Well, seems to have been a little while since I updated this story. I already have the next chapter (13) done (as you know if you know my style =P), but I do want to forewarn now that in the next two-three weeks I'll be moving a couple states over so my pace with this story my slow some, but I promise to try and keep my pace with it so it doesn't just go cold.
My apologies though to those that have been keeping loyal to this story and those just getting into it. I certainly don't want to disappoint any of you as you've kept me going and have made this story very successful which I'm proud of. Thank you again to all of you that have favorited, alerted, reviewed, and read this story. Onward!
Chapter 12: The Settling Haze
"I see…" Jüshiro sighed softly after hearing the details of the events leading up to now. "It's hard to believe that Captain Sösuke Aizen is…" He trailed off, not really wanting to let the words come off his own tongue. What sort of darkness was lingering over the Seireitei?
Shunsui ran his fingers through his hair, letting his hand stop at the back of his scalp to scratch the back of his head. "It certainly makes you wonder."
"Tell me Shunsui-san, what is your opinion on this?"
The corners of Shunsui's lips curled up slightly as he opened his eyes to look at his friend. If anyone was thinking like he was, it was Jüshiro. "Personally? I don't think this is all the hype is making it out to be. Aside from Sösuke, there have been no deaths. If these Ryoka are true to their word of being here to save Rukia Kuchiki, then they're proving it in avoiding killing anyone."
Jüshiro nodded his agreement, rubbing his chin in thought. "Aside from that, the punishment does not fit the crime in the least bit. I've known Rukia for fifty years. There is no way she could have done anything to warrant an exceptional use of the Sökyoku."
Shunsui motioned for his friend to calm himself. "Easy Jüshiro-san. I'm in agreement with ya. This isn't making any sense with each passing minute. Someone within the Seireitei had to have killed Sösuke."
"What makes you say that?"
Shifting his gaze toward the flickering candle on his right, Shunsui leaned onto his left arm on his knee. "Call it a hunch. Why kill a captain but spare a vice-captain? It doesn't add up to think the Ryoka killed someone like Sösuke. They've showed restraint in their fighting so I suspect they wouldn't lose it around a kind man like Sösuke Aizen."
That did make a lot of sense as Jüshiro thought about it.
But if the Ryoka didn't kill Sösuke, then who did?
/\/\/\/\
Night was setting over the Seireitei by the time Nanao reached the grounds of Thirteenth Division. It was well on the other side of the Seireitei from Eighth Division grounds so the trip had taken almost all day even with the use of flash stepping.
To say the least, the trip had been anything but quiet for her mentally. She was still fussing over what had happened to her in her captain's office over the reminiscing she had done over days in that office with her captain and days around him in general. A sort of bittersweet smile still played her lips at the confusion she was feeling about what side to take in the war between her own emotions and her duties.
Upon arrival around the grounds of Thirteenth Division, she noticed they were oddly quiet for a division that should have more activity since it really hadn't seen action in…well…years. It was strange, but then again Captain Ukitake was possibly one of the most relaxed captains in the division, aside from her own. The only difference between the two was that Shunsui had her which was why Eighth Division wasn't just a load of freeloaders.
That little fact did bring twinge of comfort to her. Shunsui would be lost without her. That wasn't a conceded thought, just honest truth. It was something he had admitted multiple times; although, often in a joking tone.
Entering onto the barrack grounds she made her way toward the back end where she knew Captain Ukitake's quarters to be located at. If she knew Captain Kyöraku as well as she did, she knew he would have come to visit his friend; based on what Yamada had told her about seeing the white-haired captain.
From what she recalled, Captain Ukitake was a childhood friend of Captain Kyöraku. The two had entered into the academy together and became captains together, being the first to do so from the academy. They were both pupils under Captain-Commander Yamamoto and each had learned well from the aged man.
Sure enough upon arriving toward the back of the barracks she could see the candle light from inside flickering off the shoji paper doors. Being the respectful woman she was she kneeled before the door and knocked, waiting for a reply. "Hmm? Yes?"
"Captain Ukitake, it's Vice-Captain Nanao Ise."
