Chapter 11 Dissention in the ranks
The whole camp was buzzing the next morning. The teachers had decided that the exercise would be cancelled after all and the students would head back to the school that evening.
Kisuke and Yoruchi had kept pretty much to themselves but most of their friends had come looking for them to ask what had happened.
The group sat in a secluded corner of the clearing and discussed the incident.
"Kisuke still thinks that its his fault," Yoruichi sighed, "I've tried to explain that it wasn't but he's dead set on holding himself responsible."
Noe nodded and put a hand on Kisuke's shoulder, "I know what that feels like," he said softly, "I used to be convinced that my best friends death was my fault."
"What made you change your mind," Kisuke asked dully?
"My friends, my family but most of all I had to take a step back and look over the situation again and realise for myself that it wasn't my fault. My friend had a life threatening illness and there was nothing that I could do to stop him from dieing."
"This isn't any different," Tessai explained, "You found the girl murdered but you didn't kill her. You had no idea that she was even in the forest."
Kisuke nodded glumly, "I suppose," I admitted after a while, "But all of them think I did it," he said jerking a thumb over his shoulder at the other students.
"There just stupid," Yoruichi said soothingly, "They weren't even there so what do they know any way?"
Kisuke nodded slowly, "I guess."
"Just ignore them," Sattoo agreed, "That's what I do."
They sat in silence for a while just taking comfort in the presence of each other. The wind whistled through the trees and the sky darkened with clouds. An ominous feeling hovered in the air and no of them could shake the feeling that some thing even worse was going to happen.
Sattoo tugged Noe's sleeve, "I'm frightened," he admitted, "I mean Sasayaku's killer is still out there. What if he comes back?"
Noe put an arm round his younger brother, "Don't worry I wont let them hurt you."
Sattoo nodded shakily.
"Look," Tessai said, " Shimizu-San, Yamada-San, Kurosawa-San, Shiba-San and Fugu-Kun are heading our way."
The five for mentioned students nodded to them and sat down on the damp grass.
"I don't think you had any think to do with Sasayaku-Chan's death or any of the other killings and disappearances," Shiba Kukaku announced.
Yoruichi grinned, "That's good to hear."
Tanoshii flopped back on the grass and stared up at the sky, "They all think you had some thing to do with it over there," he told them, "I think they've got their heads screwed on back wards. I mean sure you have your crazy moments Urahara but you wouldn't willingly hurt any one, that was obvious when we sparred."
Kisuke nodded tiredly, "I know I seem to be in the same place when ever another victim shows up but I wouldn't deliberately hurt any one."
"We know," Yoruichi reassured him.
"There is a student over there that is adamant that you had some thing to do with all this madness, Urahara-Kun," Tanoshii's friend Kasumi said dreamily.
"That's just Nakano Kossori," Kurosawa Kyousuke said broadly, "he is well known for spreading untrue rumours." A sour look crossed his face for a moment and then it was gone.
"Nakano-San said that Kyousuke-Kun was sleeping with a lady from the Kuchiki clan so that he could graduate faster," Kasumi explained drowsily.
"Kasumi-Chan," Kyousuke hissed crossly, "That isn't some thing you just go around telling people."
Kasumi rubbed her eyes, "I am sorry Kyousuke-Kun, I am not thinking strait at the moment."
Tanoshii ruffled her hair, "She's always half asleep," he explained.
"So what do we do now," Kukaku asked?
"Mm," Sattoo nodded, "If they all think your part of this mess shouldn't we work on clearing your name?"
"I don't know," Fugu said, "Isn't that sort of dangerous?"
"Only if you're a wimp, fish boy," Tanoshii retorted.
Fugu opened his mouth to argue but Yoruichi clamped her hand over it, "Hey, bickering isn't going to get us any were. We need to think."
"What do you need to think about," a slimy voice above them asked?
A tall thin teen stood there with longish lank black hair and a slim pair of glasses balanced on his pointed nose.
"Nakano," Kyousuke stated coldly, "What do you what?"
Nakano Kossori smiled slyly, "I want to know how Urahara managed it."
"Managed what," Kisuke asked?
"You know, how you managed to kill Kimura-San and how you managed to make Yamamoto-San disappear," the sleazy teen asked innocently?
"I don't know what you're talking about," Kisuke snapped, "Yoruichi and I found her in the forest."
"And one wanders what you two were doing there all alone in the first place," Nakano sneered.
Kisuke leaped to his feet, "You better not be insinuating what I think you are," he snarled.
"And what do you think I am referring to Urahara-San," the taller teen asked smiling lewdly.
Kisuke punched him so hard that the slimy teen landed hard on the ground and his glasses broke spinning uselessly to the dirt.
The other student's had started to show interest now and were drifting over to see what all the commotion was about.
