Byakuya opened his
eyes. For a few precious seconds he experienced the delirium of the
place between dream and sleep, where you do not know where you are,
or who you are, and neither do you care. Then, his body was alive
with pain. He had experienced a lot of it- he had taken Gin's Shinso
straight through his torso, he had willingly cut his left arm and leg
with his own sword, not to mention the indescribable pain he had felt
at his first hangover. Yet this was different. His whole body felt
like it was being consumed by flames, he could feel each and every
heartbeat his body pumped. Every sensation, no matter how small, he
realized with inhuman perception. His skin against his torn and
bloodied clothes, the air rushing into his lungs... Even the sound of
grass rustling seemed to hurt his ears. After some amount of time- an
aeon, or a minute- he realized there was an epicentre to this
unending sensation. His left shoulder was throbbing with pain, and
hurt more than any other place. How did that happen again?
It all
came back to him, as he realized he must have blacked out. He had
been attacked by the very people he had ojce commanded and called
family, and almost killed by a little girl. He looked up at the sky,
remembering the kido barrage that had well nigh been his end. It was
still going strong. It couldn't have been long, then.
As he moved
his head- the only movement he felt capable of- he realized he was
sitting with his back against a tree. How did that happen? Oh, that
was right.
His eyes landed on the petite head assasin of the
seireitei- the only person who was colder than he had been as a
captain. Soifon. Now he remembered it all. Every last bit. He owed
her a lot, he knew. Not that it would matter much, though. He knew
enough of poisons to recognize that he was a few feet away from
Death's door.
"Taicho..." he spoke up, but fell
silent. He hadn't thought it possible, but even his vocal cords were
burning.
"Be silent." Soifon bit back, harshly. "I'm
trying to sense whether or nor I were followed."
That made
sense, so Byakuya kept quiet. He noticed something odd- the little
assasin was lying a mere six feet away, not moving a muscle. Why
Soifon had risked herself to save her as well, he didn't know.
Supposedly for information.
Then, Soifon quit her concentrated
look and turned to Byakuya.
"You were poisoned. Badly."
It was not a question.
"Yeah." Byakuya struggled to
talk. "What the hell is going on, Taicho? Who is...?"
Soifon
didn't pay him any attention, but reached for her zanpakuto,
carefully drawing it.
"Jinteki shakusetsu, Zuzumebachi."
Her short sword transformed to the lethal black-and-yellow stinger
that was her shikai.
Byakuya felt a little alarmed. His head,
filled with an overactive imagination spawned from fever, thought of
all sorts of horrible scenarios. Had his family managed to recruit
even her? Did they reach that far? Was she a traitor, too?
"Hey,
what--?" was all he could say before she plunged the tip of her
stinger in between the two puncture wounds caused by the fangs of the
assasin's zanpakuto. She let it stay for a few seconds, and the
distinctive black butterfly mark appeared on his left shoulder. She
then pulled it out of the wound. He more than half expected her to
strike a second time, but she remained still.
"Captain, what
in the hells?!" he managed.
"Zuzumebachi can counteract
and draw out poisons, 15th seat Byakuya." she replied. "It
was too late to draw it out, so I injected a potent anti-venom. It
should take effect within seconds.
It did.
"First"
Soifon continued "it will hurt like never before."
The
pain, which he had gotten somewhat used to, started to increase.
"It
will only take a few minutes, though. Then, it will become a dull
ache."
And by the gods, it hurt. He wanted to scream, but
found himself utterly paralyzed. The pains from before seemed like a
gentle massage, like the breeze of a summer wind, like a pleasurable
hot spring in comparison. Much later, he would think back to it and
realise that, yes, it was a matter of minutes. It didn't seem like it
at the time, though.
But eventually- and almost instantly- the
pain began to fade away. Soon, it was a dull ache, as she had
promised, and before long his shoulder had gone numb. He tried to
move his hand, and found that he was no longer paralyzed.
"So,
will you tell me now?" Byakuya spoke without adding any
respectful suffix of title; he was tired, and tired of not knowing
who had tried to kill him and why.
Rather than answering him, she
walked over to the little assasin clad in black. He realized just how
small she was; she was even shorter than Soifon.
Soifon ripped of
the mask covering her head and face, revealing a girl with brown
hair, rahter beautiful features and sad eyes.
Soifon grabbed her
by the hair, and pulled her up into a sitting position.
"This"
she said, her voice all contempt, "is my good-for-nothing 9th
seat, Mitsuko."
So it really was a trained and seated member
of the second division. How they got ahold of her, he couldn't
understand.
"How is it that one of your own were going after
me?" he asked puzzled. "I have an obvious suspect in the
question of who would want to kill me, but saying who out loud is
dangerous. You know who I mean. But how would 'they' command a seated
officer of the Secret Mobile Corps?"
"I do know."Soifon
replied. "As for why, I think the fact that her family name is
Raida should explain things."
