Author's Note: I like the Japanese versions of Bleach better than the horribly-dubbed and translated English, but I don't know enough of the Japanese language to accurately type up the correct terms. For example, Orihime actually calls Ichigo "Kurosaki-kun," Uryuu "Ishida-kun," and Renji "Renji-san" out of different forms of respect, but it's hard to explain so I just typed up their normal names as if it would appear in English. (It's why I went with "Ken-ken" instead of "Ken-chan" in earlier chapters). Plus, I have no clue how Orihime would address Miyako and I'm too lazy to research it all. However, I visualize each character as they've appeared in the original Japanese versions (especially in terms of voices and use of techniques). Just wanted to mention that.
Miyako's eyes fluttered open and she heard raspy breathing. Everything was blurry, but not dark. For some strange reason, she smelled spices in the air. Her body felt warm and the pain had ebbed away immensely. She was sore, and it hurt to move, but it was tolerable. She had felt worse. The raspy breathing, she realized, wasn't hers. Hers was soft and delicate. She blinked again and focused. She was staring at a wooden ceiling. She turned her head towards the breathing next to her and saw a young man dressed in white with a blanket thrown over him. He had jet black hair that swept over his eyes, a sharp jawline, a pointy nose, and glasses. He was lying on a soft mat on the floor, just like she was. His eyes were closed and he was breathing steadily, but noisily. She wondered if he had gotten into a fight with the Bount as well.
She looked around at the room. It appeared that they were both lying on the floor in an office. They were both in front of a cherry wood desk. Two large lanterns on each side of the room were lit, a small couch was on one end towards their feet, one chair was at the other near their heads. There didn't seem to be enough room for both of them, but the furniture had been adjusted a little. Most of the Captains' offices looked the same, but this one contained shelves full of books. Miyako immediately ruled out Captain Zaraki. Captain Unohana, perhaps? Had Renji taken her to 4th squad, and were they so overwhelmed that they had to start housing the ailing in offices? Miyako forced herself to sit up. The pain in her left shoulder, however, was unrelenting and she knew not to move too much, so she sat back down. Voices were coming from the other side of the closed door, and they were growing louder.
"Honestly, Orihime, don't overwork yourself! Won't you catch a break with us and eat some of my food? I boiled some rice just for you! You can't say no to me!"
"Really, Rangiku, I will, I promise, but I have to check on Uryuu and Miss Miyako first."
Miss Miyako?
"I'm holding it against you, Orihime. If you're gone too long, I'll assume you've forgotten, and I'll come hunt you down!" Matsumoto's silky, cheerful voice bounced into the room as the door slid open and Orihime let out a nervous laugh.
"I will, I will! Give me ten minutes! But I don't want to leave them alone for too long."
"Hmm…" Matsumoto put a finger to her chin. "You're right. I'll bring them some food!"
"But…Rangiku, they're still sleeping!" Orihime's high protest was drowned out by the door slamming shut and Matsumoto's calls for more bowls of rice. Orihime sighed and turned to look at Miyako, who slowly rolled her head to the side. She was still groggy.
"Oh! Miss Miyako! You're awake! You should try to get some more rest…aren't you still in pain? I still haven't finished healing you, yet…" Orihime flushed.
Miyako watched Orihime. She was dressed in human clothes and her bright red hair flowed down to her waist. Unlike Miyako's, it was smoothly brushed and pinned back neatly with two distinct, blue flower pendants. Orihime possessed a strange, different kind of spirit power. It was different from Ichigo's, and it was different from the injured man next to her, whose spirit power was also completely different from a Death God's. Unlike the Bount, who had a completely foreign spirit power that couldn't be detected by Death Gods, Orihime's power was still very much identifiable; just unusual. It wasn't pulsing or seething with power, nor was it entirely weak. It flowed. It was gentile but formidable. Miyako narrowed her eyes at her.
Interesting.
"Miss Miyako?" Orihime appeared nervous. "Are you all right?"
