7...Broken Down
Ukitake stumbled through the forest on his way back. He stumbled several times, still reeling from his loss in Shunsui's drinking contest. That man could take a whole barrel of sake and not fall. Such a contest was rigged from the start, but nonetheless, a drink with friends was something he had yearned for ever since the battles had begun.
It was a welcome break from the battlefield. This peace had helped seal the wounds that had torn at the warriors of Soul Society. Now was their time to re-build and catch up on the time lost.
The moon was full on this night and it shone with a mesmerizing brilliance that caught the old captain's eye. He stopped and just stared up at the spectacular display in the sky. He stared at it for quite some time, so long that he had lost track of time and forgotten how long he had been standing there.
He would have enjoyed the moonlight longer had he not been alerted to the gentle sounds of sobbing. He turned his head in the direction of the sound and noticed someone lying in a thick puddle of mud. Their blonde hair was streaked with dirt and grime and matted to her forehead by the pouring rain.
Ukitake approached cautiously and when he was a few steps away he was startled by her sudden whisper. It was ever so quiet yet it came as a surprise to the old captain who jumped back warily out of instinct.
"Cap...tain..." She whispered in a voice that was embedded deep in his memory. Even when marred by pain and exhaustion her voice was unmistakeable. One does not forget the voice of their second in command.
"Kiyone?" Ukitake rushed over to the poor girl and lifted her from the mud. He cradled her small frame in his arms and shielded her from the cold. "Kiyone, what happened?"
Kiyone's left eyes fluttered open and she gazed dazedly at her captain. Her mouth quivered as if about to speak but no words came out. A soft whimper was all that escaped her lips and her body spasmed involuntarily.
Ukitake stroked her cheek. "This is my fault. I could have prevented this if I weren't off drinking."
Kiyone grabbed her captain's haori and dragged herself up closer to his face. A stray tear rolled down her cheek and landed in Ukitake's lap. "It...Hurts." She whispered.
"Be still. You are safe now." Ukitake picked her up and clutched her to his chest. He scanned the expansive forest and cursed. He needed to find help and soon. Kiyone may not have had any visible wounds, but she was definitely suffering from something.
He flash stepped through the forest, dodging trees and weaving through the network of decaying timber skeletons. He pushed on until he was at the barracks and he rushed up to the door, crying out for aid on his way.
No-one came out to help. There weren't even guards on duty. Something was wrong...
Ukitake set Kiyone down and kicked down the door to the barracks. A wall of overpowering stench hit him and he stepped back into the night to catch his breath. He peered into the dimly lit room and noticed the dark patches on the walls and floor. Even in the dark, the stench of death was a sign of the massacre inside.
"What on earth happened here?" Ukitake asked no-one but himself. He staggered away from the door and took Kiyone with him to flee the scene of bloodshed.
It was quite a journey to find someone, anyone who could help. The sun was nearly raised then and Kiyone's condition was getting worse. It seemed she had experienced an internal injury and a severe one at that. Her life was slipping away more and more with each lapse of consciousness. Ukitake had used what limited healing powers he had to keep her alive if only for an hour. Without proper help she would not survive through the morning.
He had to move fast!
When the sun rose from slumber and the morning began the Urahara shoten was bathed in golden light. Three eager employees approached the front entrance which was ripped open like a gutted animal.
Tessai, a giant bulky man with rippling muscles and a body as thick as a tree trunk, moved ahead of the two children and passed the puddles of dried blood which crusted up in the heat of the sun. The huge man stepped into the front room and found it empty. He glanced over to the side and then to the other, scanning the area for intruders.
"Kisuke! Are you still here?"
No reply came.
Tessai frowned and gazed back at his young companions. "Stay out here." He then proceeded inside.
The rooms beyond the front door were dark. Furniture was littered everywhere and walls were knocked down. Even the roof was dented and cracked in numerous places.
Tessai traversed around the mountains of rubble and made his way to Urahara's sleeping quarters. It was located near the back and was a large open room. The path there was paved with more destruction. The walls were cut to shreds and burn marks covered one section of wall. It was as if a war had gone on inside the house.
"Mr Urahara?" Tessai called out. The darkened room loomed ahead and no reply came from within. Tessai stepped through the doorway and flicked on the light. At last he found his boss, leaning against the wall, his front drenched in dark red, his skin stained with blood. His blonde hair was streaked and clumped together by crusted vital fluids. Numerous wounds scored his body and it was quite apparent at first sight that it was too late.
Tessai gritted his teeth and cursed. "Who would do such a thing?"
A soft thud came from behind. "I would." Tessai whirled around only to have a blade pressed against his throat. "Hello there, Tessai. I heard you were once a member of the Kido corps?"
Tessai snarled. "Who are you?"
"Me? You can call me Taru, though your life won't last long enough for you to speak it. Just know that you and your boss shall be forever friends in the afterlife." Taru hesitated for a moment and craned his neck to stare at the wall beside him. His eyes flickered and he stared back at his captive. "I can hear children screaming."
Tessai's eyes narrowed and he threw a punch at his smaller opponent. Taru caught the massive fist with his bare palm and frowned. "Is that it? Do those kids outside not mean anything to you?"
The giant grabbed Taru by the arm and hurled him into the wall. He charged for the door but was stopped when the very same foe materialized in the next room.
"Brute strength cannot save you. I am sorry, but I have grown tired of your pitiful abilities." Before a word of protest could be uttered Taru thrust his sword deep into Tessai's throat, dealing a fatal blow. The giant, like a massive oak tree, fell to the ground with a deafening thud.
Taru wiped his blade on the giant's shirt and then strolled out the front of the shop where Ururu was facing off against two opponents at once. Her battle did not last long. The two warriors joined Taru on the front porch and they cast their gaze on the rising sun.
