Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach.
CHAPTER TEN:
The small girl stared curiously at the dark liquid that had begun to leak through the ceiling and onto the floor. It was beautiful, in an eerie sort of way. The color was a pure crimson that shimmered in the light that came from a small window. Otherwise, the room was completely dark.
The small girl crept closer. She was dressed in nothing but rags, her long black hair tangled and her face smudged in dirt. But despite it all, it was obvious that she was beautiful, and that she would only grow more pretty over time. She leaned down and touched the dark liquid, shivering when she realized that it was warm against her freezing skin. But it was sticky as well, making her frown before she tilted her head down to sniff it. It smelled of...rust.
A tall man appeared in the doorway behind her, making the small girl freeze in fright, her eyes large and wide. "That's blood," the man said in a deep voice. "Soon, you'll spill it as easily as your new brothers and sisters do."
Kagami Masako's eyes suddenly shot open. She glanced around. Kuchiki was sleeping in a nearby chair. She realized with surprise that she was in bed, and that her captain's haori was wrapped around her. It smelled strange, like a mixture of different kinds of mint. Kagami tightened her grip on the white fabric, not sure why she wanted to keep it with her. The sky was still dark outside.
She got up soundlessly, vanishing instantly and reappearing at the 4th Division, surprising the shinigami there at her sudden appearance. She dashed quickly through the halls, following the spiritual pressure of her friends. She didn't notice the glances and stares she got as the people there recognized her from the previous night.
She suddenly opened the door to her friends' room. Both Hitsugaya and Zaraki were sleeping in nearby chairs. Unohana calmly closed the door behind her as Kagami approached her friends, preparing herself for what she was about to do.
Kagami grasped the thin metal chain she wore in reassurance before she extended her hands out over her friends' throats. A silvery aura appeared around her, spilling around the room. It could only be described as pure joy.
Hitsugaya and Zaraki immediately woke, gazing at her in awe as they felt the silvery happiness wash over them. Unohana's eyes widened as she gasped in delight, all of them feeling it touch their very souls. Kohana and Asami smiled in their sleep. The only one unaffected was Kagami, whose eyebrows were furrowed in concentration. It stayed there for several minutes, then disappeared.
Kagami let out all the breath she had been holding without realizing it. "Call them," she said softly, turning to look at their captains. "Call them back to this world."
Without hesitation, they followed her order. "Come back, Miyuki," Hitsugaya said, not quite sure why he had said his subordinate's first name. "Get your ass back here, Asami," Zaraki growled, glaring at her limp form.
They all waited for several seconds in silence, watching Asami and Kohana. Then, after what seemed like an eternity, their eyes opened. Kagami's usual small amused smile returned.
...
All thirteen captains had gathered, all of them currently waiting for three women. After Kagami had healed Asami Chiasa and Kohana Miyuki, she had taken the two with her and vanished. All of them turned when they heard their voices.
"Man, this is a fucking maze."
"But mazes are fun! Ow!"
"Shut up, baka ne. Mazes mean getting lost."
"Kagami-sama! Asami-chan's being mean!"
"Chiasa, Miyuki, we are here."
The doors soundlessly opened, revealing the three women. Some of the captains gasped when they saw their conditions.
Asami leaned casually against the wall, her arms crossed, her expression bored and lazy. Her auburn hair was loose, curling at the ends and framing her face, accenting her large golden eyes. Her black and red shihakusho was still torn and stained with her blood. She held her zanpakuto in her hand, her sash too torn to hold it.
Kohana peered around, her expression excited and not the least bit like she had just nearly died. Her spiky black hair seemed even more messy than usual, and her amethyst eyes too bright. Her gold and black shihakusho was torn and stained with her blood as well, but she still carried her zanpakuto on her back.
Kagami looked the worst of the three. She looked malnourished, dehydrated, and sleep deprived all at the same time. There were dark circles under her eyes, and her skin seemed even paler than her white shihakusho. The embroidery on it had torn, but she hadn't fixed it. It hung loosely on her body, as if she had lost weight. She still wore her captain's haori around her shoulders, Kuchiki wearing another. Her small smile was back, but it looked more tired than amused at the moment. But despite her appearance, she bowed gracefully. "It is an honor to be invited to another Captains' Council-"
"Ah, shut the hell up," Asami drawled. "Skip the shitty formalities. Just tell us what the damn plan is to kick those fucking guys' asses."