Raida Mitsuko. Raida. Of
course. The Raidas were a family of low nobility, dedicated to the
service of the Kuchiki for at least fifteen generations now. If the
head called for her services, she couldn't refuse. If he thought hard
enough, he could almost remember her- a scrawny child among the
trainee servants. He knew some of them entered the juusantai to
improve their martial skills, to better serve as guards, but he
couldn't remember any of the entering second. She had to be something
else if she were accepted despite a possibility of dual loyalty.
Then, realization dawned on him.
"She's like you."
he said, disregarding rank.
"Yes." Soifon admitted. "And
the iota of sympathy I can give her situation is the only reason I
haven't snapped her neck yet. That, and the information she might
provide. Now, let me take a look at your wounds. I know some healing
kido--"
Soifon had been walking towards him as she spoke, and
stood right before him, when he heard the cry: "Spit,
Wedjat!"
With horror, he saw that her zanpakuto had taken the
form of a long serpent again. There was no way he could dodge in
time. He didn't have to, though.
Soifon side-stepped, and the
snake buried its fangs deep into her shoulder.
There was quite
a display of emotion playing over the young assassin's face; seldom
had Byakuya seen such horror, sadness and determination
mixed.
Soifon, giving an unimpressed look, simply reached for the
snake's head with her idle hand, and clutched its head. After
squeezing it good, it receded back into a sword, squirming in
pain.
"What was that, Mitsuko?" Soifon taunted. "Were
you going to kill your target? Kill your captain?"
Mitsuko
gave no answer, and got up to her feet. Though unsteady, she held up
her blade and charged.
"Such spirit. It's such a waste."
Soifon said in a regretful tone, striking her down with one hand,
sending her crashing into a tree.
She cast a glance at her wound,
and gave it the same treatment she had given Byakuya. She seemed
completely unaffected.
Still, Byakuya could see the assassin stir,
getting up and raising her blade. Not even looking her way, Soifon
hurled two kunai, striking her arm and nailing it to the
tree.
"Thank you." Byakuya said. "I owe you my
life."
"Don't thank me. I was merely disciplining an
insubordinate officer."
"You saved my life, in more than
one sense." Byakuya insisted.
"How so?"
"She
was fast, and very skilled. Caught me off guard." Soifon scoffed
at this.
"Had I not taken to sparring with you every now and
then when I was a captain, I wouldn't have survived. Her use of
Hakuda is very similar to yours."
"Fine, if you insist."
Soifon said.
"I wonder, though..." Byakuya
said.
"What."
"Grateful as I am, I wonder what a
captain like yourself is doing in thee rukongai. It seems strange. I
wouldn't be surprised if the SMC had been monitoring my movement, but
the captain herself?"
"Well, if you must know" she
said "Shiba Kuukaku just recently moved here, and Yoruichi-sama
is staying with her for now. I was going to pay her a visit. And yes,
the SMC has been following you."
"I understand. Now
what?"
"Now this." she said, giving him a punch,
knocking him out.
When he woke up, he was in a bed at the
Shiba manor. He was feverish, but he could still recognize the
reiatsu of Yoruichi, Kuukaku and Soifon. He noticed one odd thing-
Soifon's butterfly mark wasn't gone, even though he was no longer
poisoned.
Finding a walking stick next to his bed, he got up,
supporting himself on it as he walked.
Though the house seemed
large, he finally found his way to the room from where Soifon's
reiatsu came. Opening the door, he looked around. There was Soifon,
and Yoruichi.
"Tell me" he began "how long have
I slept?"
"About three days, Byakuya-bo." Yoruichi
replied.
Feeling too weak to protest at the endearing term, he sat
down.
"Have you sent word to Yamamoto-sama,
Soifon-taicho?"
"Yes. Some of our best are patrolling
the area in case of another attempt."
"I doubt they'd
dare." he grumbled. "What of that girl, Mitsuko?"
"I
have interrogated her. She needed some- ahem- persuasion, though."
An
unpleasant memory came back to him. Sounds of screams disturbing his
sleep- screams of utter terror.
"What have you got, then?"
he asked, not letting his memories move him.
"She said
nothing that would incriminate the Kuchikis" Yoruichi began "but
she hinted enough that we know beyond a doubt that it is
them."
"Isn't that just dandy." Byakuya said
bitterly. "My own family. Suddenly, I feel like killing
something."
"You can't strain yourself, even
emotionally." Yoruichi said. "Keep calm."
"Since
when do I not?" taking a look at his left shoulder he added:
"Why do I still carry this butterfly mark, taicho?"
"It
is strange" Soifon replied "but I cannot force it back.
It's there to stay. Why? My best guess is that the poison from
Mitsuko's zanpakuto burnt it till it couldn't be removed. It's
harmelss anyway."
"So, I'll have to carry this around
for the rest of my life then?"
"Anyway," Soifon
continued, ignoring him, "it is Yamamoto-sama's order that you
return to the Seireitei as soon as you are fit to walk."
"Then
I leave now." he said, getting up pains-takingly. "I have
things to deal with there."
"Out of the question."
Soifon argued. "You can just barely stand."
"It's
alright, little bee." Yoruichi said. "I'll carry him."
For
a moment he considered refusing, as he found himself carried around
by women too much already, but things were urgent. Swallowing his
pride, he said:
"Fine."
