A/N: Many, many thanks go out to Wheelwright for going over a portion of this for me. In other words- her section will be perfect, and the rest? Well, you all know me by now...
Wheelwright, you are a true friend. Or at least a patient one.
No Good Deed Goes Unpunished
Claire Boothe Luce
No good deed goes unpunished
All helpful urges should be circumvented
No good deed goes unpunished
Sure, I meant well — well, look at what well-meant did!
— Elphaba, "No Good Deed" from Wicked
Isane started the day out with the highest of hopes. After very careful, thorough, and painstaking planning Isane had everything that they would need to go into the lower districts. She had originally wanted to go straight to the 80th district, but Captain Unohana had gently reminded her that they should start small, and not rashly jump into anything. For some reason Captain Unohana had chosen the 51st district, and telling Isane that though the people there were not in any way 'comfortable' they also weren't the cut throats that inhabited the last few districts. Captain Unohana had felt that if they could accomplish their goal in the 51st then they could spread out from there. Isane had at first felt crestfallen, but she certainly saw the common sense about it all.
So for almost a good week before Isane had put together a squad of hand picked members to go on the job. They were a carefully chosen combination of both green recruits and older veterans. They also were more then competent in defending themselves if need be. Just in case things didn't work out with the Twelfth for some reason she and her captain wanted members that they could easily rely on. She made a list of supplies needed, and along with Iemura they had the division members ready their packs. Unohana said that it would be best to set up impromptu field hospitals, and to have people come and visit them rather then to break up and make house calls. She wanted one area designated for physicals and medical treatments while another would be set up to aid in handing out food, clothing, and personal hygienic supplies. Isane also suggested having an area designated for educational needs, but once again Unohana reminded her that it was best to stay as contained as possible. It would lower the risk of both confusion and possible personal protection issues. They would each educate while they performed their assigned duties.
The morning dawned bright and cheery, and just as the first rays of light were gracing the Seireitei the Fourth was ready to go. In a neatly organized caravan Unohana and Isane lead the members out of the divisions front gates, and to hopefully meet up with the Twelfth on time at the designated rendezvous point by the South Gate. There was a slight chill in the air but it didn't deter Isane a bit. It only made her more determined to get where they were going. If she was feeling the chill in her comfortable clothing then those with much less must certainly feel it. It once again made her feel that this was the right thing to do.
As they approached the South Gate there was no sign of the Twelfth, and Isane looked around in confusion. They were on time but the Twelfth had still yet to arrive. She looked around and saw no sign of anyone.
"Captain?"
Unohana smiled and shook her head. "I am sure that Captain Kurotsuchi will be along directly. Never fear Isane," she said serenely.
Isane frowned but held her tongue. She walked over to the giant gate keeper and waived up at him.
"Hikonyuto-sama!"
Hikonyuto was sitting by the open gateway and seemed half asleep. He looked down at Isane, and giving a small yawn smiled sleepily down at her. "Lieutenant Kotetsu! How are you?" His voice was booming even while whispering.
"I am fine, thank you! From your vantage point would you be able to see Captain Kurotsuchi and the Twelfth by any chance?"
Hikonyuto peered around and shook his head negatively. "No. Are you expecting them?"
Isane's shoulders slumped. "Yes..."
Hikonyuto shook his head and shrugged his shoulders. "Sorry, but I don't- wait! I see them now." He pointed behind Isane who turned with excitement.
Coming up the road at a leisurely pace was Mayuri with Nemu, and a squad of twenty members. The only person to have even a slightly positive look on their face was Nemu, but her face rarely showed emotion so it was hard to tell if it was really even positive to begin with. Every one of the squad members looked petulant and resigned. Mayuri on the other hand looked down right resentful..
Isane's heart dropped down into her stomach. She had thought that he might not find the duty too onerous just for the mere fact that they would be together, but it appeared as if she had been wrong. He walked slowly but arrogantly towards them as if to prove his point. His eyes were cold and fathomless, but they never left her own. It was only when Isane made a scowl that a corner of his mouth hitched up into a smirk. Seeing that smirk made Isane's blood start to boil.
"He's doing all this on purpose..." she said to no one in particular through gritted teeth in a low hiss.
"Now, now, Isane. The Captain is not late and we will be leaving on time," Unohana said soothingly. "Remember your patience."
And my place it seems, she said to herself wryly. Still, the bastard....
Unohana gave a polite bow to Mayuri as he finally reached them. "Captain Kurotsuchi, how kind it is of you to join us today."
Mayuri raised a sardonic brow. "Like I had any real choice in the matter," he said in a coldly bored voice. "Shall we get this over with?" Without another word he turned and started to walk out of the gate, and followed silently by Nemu and his squad.
Captain Unohana smiled, and proceeded calmly after them.
Isane too started walking, but fumed the entire time. She was so mad at him! She didn't expect him to show up skipping and laughing, but would a little civility be asking too much? Would it kill him to try and act even just a bit polite? It wasn't something that he would have to do all the time, if even ever again. Captain Unohana had thought that if things worked out and they needed escorts in the future then it would put too much strain on one division to have to shoulder the load all the time. She was sure that other divisions would offer their assistance as well. There might come times when an escort wouldn't even be needed at all.
So for just this one time couldn't he even try and act... normal?!?