Kohana let out a trill of laughter. "I can't imagine formalities covered in shit," she laughed, turning to Asami. "How can you?" Asami looked blankly at her small friend before calmly flicking her in the forehead. "Ow!"
Kagami just blinked. "Please do not swear so," she said softly, her voice slightly hoarse.
"But she wouldn't be Asami-chan if she did!" Kohana chirped as she hid behind Kagami's shihakusho, staring fearfully at her tall friend, who had begun to hiss in annoyance.
"I suppose it would be different," Kagami mused.
Yamamoto cleared his throat, making everyone in the room turn their attention to them. "What do we know so far?" he asked.
Kurotsuchi cleared his throat. "I have run the symbols on the bodies we recovered through the database, but I couldn't get much. The file is sealed, and Central 46 has not yet granted me clearance to read it."
"Then what the hell do you know?" Zaraki growled.
Kurotsuchi scowled before continuing. "The upside down pentacle with the eye represents an organization known as Tsukihanano Kenshi, the Last Blade. They specialize in assassinations, but that is all that were revealed about them. The butterfly was the mark of one of their assassins who was active six hundred years ago for seven hundred years before vanishing suddenly. She was called the Butterfly of Death. Currently, there is nothing known about her whereabouts. It is probable to suspect she is the one who killed-"
"It was not her," Kagami suddenly interrupted softly. "The Butterfly did not do this. This was a message to her."
Everyone stared at her in shock. "What do you know of this Butterfly?" Ukitake finally asked. "Do you know her?"
Kagami paused before answering. "I once knew her very well. I was the closest person to her. I haven't been in contact with her for the last six hundred years, though, since she vanished from Tsukihanano Kenshi."
"Do you know what message they might be trying to tell her?"
Kagami took a deep breath. "Before she vanished, she slaughtered many members of Tsukihanano Kenshi."
"So revenge, then? But the Butterfly is gone."
"The file said she was most likely dead," Kurotsuchi added.
"I have reason to believe she is still alive," Kagami said softly. "She contacted me last night through yumeno sureddo, a dream thread."
"Dream thread?"
"It is where two separate entities can speak through dreams. All assassins have this skill. They use it to play with their victims before killing them, or as a way to contact others like them without arousing suspicion."
"What was the message?"
"That she had not killed those men, and that she was in hiding."
"Then we're back to where we started," Komamura growled, making all the captains start shouting across the room to each other.
"Do you believe they did this because I was here, because of my connection with the Butterfly?" Kagami suddenly asked, making everyone quiet. "If it would be easier, I could leave."
"No!" Asami and Kohana shouted, glaring at the captains as if daring them to even try. Asami looked ready to kill, and Kohana looked so serious it made everyone's eyes widen. They had never seen her look like that before.
"You are one of the Gotei 13," Kyoraku said kindly. "They've done this to us, not just you."
"Besides, we could always use you as bait," Zaraki smiled.
Asami walked over and immediately punched him in the gut, sending him skidding back a few feet from its power. Her pupils had become slits, and her expression was dark. "Kagami Sensei is not bait," she said threateningly, holding up her fist to emphasize it.
Kohana immediately began to try and restrain her. Soon, the two were wrestling on the floor, Kohana squealing in pain and Asami cursing angrily. Kagami just stared at them, her smile not wavering, her head slightly tilted as she did.
"Can't you control your pets?" Kurotsuchi hissed to her.
Asami and Kohana immediately stopped, getting up and walking until they were millimeters away from the captain. Asami grinned, looking blood thirsty. Kohana smiled eagerly, an evil glint in her eyes.
"Oh dear," Kagami said mildly. "The last person who said that...well, they are no longer among us."
Zaraki and Hitsugaya immediately restrained their subordinates. Kohana took one look at Hitsugaya and slumped in defeat. Asami growled and cursed as she struggled against her captain until Kagami let out an inaudible sigh and pressed several of her pressure points, making her slump in Zaraki's arms, unconscious.
Kagami bowed. "I am sorry on behalf of my my friend," she murmured.
Asami snarled in her sleep. "Kill...kill you...Sensei."
Kagami blinked. Kohana fell to the ground, laughing.