fact, she didn't think she'd ever felt his spiritual pressure before. She also felt another spiritual pressure near his. Thicker and stronger. Who was that? Was it that human they were talking about? Ichigo? She could feel so many different spiritual pressures now! Like thousands and thousands of red ribbons draping from the sky. She could almost choose one and hone in on it. Like an immediate transmitter beacon was on everyone's spiritual pressures!
Not to mention that she only felt the strong ones! Who knew how many more soul reapers were out there with lesser spiritual pressure! Imagine if she could feel them all, how overwhelming it would be! And why… why could she feel all of this all so suddenly? Only seconds ago she hadn't even known what their spiritual pressures would feel like! She'd only ever felt hallow's spiritual pressure and only when they were close by.
This was so strange. "I can feel it!" Riina said excited. "How could I have missed it. Weird… how this energy, this field feels so much like them!" She said. She could recognize a few of the spiritual pressures now. The one she focused on was Renji's. "It feels like him. Like if you tossed him into a burning fire and let him burn into nothing and then you…" Riina closed her mouth. She was being weird. She sounded like a mass murderer talking like that.
She shook her head.
"Are we going to keep moving now?" Uryuu asked as he walked past her. He looked a little freaked out by her weirdness.
Riina rolled her eyes. "I was just saying the truth. That's what it feels like doesn't it to you?"
Uryuu avoided the question all together by bringing up something different, "They must be battling."
Riina thought about it. "Yeah that would explain some things."
Orihime placed a hand over her mouth but still uttered, "I hope Ichigo's okay."
"He seems fine…" Riina answered feeling his spiritual pressure. "That is, if he's the one next to Renji."
"Yeah that's him." Uryuu said.
Riina walked ahead. "How long have they been going at it?" Riina was concerned, 'What if they..if they get hurt. This is so hard to think about. I don't want that human to be killed but what if Renji is defeated. I don't want the human to kill him!'
Uryuu put his hand on his head. "I'm guessing about half an hour."
The sun was beginning to set. It was if time had gone by quickly. Maybe because they filled the hours of time with conversations. Either way it was getting late and Riina knew they'd need a place to stop and sleep if possible. But if the two weren't tired then, they'd keep walking until morning.
"Stop." Riina whispered when they reached the corner.
There were soul reapers gathered there. They were patrolling the area. There must have been, eight, maybe ten of them. They were walking right towards the trio! Riina retreated backward a few steps. She thought, 'Great, where do we go?' She looked up, the roof!
Riina looked at Uryuu, "Up!" She whispered. He nodded, he grabbed Orihime's hand and lifted them both up and the roof. Riina jumped as well, she slipped halfway up though. Her legs dangled over the edge. But it was too late to move. They were under her. She stopped moving her legs.
They dangled, just above the men's heads. None of them looked up. Luckily.
Riina dropped off of the roof as soon as they left. She landed on her butt. 'Oww.' She got up quickly due to embarrassment.
Uryuu and Orihime got down safely.
Uryuu was about to say something insulting but didn't get the chance.
Riina placed her hand over her chest. "Renji!" She said aloud. "I-I can't feel his spiritual pressure anymore!" Riina began to run.
"Wait, where are you going?" Uryuu caught her wrist.
"I've got to go stop them from fighting!" Riina struggled against his grip.
"You can't do that, you're leading us to the tower remember. Besides, its probably that Abari's fault for starting the battle in the first place!" Uryuu grunted, she was stronger than she looked.
Riina calmed down. She yanked her wrist from him anyway. "You're right. I just hope he's okay..." She walked on.
"How do you know him?" Orihime asked.
"I serve under him. I'm a member of the sixth squad." Riina said. "And he's- he's my friend."
Uryuu reframed from telling the girl that if you cease to feel one's spiritual pressure, that the person is either greatly injured…or dead.
"Come on, let's run for awhile." Riina said. She let Uryuu and the girl run ahead of her. 'Renji, be careful.'