Elsewhere,
Kuchiki Kazuna was yet again assembling the council of ruling
elders.
"The council is in session." It was the
announcer.
"My fellow elders." Kazuna spoke up. "As
you all very well know, we are at times of great distress. Due to
circumstances out of my control, the assassination of Byakuya has
failed--"
"You mean you failed!" an angry voice
cried out, and a murmur of approval was heard.
"Silence!"
Kazuna commanded, outraged. Another elder had called to speak, and
Kazuna granted him the right.
"Kazuna" the elder began
in a somewhat nasal tone. He had always hated that tone. "you
came to us with a scheme that would further us all. We trusted you.
And where has that led us? Do you even comprehend the levels of the
scandal that could be if this got out?" There were various
sounds of "hear hear" and "good man" throughout
the room.
"My esteemed gentlemen" Kazuna began.
"everything is under control. We could not foresee that the 2nd
divisions captain would be in the area- a twist of fate saved
Byakuya. The only real problem now is the increased amount of guard
surrounding him." He would have continued, but was interrupted
yet again.
"You would make yet another attempt on his life,
when he is on his guard? Absurd!" the angry voice cried out. The
murmur of approval escalated to a choir of angry, accusing voices,
all directed at him. It would have gone on for a long time, had not a
commanding voice out shouted them.
"I call silence!" it
shouted, and little by little, the elders went quiet. It was the
sarcastic voice from earlier.
"Now" it said "who
here feels Kazuna has failed in his leading of the council?"
There
was a mixed response; some cried that Kazuna be taken off the
council, others that he was the leader after all.
"Silence!"
the sarcastic voice called. "I am the most senior of the elders.
As such, I hereby invoke a state of crisis, as is my right."
This
Kazuna could not allow.
"Never!" he bellowed. "You
have to have support from at least four of the eldest to do that! You
won't rule for as long as I am here!"
"Oh, really?"
The sarcastic voice replied, its tone dripping venom. "Tell me
friends, do I have support?"
A roar of approval could be
heard. It would have been deafening, if they weren't all so old.
"I
suppose, then, that I am in charge?" the voice said. "Why
yes, I AM in charge. Kazuna, consider yourself relieved of your
position as council member." he continued.
As Kazuna walked
away, he could hear his nemesis say:
"Now, we will be taking
steps to make good on my nephew..."
A week or so later, Byakuya was laying on the bed he and Rangiku had come to share, in her quarters, thinking of what had happened. He had been bitter towards his family before, but the attempted assassination really had him standing at the border of hatred. Before, his idea of revenge had been ridiculing and outdoing the Kuchiki, but now... he seriously considered asking Yamamoto to help him massacre the elders. Of course, 'massacre' was not was he was going to say, but that's what it would lead to.
As he lay there musing, there came a
knock on the door. At first, he ignored it, but when it persisted, he
finally said:
"Enter."
At first he thought that one
of his blood-splattered fantasies had become real, that Fate or
Providence had rewarded him. Because through the door stepped
one of the most senior elder- his uncle. He reached for his sword,
and with a mental command, a thousand pink petals surrounded the
elder.
"You have two minutes before I kill you. Speak."
he said. He meant every word. He could get away with it, easily.
"I
have seized control of the elder council." his uncle replied,
unfazed. "And I came to personally offer you my, and the
family's apologies." He proceeded to speak of how it was not his
fault, how he had tried to stop them, how they wouldn't
listen.
Byakuya soon lost interest
"Did you come here to
beg my forgiveness like a dog?" he bit back harshly,
interrupting his uncle. "Because I will not grant it. Now, you
bore me. Die."
Slowly, Senbonzakura drew ever nearer, until
one blade scratched the skin of the old man.
"Wait!" he
exclaimed, showing fear at last.
"Why?"
"Because
I came here as the official representative of the house. We want you
back. We will give you everything back!"
"You lie."
Byakuya said, but he felt a string of doubt unravel.
"I
don't. Ask them all. I speak for them." The blade petals fell
back, until they had once again become sealed.
"If you don't
believe me, then look at this!" the old man commanded, showing
him a letter.
"Dearest Kuchiki Byakuya-sama, it is our
innermost wish that you return to leadership as soon as possible. We
have erred greatly, and no apology can be sufficient. Know that we
will offer you any kind of satisfaction you might request..."
Byakuya
read out loud, his voice trailing off.
The letter did indeed carry
the official Kuchiki seal, and was signed by almost every elder he
knew of. They really wanted him back.
"I am not asking
you to decide now" his uncle said "but five days from now,
a meeting will be held. You are expected to attend, that you may give
your answer."
Wit that, he walked out. Byakuya stared out
into empty space. He had not known shock like this since his
disgrace. Could it really be? Could it be this easy? Was it some sort
of trap?
His shocked thoughts would have gone on, but they were
interrupted as Rangiku came in.
"What's wrong, sweetie?"
she asked. "You look like you have seen a ghost."
Without
a word, he handed her the letter, and continued to stare at
nothing.
What was he to do?