The door slid open and Jüshiro smiled down at the vice-captain before stepping aside. "Good to see you Nanao-san. Come in."
Nanao noticed almost immediately the look in Shunsui's eyes when he gazed over at her. He didn't seem as happy as his white-haired friend, and in fact he looked worried. Quietly the vice-captain moved to sit next to her captain on his left and bowed to him apologetically.
"My apologies for being absent so long without a word, Captain."
He only nodded. "It's fine. Jüshiro-san, could ya get some tea?"
The gentle captain seemed to catch onto the real reason for the request and nodded, excusing himself quietly from the room to leave captain and vice-captain alone to talk. Nanao could feel tension starting to build as her captain silently stared ahead of himself at the wall.
"Captain?"
"Nanao-ch-" He cut himself off and let out an exasperated sigh. "Nanao…may I ask where you were?"
Why was he requesting for permission to ask? He was her captain, he could just demand to know her location without concern of if she wished to tell him or not.
But that wasn't how Shunsui was. She knew that all too well. The fact he was asking for permission to ask her whereabouts meant he was deeply troubled by her actions.
"Captain Kyöraku…I was…" Nanao shifted to face her captain from his side, but still his focus remained on the wall ahead of him. "Investigating, sir."
"I see…investigating what?"
"Everything I suspected you weren't telling me." She bit her tongue, regretting her choice of words as they sounded too harsh and disrespectful towards her captain. She had no right to expect him to tell her anything on his mind, she knew that. "My apo-"
He held a hand up and shook his head lazily. "You have a right to be upset with me Nanao. I haven't been treating you the way I should have been for years now. I…" He trailed off, having trouble forming the words he wanted to say. It had been eating at him all through his conversation with Jüshiro about what had occurred within the Seireitei over the past few days.
Nanao deserved the respect of her rank and more.
"Nanao, I'm sorry for treating you as a little girl rather then a fully grown woman capable of handling herself."
Her eyes widen as she stared at her captain. Had…had he really just said what she thought she heard? She wasn't even sure how to react to his apology. Should she be happy, upset, thankful? She was about to speak when he continued, this time though he turned to face her.
"Sometimes it's just hard to let go of the past." He smiled, albeit a very weak one. "I was just compensating for the loss of…her by trying to keep you from the danger of fighting. I'm sorry Nanao."
She sighed softly and shook her head. "Captain, it's alright. I know you meant well, but I just want you to trust me with the responsibility that comes with my rank both in the office and outside of it."
"Deal." Once more Shunsui felt able to grin and for Nanao it was the most beautiful thing she had seen in awhile. The air of confidence was back around her captain, and while the dim lightning cast his face in shadows his eyes sparkled silver past the darkness. He was a handsome man, such a caring, handsome man.
And for some reason, that grin waned some into a subtle smile.
In the faint light of the room, Shunsui found himself really looking at Nanao for everything she was. Her fair skin and dark hair helped only further bring out the beauty of her sapphire eyes that had as much depth to them as the ocean and shone as bright as the moon and stars. He found himself getting lost in those eyes for the first time.
Nanao glanced down when she felt Shunsui's hand brush over her own and while she knew she should draw away for professional sake, she instead took hold of his hand between her small, slender ones. A small sigh passed her pink lips as she stared down at the hand in between her own. "Captain…"
"Yes, Nanao?"
"I…" What did she want to tell him? Could she really tell him what was gnawing at the back of her mind? She had accepted this truth in silence to herself hours ago, but could she truly bring herself to tell him in abandonment of her duties for the sake of her heart?
When she looked up, she saw her answer in his silvery gaze. She fully understood now what he had just attempted to say minutes ago. He was more then just admitting his fault in his treatment of her.
He was admitting his feelings. Right?
Slowly, hesitantly…Nanao leaned forward, her eyes closing idly as she felt a need to just see if what she was feeling was real. Shunsui did not move nor protest the slightest, and the look in his partially closed eyes showed his own yearning to test the water.
Nanao could feel her breath catching in her throat as she felt the anticipation mounting in her racing pulse. They were only a few inches apart…
…two inches…
…and inch….