"Just as the sun rises to its throne in sky, so shall we ascend to the heavens." Taru clenched a fist. "The time is now. Awaken our brothers and sisters. With Kisuke Urahara out of the way and the Gotei 13 in disarray, the time to strike is now! Raise the alarm! Soul Society shall fall!"
A garganta opened before them and the trio walked through the shimmering darkness into the world beyond.
Ukitake sat beside a small bed which held his subordinate, Kiyone. The poor blonde girl was on the verge of death by the time he had reached the infirmary. A nightmarish countdown had commenced and Ukitake had pushed himself beyond his limits to reach it in time. He had barely made it.
Kiyone's condition had become so severe that the fourth squad captain herself, Retsu Unohana had to save her.
Now, hours later he still remained here. He would not rest until Kiyone was back on her feet. That small reassurance was tearing him apart. The fear of losing such a close friend was gnawing away at his conscience. He was plagued with the guilt of abandoning her when she was in danger...All for a drinking contest. Had he been there he might have prevented such a thing from happening.
Unohana explained she had suffered severe head trauma. Either she was bludgeoned or she bumped her head extremely hard. There was no way it was an accident. These kinds of injuries can only be caused by someone dangerous...And that meant one of them was lurking within Soul Society.
The fragile peace has shattered.
Kiyone's older sister, Isane, approached slowly. Her arms were crossed behind her back and her gaze was cast down to the floor. As she anxiously slid up to the bedside she glanced down at her wounded sibling. Without taking her eyes from Kiyone, she spoke to the captain across form her.
"Why would someone do such a thing? Kiyone did nothing to hurt anyone. Why could anyone bring themselves to hurt her?"
Ukitake bowed his head. "I fear not all in this world seek the path of peace, Isane. Some seek only power and conquest. Aizen was one such individual. People of his mindset would cut down an unarmed child to achieve their hollow ambitions."
"But...Aizen is sealed away."
Ukitake gazed at Kiyone with a look of great sadness. "I'm afraid there are more who follow the path of evil. Aizen was but one of many. But for our sake I hope he was the only one to have wielded such power."
Isane gritted her teeth. "I'll kill them!" She whispered harshly, her voice tinged with venom. Tears rolled down her pale cheeks. "I will punish them...For hurting Kiyone!"
Ukitake frowned. "The path of vengeance is another dead end. We shinigami fight for one thing only and that is for peace."
Isane smiled weakly and clasped her hands together. "Of course...Forgive me."
Ukitake waved a hand. "No need. For now, keep an eye on her. Please inform me if her condition changes. I will gather my squad and search for the intruder. We cannot let anyone else get hurt."
Isane nodded. "Farewell captain Ukitake. Good luck."
Ukitake waved in thanks and then vanished.
Rukia regained consciousness. Her eyes fluttered open and she glanced around dazedly, unsure of her whereabouts. She studied the bright sun blazing up in the cloudless blue sky. It hurt her eyes and so she looked away, noticing the door at the far end of the room had been torn from its hinges.
Slowly the last events in her memory played back to her. She remembered the two shinigami who had attacked her. The memories brought waves of fresh pain and she began rubbing the course wound on the back of her head. Blood had formed dried, crusty cakes in her hair and she tried to pick them out though it only brought on more pain.
She left it alone and tried to stand up. She was dizzy at first and tumbled over. On her next attempt she leaned heavily against the wall and eventually made it to her feet. She stood frozen against the wall for some time before she gained the courage to start walking.
She took slow, unstable steps, wobbling each time like a drunkard. She paused in the shattered doorframe and carefully descended the small set of stairs.
Those intruders...Where could they have gone?
Rukia stumbled over to the wall of the courtyard and leaned against it for support. The barracks was just a short distance away. She could try there first. Surely someone there had seen the enemy.
She limped over, still woozy from the beating she took earlier. It took some time but eventually she made it to the barracks. The stairs were slippery and Rukia had to hold the railing to keep herself from falling. She slowly dragged herself over to the front door where a young shinigami lay curled up in a ball. His arms were wrapped around a girl. Both were dead. Rukia backed away and gasped. She hadn't noticed the butchered squad inside.
It took a while for her stomach contents to settle and when they did she proceeded back inside the barracks. Everyone was dead. Most were still in their beds, sleeping on pink sheets and crimson pillows.
"What...All of them are...Are..."
She turned to run but bumped into somebody. She was flung back and landed hard on her back. She cried out in alarm but the sound soon turned into a yelp of pain as her head collided with the ground, re-opening her wounds.
"Rukia?" A kind, familiar voice asked.
Rukia glanced up at her captain and her eyes widened. "You're alive?" Rukia asked softly.
"So you survived the onslaught as well." Ukitake mused. "I'm afraid it's only you and me for a while now Kuchiki. Someone attacked these poor men and women in their sleep. It was not an honourable battle, it was merely a cowardly ambush, preying on the unsuspecting. Nonetheless, you and I are the only members of this squad still standing. Kiyone is alive, but she is unconscious for the time being."
"Where are they?" Rukia inquired.
Ukitake frowned. "I don't know. I was hoping to find some sort of clue around here. If only I knew what to look for."
"Masks" Rukia whispered. Ukitake fell silent and cocked his head.
"Excuse me?"
"They were wearing masks." Rukia explained. "Like an arrancar...But the masks were black."
"Black masks? I wonder if they are affiliated with Aizen. That cunning wretch might have expected his own demise and saved a few warriors for a rainy day." Ukitake cursed. "They must want to set him free."
Rukia frowned. "I don't think so...But I do know they have something in store for me."
At that moment the air behind them was torn apart and a garganta opened.