"Don't call me that," Miyako groaned.
"Oh…I…I'm sorry…"
Miyako cocked a head towards the young man next to her. "I'm fine. Heal him first."
Orihime glanced at the black-haired man and then back at Miyako.
"Don't worry, Miss Miyako. I can just heal both of you at the same time. Please try to remain still."
She knelt down and held out her hands towards them, uttering a chant.
"Soten Kisshun...I reject."
Two little beams of light pierced the air straight from her blue hairpins and an orange bubble seemed to engulf them. It was as if a type of spirit force was forming a shield around them, enveloping them in warmth and comfort. Miyako felt the pain and soreness immediately subside and her left shoulder had stopped throbbing. She felt tiny tickles in her left side, and she knew that somehow her broken ribs were mending back together. Her shattered collarbone was starting to re-form. The gap in her pierced shoulder blade was starting to close. Her torn muscles were slowly patching back up. Miyako turned her head and stared at Orihime.
"How are you able to do this?"
"Please, Miss Miyako, you must remain absolutely still."
The door burst open again and Matsumoto was balancing four bowls full of rice and stewed vegetables; two bowls were in the bends of her arms and two more in each hand. The spicy smell grew more distinct as she walked forward, hinting to Miyako that they must've been cooking outside.
"Looky what I've got!" she sang. "Food for everyone!"
"Shhhh, please Rangiku!" Orihime hissed. "Uryuu is still asleep!" Her brow was furrowed as she tried to concentrate on her healing shield, but she glanced at Matsumoto out of the corner of her eye.
"No, Orihime, it's all right," the young man's voice spoke quietly. "I've rested enough."
"Ishidaaa," Lieutenant Matsumoto cooed. "How are you feeling? You have to try my newest recipe! We're cooking it outside for all the injured residents. It's high time everyone got some much-needed rest and relaxation."
Ishida's cheeks turned pink. "Well…Lieutenant…I suppose…"
"Uryuu, please remain still," Orihime reminded him quietly.
"Of course. Sorry."
Miyako turned her head and examined Ishida. He was staring straight ahead at the ceiling, trying to stay still for Orihime, but he noticed the presence next to him and turned his head slightly.
"You're the Quincy boy," Miyako said.
Ishida gave her a curt nod.
Miyako narrowed her eyes. "Why did you let the Bount into Soul Society?"
"Miss Miyako…" Orihime started timidly.
"So I could kill them," Ishida said flatly.
"Miyako, that matter is long past," Lieutenant Matsumoto waved a hand. "The only remaining Bount is Kariya. All of his comrades have been defeated."
"And Kariya is the one I'm after," Ishida added in a low voice. "I nearly had him earlier."
"Obviously," Miyako looked him up and down.
The Quincy looked back at her and narrowed his eyes. "I see you haven't come any closer to defeating them, either."
It was a good rebuttal. Miyako didn't reply.
"Um, would both of you please try to relax?" Orihime asked politely. "I'm nearly done."
"Why not defeat them in your own world?" Miyako asked Ishida, ignoring Orihime. "Why bring them here?"
"I needed the power of Soul Society's spirit particles to truly release my abilities," he replied defensively. "My reiatsu was limited in the human world."
"Fool. The Bount's abilities have increased tenfold," Miyako argued. "They use spirit particles at such a fast rate that they regenerate almost as quickly as they've been cut down."
"I was willing to take that chance," Ishida snapped. "I can't let Kariya go unpunished."
A Quincy's personal vendetta against the Bount seemed to be the most ignorant reason in the world to let them infiltrate Soul Society, and Miyako began to resent the fact that these former ryoka were once more allowed into Soul Society to fix the problem. They had severely altered the balance yet again and now Seireitei was busy healing the wounded, reconstructing its damaged tower, and providing refuge for the four humans when they should all be preparing for Aizen's invasion. It was utterly preposterous in her view.