The door slid open and Nanao shot back to her original position. Her cheeks were a deep blush and she felt her heart beating in her throat. What had just happen to her? Had she actually tried to kiss her captain? She was such an idiot for having done something so…so foolish and immature!
Shunsui sighed softly as he saw how tightly Nanao was gripping the fabric of her hakamas but chose to not try to say anything. He glanced up to see Jüshiro standing at the door with a tray in his hands and a look of confusion on his face.
Making up an excuse, the captain of Eighth Division chuckled, "I told her I thought I had seen a gray hair a few days ago and she insisted on checking for herself. Said if I was starting to get old on her I may have to stop drinking."
Jüshiro seemed to buy into the lie and laughed, continuing on into the room to where he had been sitting opposite of Shunsui and set the tray down to his side. "So, Nanao-san. What were you up to today while out and about?"
Nanao shifted to face forward and was glad she had the years of practice to calm herself quickly; a much needed skill when dealing with a captain like Shunsui Kyöraku. "Much of what my captain had been thinking over, sir."
"Oh? Well we were talking about that very topic, although some things seem a bit confusing for us."
"From what I was able to gather, Captain Ukitake, the name of the orange-haired Ryoka is Ichigo Kurosaki. From what I learned from Seventh Seat Yamada of Fourth Division, Kurosaki is here solely to free Rukia Kuchiki."
"I see…strange as he looked rather wounded when he attempted it earlier today…"
"His injuries were likely brought on by his fight with Captain Zaraki."
This caused Jüshiro to nearly drop the cup of tea he was handing Shunsui. Both captains had the look of shock on their faces at that news. "He fought Captain Zaraki?" Jüshiro asked, trying to confirm what he heard.
"Yes sir. It was the reason Yamada was alone with the Ryoka at the repentance cell. The group separated around the lower confines of the First Division headquarters when Captain Zaraki showed up. I confirmed this by inspecting the combat zone."
Shunsui grunted lightly. "Well that confirms he wasn't responsible for the death of Sösuke…but if he survived fighting Captain Zaraki, then…" He trailed off, not really sure if he could believe a Ryoka being capable of handling the likes of Kenpachi Zaraki.
"There's more, sir. From Third Seat Madarame I learned that Kurosaki was trained by…" She took a moment to think over the name Ikkaku had told her before bringing her gaze up from her lap. "By Kisuke Urahara."
Silence filled the room with almost a dull thud. Instantly the only sound was the breeze outside and the flickering of the candle near the wall. "This just keeps getting more and more interesting…" Shunsui mused aloud to break the silence.
"There was one more thing that I couldn't place my finger on that Yamada mentioned."
"That being, Nanao-san?" Jüshiro asked, his mind still rattled by the revelation that Kisuke Urahara, the former captain of Twelfth Division and the founder of the Department of Development and Research, could be the man responsible for training such a strong Ryoka.
"Who is the Flash Goddess?"
Shunsui was going to look to his vice-captain and question her if she had heard that name correctly, but the expression on his dear friend's face that he caught from the corner of his eye made him suspect his friend was hiding something. "Jüshiro-san…why do you look like you are hiding something?"
The white-haired captain rubbed the side of his neck, as if trying to remove tension in the muscles. "Well…you may not believe me Shunsui-san, but she was there and took the orange-haired Ryoka, Kurosaki, away."
Shunsui shook his head in mild disbelief. Alright, now things were getting interested and even more confusing.
Nanao looked from one captain to the other in search of an answer. "Well?"
"Well…" Jüshiro began, "she was the former captain of Second Division and the force commander of the Onmitsukidö a century ago. Her nickname was Flash Goddess because no one was faster then her in the whole of the Soul Society. Her name was-"
The three glanced toward the shoji door when it slid open and watched in awe as a woman walked in slowly. Nanao stared in amazement of the woman's bronze skin, violet hair, and her golden eyes that shone like embers.
A grin crossed her face and she set a fist on her hip.
"Is Yoruichi Shihöin."
Uh-oh, Yoruichi is here? Never a safe thing with her around :P
Remember, reviews are important! They let me know what you're thinking especially since this isn't a finished story! :O
Anways...NEXT TIME! Chapter 13: The Flash Goddess Returned!