There was barely a moon out this night. Nothing to see by. Riina sat criss cross on the wooden floor and looked out at the sky through the broken wooden frames. It was so dark inside of the shack that they had stopped by. Riina looked over her shoulder. The man sat there, thinking.
"I said I'd watch." Riina told him and looked back out the panel.
"I don't trust you."
Riina rolled her eyes. "Yeah."
It was good to have two people awake anyway. But Riina was nervous still. They were close to squad six by the time they had stopped for a little rest. It was mainly for the human girl. Riina could have walked for much longer.
She felt like a mouse waiting inside of its hole, waiting and checking to make sure the cat wasn't near by. She wanted to avoid a run in with any other shinigame.
CREAK. Riina's head snapped to the door. It sounded like someone had tried to open it. She got up quickly and looked out of the holes near the door. She didn't see anyone.
Uryuu got up.
Riina placed her hand up. "I'll check. Stay here." Riina said then she opened the shack door quietly.
She looked from side to side, it was hard to see anything in this light. She got out of the shack and closed the door behind her. She went down a block or two sneakily to make sure no one was there. It was a quiet night. No birds, no owls hooting. No sounds of people running like before in the day. There was no one in sight. No guards. Nothing.
Nothing but the sound of the wind blowing the leaves on the trees. And the few creaks that seemed to come from nowhere. Each time she heard a creak she'd jump and turn to look, her zanpakuto out. But each time nothing was there.
Riina had her sword in her hands but tried to keep it at her side, that way it didn't reflect the little amount of moonlight and give her away.
Her heart throbbed in her chest. Her breath sounded heavy but she could have sworn she was barely breathing at all. She held her breath a few times. Thump! It was more of a padding sound but it was quiet. She barely heard it. Thump thump thump. Consecutive sounds.
She looked over her shoulder. It felt like she was being followed. She felt so strongly that someone was behind her that she failed to look ahead.
She turned a corner too suddenly.
"Asuka."
Riina froze immediately. She felt like she couldn't breathe. Her heart raced. 'I'm caught.' She thought.
She looked in front of her, just barely. She saw feet.
"What are you doing sneaking around? Why didn't you report back to the squad?"
She heard the questions and they felt like bullets penetrating her soul.
"Is it because you've been with the Ryoka?"
'How… how could he know?' Riina lifted her head all the way up. It was her captain. Captain Kuchiki.
"One of the teams reported they saw a red headed girl with the Ryoka. They had tried to track them down but failed." Captain Kuchiki said in a deep voice.
Riina was scared for her life. She felt like she should just run for it, at least then she'd have a chance of getting away with the air in her lungs. Alive. Because she felt like death was upon her. It was because of his voice. His tone was so lethal. She didn't dare look to his face, she closed her eyes. If he was gonna kill her, she didn't want to see it.
"Answer me." He demanded in a calm tone.
Riina dropped her head. She cringed. 'Should I lie? No he says he had proof. Lying would make things worse.'
"Come with me." He said. And like a dog on a leash, Riina followed without any hesitation.
"For disobeying orders for the second time," Captain Kuchiki stated as they walked, "And for helping the Ryoka, you'll be sentenced to jail. And after you serve your sentence…" He paused he looked down at the girl. "You'll be expelled off the Gotei thirteen forever."
Riina stopped walking. 'What?' She thought. But she was absorbed in too much fear to let even a whimper escape her lips. 'Forever? Expelled?'
"Where are the Ryoka?" He asked. They were almost at squad six now.
Riina didn't answer.
"If you do not answer me, I'll consider executing you instead."
Riina still said nothing.
They went back to the squad six prison in silence.
Captain Kuchiki left the girl with guards.
"Get her out of my sight." He said, Riina could feel the anger in him. She'd never felt so cold before. It was as if he had spoken ice into her soul.
Riina was locked up in a cell. It was dark and she stumbled unto the chair. The chair that Rukia had sat in…
Riina was surprised that Byakuya hadn't killed her right then and there, but by the looks of things now… she was going to die anyway.