Miyako was about to open her mouth and give Ishida a piece of her mind when the door slid open and Renji, Ichigo, Lieutenant Kira, and another human entered the room. The Bount sensors Lilin and Claude pranced after them in single file, followed by a third stuffed animal in the form of a little green turtle wearing human clothes. Miyako raised an eyebrow. Humans were strange.
"Ah! Ichigo! Chad! Kira!" Matsumoto grinned. She held out two bowls. "Eat up! There's plenty for everyone!"
"Matsumoto," Lieutenant Kira sighed, "I just had a bowl. I'm stuffed. I've got to go back to my squad…"
Matsumoto strode forward and shoved a spoonful of soup into his mouth. "Oh, Kira, don't be such a killjoy," she grinned. "We never have nights like these anymore! Remember the last time we got drunk together in this office?"
Lieutenant Kira grew pink. He deliberately swallowed the spoonful of rice and vegetables and dug into the bowl, suddenly pretending that he was very interested in the food.
Ichigo and Chad grabbed a bowl for safety's sake, then stood next to Orihime.
"How's it going?" Ichigo asked.
"I'm almost finished," Orihime replied. "Miss Miyako and Uryuu, you'll have to stay here for awhile and rest, even after I'm done healing you."
"That's not a possibility," Miyako replied abruptly. At the same time, Ishida had replied, "I can't just sit here!"
Ichigo rolled his eyes. "Seriously. You guys should listen to her," he groaned. "Nobody knows where Kariya is, so there's no point in wasting your energy."
"That's right," Matsumoto chimed in. "You still have to eat my food!"
Ishida looked defeated, but Miyako shook her head.
"Orihime," she said, "I appreciate your help, but you've done more than enough. I feel well enough to move around."
"Preposterous, Miyako!" Claude blurted out, hopping over to her. "I've seen the extent of your injuries, and something like that needs time to heal! Oh, I was so worried about you! To see you all healed again definitely sets my mind at ease!"
Miyako raised her eyebrows and glanced at Renji and Ichigo. They were both rolling their eyes and shaking their heads.
"I would have helped you, of course, but unfortunately I'm constrained within this special gigai."
"Get over yourself!" Lilin the chicken piped up. "We were worried, too!" It clung to Ichigo's leg.
The turtle merely nodded.
Once Orihime was finished with her healing shield, Miyako sat up immediately, despite everyone's objections. Ishida remained lying down.
"Look, I'm getting up whether you like it or not," Miyako snapped. "I can't just lie here on the floor. I'll go nuts."
Ichigo crossed his arms and looked at Renji. "11th squad, huh?"
Renji grinned back darkly.
"I'll get you a bowl of food, then," Lieutenant Matsumoto leaned over and looked at Miyako. "You're still pale. You need to eat."
Before Miyako could object, she was already out of the room. Sighing, she leaned against the desk and pulled open the left side of her robe, examining the shoulder wound. The robe had been stained with blood and there was a gaping hole ripped in it, but her wound had been closed. The only indication that there was even a wound at all was the scar. Because her front chest had been the exit wound from Daruku's sharp leg, the scar looked like a nasty, torn circle. Orihime's healing, however, had even masked most of the scar tissue.
"I hope that you're feeling better," Orihime nodded at her.
Miyako looked up. Orihime had managed to almost completely heal her in a matter of hours. The healers of 4th squad would probably have been working on Miyako for nearly a week. Her power was very intriguing, and Miyako slowly understood why she was a valuable commodity amongst her other ryoka friends. As she examined Orihime, she found that she was a very humble and timid girl. She seemed to be afraid of everything, even her own ability. She definitely wouldn't have a place in 11th squad. It was usually how Miyako judged everyone.
"I hate being treated like a child," she scowled. She was talking more to herself than to anyone else. Glancing at Orihime's stung expression, she quickly added, "I am feeling better. Thank you."