Nakano blinked stupidly and whipped blood from his split lip, "Well that answers one question…"
Kisuke lunged at him the two tumbling in the dirt. Tessai groaned and hauled Kisuke out of the dust, "You are not helping yourself."
Kisuke glowered, "But he… Yoruichi," he spluttered furiously!
"I know," Tessai said, "I'm not excusing his behaviour but fighting is not going to help you."
"Yeah," Yoruichi agreed, "I want to kill him right now for insinuating some thing like that but that will get me into more trouble than the slime balls worth."
Kisuke scowled but nodded, "Fine, now put me down."
Tessai carefully returned Kisuke to the ground.
"Your crazy Urahara," Nakano spat, "No wander your insane family shattered, if they were all as disgusting as you 'm not surprised that the council shut them down," he sneered.
Noe reached out in a flash in an attempt to hold Kisuke back, "Hey Shimizu, give me a hand!"
The blue haired teen who had leaped to his feet when the fighting started grabbed both of Kisuke's arms and twisted them up behind his back, "Not a good idea Urahara, that's what the jerk wants."
Kisuke struggled but eventually began to calm down.
"He wants you to attack him," Tanoshii explained, "So that you inadvertently prove him right."
Nakano laughed coldly, "That's an awfully big word for a street dog, mutt."
Tanoshii growled but did not let go of Kisuke, "Speak for your self worm."
"Um is it me but has the aurora of the camp changed or some thing," Kukaku asked?
Now that she mentioned it the cold harsh presence of the previous night had oozed out of the trees and smothered the camp. The wind had picked up and was howling around the clearing. The sky was filled with dark grey clouds threatening to unleash their load.
The first year students looked up at it in surprise.
"I wish Sensei was here," a small mousy girl squeaked.
"Or captain Kyoraku," a stocky boy added miserably.
The students looked at each other hoping that the next person would know what to do.
"Look at you," Nakano sneered, "Like frightened rats, no wander Ikeda-Samma wants you gone."
"Who," Yoruichi demanded?
Nakano Kossori shrugged innocently, "Who knows."
A flash of light illuminated the swollen sky followed by a clap of thunder. The clouds unleashed their burden and began to soak the ground.
Yoruichi grabbed Kossori by his thin throat, "What do know about all this," she demanded?
Tessai nodded in agreement, "I think you are more involved than you'd like every one to believe Kisuke is."
Kossori struggled, "Get off me!"
"Not till you answer the damn question," Yoruichi snarled.
"That wouldn't be a wise move, cousin," a smooth voice announced behind the group.
Yoruichi spun Kossori still in her grip, "Yoichi," she hissed.
Shinhouin Yoichi smiled coolly, "It's been a while little cousin."
"What are you doing hear?" Kisuke snapped as Tanoshii let him go.
"Oh I'd almost forgotten about your little guard dog Yoruichi," Yoichi sneered.
The huddled group of student's eyes widened as two more figures glided out of the sheet rain.
"Oh dear looks like we almost missed the excitement," the young woman giggled.
Her brother nodded, "So it would seem."
They surveyed the frightened student's, "Pitiful," Taka sneered.
Yoruichi frowned she could feel the massive reiatsu gathering in the twins and realised that they had all played right into their hands. She cursed and Kossori smirked at her.
She turned to Kiuske, "They're about to do some thing bad," she whispered.
Kisuke nodded, "I can feel it."
"But they're too powerful," Sattoo squeaked, "We can't take them on."
"No," Yoruichi agreed, "We need to run, head for the village we arrived in when we first got hear."
"What are you whispering about little brats," Kiku snapped?
The first years remained silent.
"It hardly matters," Taka said, "They can't escape."
Noe could feel his power surging up inside him and it took every thing he had to force it back, "I've got an idea," he whispered, "Yoruichi, I'm going to cause a distraction so when I do I need you to get every body to run."
"What are you going to do," the Shinhouin Princess asked suspiciously?
"You're not going to do some thing stupid and heroic are you," Sattoo asked frightened, "Are you Noe?"
"Sattoo I'm the eldest remember it's my duty to protect you, all of you. I swore it, so when Yoruichi says to run you must run no matter what."
"But," Sattoo stammered tearfully?
"Promise me little brother."
Sattoo hung his head, "I promise."
"Enough wasted time," Taka snapped, "Kiku?"
His sister nodded, "I'm ready brother."
"Fly, Futago Seigi," the twins cried as one!
The world began to spin and fog over and Noe knew that it was time.
He closed his eyes and forced him self to be calm, "Now Yoruichi," he whispered.
He turned away from her and took a deep breath, "Spin, Sakaku Kagami," he yelled above the thunderous din!
"RUN," Yoruichi bellowed!
The first years scattered vanishing into the foggy rain. The last thing Yoruichi saw as she glanced back was the shimmer of thousands of mirrors.
Author's NoteOoo cliff-hanger, sort off, hehe. :P
thanks for reading silvermonkey