"Um, I'm not sure what would happen to your shoulder if you were to go fight again," Orihime said. "It still might be a little tender."
The shoulder. Always the damn shoulder.
Miyako nodded again.
"So, what the hell happened to you?" Ichigo asked Miyako. "We were trying to find Kariya when we ran into Rangiku. She led us to the 10th squad barracks, and then we saw Renji bringing you into this office. You looked pretty messed up. He said you ran into a Bount."
Miyako nodded. "His doll had the ability to regenerate, and he kept absorbing the spirit particles around him. I nearly had the upper hand…but…"
"Captain Hitsugaya interrupted the fight," Renji cut in.
"I know who you're talking about," Ichigo rubbed his chin, looking thoughtful. "That guy was a pain in the ass. His doll caught me off guard, too."
It didn't make Miyako feel any better. She didn't like being compared to a human. She crossed her arms and stared at the floor, deciding to try to change the subject.
"Now what?"
Everyone stared at her.
"What's being done to stop this Kariya? What are the Captains doing?" Miayko looked at Renji.
He shrugged. "Everything is hush-hush as always. I haven't had the chance to talk to Captain Kuchiki...not that he would give me any information, anyway. I don't know where Yumichika or Ikkaku is, either. The Captains are all indisposed, supposedly busy with something. Only Captain Hitsugaya has been put in charge of tracking down the rogue Bount."
As if on cue, the door to the office slid open and Captain Hitsugaya stood there, looking annoyed. His office was crowded with Death Gods and humans.
"Ah! Toshiro! We're using your office! I hope that's okay with you," Ichigo grinned at him.
Captain Hitsugaya twitched. "Bastard, I told you to call me Captain! Why do you insist on calling me by my first name?"
Ichigo shrugged. "Eh, Toshiro, Captain Hitsugaya, whatever. It's the same thing."
Captain Hitsugaya narrowed his eyes and gritted his teeth.
"Captain," Lieutenant Matsumoto stepped forward and nodded to him. "There simply isn't enough room in the 4th squad hospital, so I brought the rest of the injured residents here. Luckily, I ran into Ichigo and his group. Orihime helped heal everyone."
Captain Hitsugaya glanced at Orihime. "You healed all our residents in this short amount of time?"
Orihime's face grew pink. "Y…yes, Captain. I hope you don't mind. I did what I could."
Miyako watched Orihime. She was incredibly meek. She probably couldn't stand a chance in a single fight. Renji was right. Miyako was already starting to dislike her. Constant apologies and self-doubt got you killed. Orihime was more of a burden than anything else…except…she had healed everyone quickly. She had to give her credit for that.
The Captain nodded to Orihime. "I'm grateful for your help. This will make things easier in the long run. We're going to need all the able residents we can get."
Everyone looked at him questioningly.
"What do you mean, Captain?" Lieutenant Matsumoto said.
Captain Hitsugaya crossed his arms and sighed. "We think we've uncovered Kariya's plan. He plans to destroy all of Soul Society through the means of a Joukaishou, a powerful destructive mechanism that was developed by 12th squad hundreds of years ago. The only way he could know where it was hidden, or how to use it, was through the means of our records. As you know, the rogue Death God, Maki Ichinose, managed to sneak in and take what information he could on the Joukaishou for Kariya."
Miyako looked away.
"What we don't know is where Kariya is, or how he plans to activate the Joukaishou. For all we know, it could be a bluff. General Yamomoto's got 8th and 13th squad looking into it right now, but the only thing we can do right now is wait."
Everyone sighed. Waiting was the worst.
"Let me go out and find him," Ishida spoke up. He began to slowly sit up, but exhaled in pain and lay back down. "I have to remedy the harm I've caused. I can't just lie here and pretend that nothing is wrong."
"You'll only make things worse," Captain Hitsugaya groaned flatly. "Not only for yourself, but for those around you. Looking for him will waste your energy. Drawing him out may buy us time, but that is unlikely, plus our reinforcements are still weak. Our best chance is to wait until he decides to reveal himself first. And he will."
"Please, Uryuu," Orihime said softly. "You need to rest. Save your energy until we truly know where Kariya is."
"Yeah," Ichigo agreed. "Ran'Tao is out there, conjuring up whatever the hell it is she's good at. Let her deal with it for now. We all need our rest."
Chad and the stuffed animals nodded.
Miyako glanced at Renji. He was staring right at her with his eyes narrowed. His arms were crossed.
"What?" she demanded.
"Don't you fuckin' think you can go anywhere, either," Renji said. "You need to stay here and rest."
Miyako sighed loudly. "I'm not going to go looking for Kariya," she retorted, her eyes darting to the Quincy. "But I need to find my own squad."
"They're fine without you," Renji curled his lip. "You're not leavin' this room."
"Don't think for one second you can keep me captive here!" Miyako stood up and put her hands on her hips. Orihime shot her hand out in protest, but didn't make a sound. Ichigo and Chad stood, ready to help her if she suddenly collapsed from her injuries, but Miyako ignored the sharp pains and stared hard at Renji. He knew that she was still hurt. He knew that she refused to show it. The corners of his lips curled into a small grin.
"Yeah? I'm a lieutenant. You have to do what I say."
Ichigo grinned. "Ha! Way to pull rank, Renji."
"Nobody asked you, dumbass. Shut up."
"Who're you telling to shut up?"
"A lieutenant of the 6th squad, that's who! Now, shut the fuck up, substitute Death God!"
"Why do you gotta be like that, Renji? Shit, I was trying to back you up."
"Both of you had better shut your mouths, or I'll kick your asses clear across Seireitei," Captain Hitsugaya growled. He stepped into the middle of the room and glanced around at the group with a cranky expression. "Nobody leaves this office except for Lieutenant Matsumoto, Lieutenant Abarai, and myself. Is that understood?"
Everyone nodded reluctantly.
Miyako walked over to the window and glanced outside. Death Gods were busy gathering around large pots and eating Matsumoto's stew, laughing and talking. It was a very long time since she last saw something like that. Perhaps only because 11th squad never socialized quite like others did. However, she agreed with the Captain. In their current state, they wouldn't have been able to beat Kariya. She hated to admit it, but they all did need plenty of rest.
Lieutenant Matsumoto gathered up empty bowls and stray spoons and walked out of the office with her Captain, blowing out the candles in the lanterns before leaving. Renji and Ichigo were handing out blankets that Matsumoto had gathered for them earlier, and Miyako sighed and slumped against the wall, crossing her arms and watching the others. Ishida was still on the floor and he was already nodding off. Orihime was curled up in an armchair and Chad was spread across the couch with the three modified souls on top of him; Claude was on Chad's stomach, Lilin was tucked under his arm, and the quiet green turtle was draped over his kneecap.
Ichigo tossed Miyako a blanket and made his own spot on the floor. Miyako tucked her knees into her chest, but because it was constricting her newly healed ribcage, she stretched her legs out and leaned against the wall. Renji crossed his arms and sat down on the opposite side of the room.
Miyako was already beginning to feel groggy. The darkness of the room was suddenly incredibly comforting to her eyes. She looked across the room to find Renji's eyes still on her, and she wanted to snap at him to stop staring, but the others in the room were already snoring and decided not to wake them up. Instead she averted her gaze and pretended to be angry, but she was suddenly reminded of what had happened earlier, before her fight with the Bount. So much had happened since then, she had nearly forgotten. Miyako was glad it was dark in the room, because her cheeks had started to grow pink. She felt shame wash over her and wondered if Renji was angry with her. It was impossible to purge the thought, even after she was beaten beyond consciousness. She stole a glance at him again but his head was turned. She couldn't tell, by the darkness in the room, whether or not he was asleep or still awake.
As Miyako nodded off, Renji was still watching her out of the corner of his eye.