Isane walked next to Unohana and automatically answered questions when asked. They must have been the right ones because her captain never seemed to know the difference. They spoke of what they might expect and how they might handle certain situations. Unohana's soothing voice calmed Isane's anger until she noticed at one point that her anger at Mayuri had changed into something less volatile. She was still flummoxed, but she couldn't feel her palms itching at wanting to throttle him anymore.
"Isane, I think that you misunderstand the Captain's actions," Unohana said looking over at her young Lieutenant. She gave Isane a soft smile and nodded slightly in front of them. "The Captain really doesn't mind helping out. I think that it rankled him some what that he had been slightly... coerced into taking the job. I am sure that if given the opportunity he would have volunteered willingly."
Isane looked over at her captain speculatively. "Somehow I don't believe that Captain Kurotsuchi can be coerced into doing anything that he doesn't want to do," she said wryly.
Unohana gave a light peal of laughter. With shining eyes she nodded. "Oh, when you are caught daydreaming anything can happen."
Isane's eye widened and she blinked rapidly in confusion and disbelief. "Daydreaming? I don't think the man knows the meaning of daydreaming..."
"I can assure you that he does, and it was no mystery to anyone there exactly what he was daydreaming about," Unohana said laughing.
Isane turned three shades of red and looked away in embarrassment.
"Contrary to what other people might think Isane I have never had any doubts as to the rightness of your friendship," Unohana said suddenly serious. "Mayuri has always been a bit odd, and I think that most of it comes from him having been alone for so many years. You, as well as I, and everyone else in the Seireitei for that matter know how brilliant he is. Unfortunately with such intelligence comes a definite lack of social skills. You just have to have a little bit of patience when dealing with his personality quirks."
"I have to admit Captain," Isane said after a few moments of quiet contemplation, "that in the beginning I was more then a little surprised to see whom I had been paired with. Then, after just having a quiet meal with him I started to..." Isane trailed off and looked at the ground before her with a slight frown.
"Started to see what, Isane?"
"I don't know Captain," she said in a near whisper. "I just felt things...I can't really explain it."
Unohana nodded, and said nothing as if she too understood the idea. Sometimes words were not enough to explain how one felt.
Isane noticed that while she talked with Unohana that they had arrived to their destination. She looked around and was almost appalled at what she found. The homes were patched up and slightly ramshackled buildings. As they had arrived most of the denizens must have fled because very few people could be observed in their vicinity. The few that they did see were watching them with a wary suspicion. They didn't look wholly destitute but they came pretty close.
"Oh Captain," Isane said with a soft sadness.
Unohana nodded, and started to give directions as to where the two stations would be set up. As previously arraigned Unohana took charge of the medical area while Isane took command of the food and clothing area. It was quickly decided that there wasn't a suitable place to set up the tents that they had brought. Unohana walked up to Mayuri and had a brief consultation with him about taking over two abandoned but good sized buildings. Mayuri and Nemu divided their own troops and went about checking the buildings before they would let the Fourth set up camp. Walking out of his building Mayuri looked to Unohana and Isane, and nodded curtly. Unohana motioned for Isane and her squad to settle themselves while waiting for Nemu to say that her building would be all clear. The squad divided and everyone quickly and efficiently went about performing their duties.
The next few hours were a blur for Isane. Since the house had a decent kitchen-like area it certainly wasn't large enough for what she had planned. Sending a few out back to make an impromptu cooking area she now had two kitchens to over see. As Iemura would be assisting Unohana Hanatarou was her second in command. Isane knew him to be a very efficient and uncomplaining worker, and she enjoyed working with him whenever possible. He quickly went about making order of clothing and food supplies to be handed out. With that under control Isane helped in the kitchen to make a simple but hearty meal. All of the prep work had already been prepared a head of time, and now all that was needed was to combine and cook the ingredients. Rolling up her sleeves and securing them out of the way Isane took the hottest and hardest duty of watching over the boiling and bubbling soups. When a few members came up to her excitedly to tell her that people were starting to gather Isane helped to dole out the food for distribution. Looking out of the kitchen she saw with happiness that though there weren't a lot of people there were still quite a few. Adults and children had come in and were taking clothing or bedding, and leaving with bowls of food. Isane's heart clenched at seeing what they were so far able to accomplish.
Between shuffling between the cooks out back and in the kitchen inside her time was never dull. She started to worry as the food was slowly disappearing that maybe they wouldn't have enough, but since this was just their first foray she didn't feel so badly. Isane made a note to change or add things for their next visit in order to stretch their supplies adequately. Hanatarou at one point came to see her in the back yard to tell her that all the portable food and dry goods were now all gone, and Isane frowned slightly at that. She couldn't help but wonder about those that wouldn't have anything now.
Walking out front to go and see how Unohana was fairing she was stopped short at the doorway. Unohana had taken over the building across the street, and in front of the building there was a line of men, woman, and children waiting to go in. Though none were in distress Isane could see that they all needed medical attention in one way or another. With her own troop having full control of their now dwindling duties she started to cross the street to see if she could help her captain, but was stopped short by a hand on her wrist. Looking over she saw Mayuri leaning against the building, and watching the activity around him with a keen eye.
"Isane," he said slowly turning his gaze her way.
Isane had almost forgotten about the Twelfth, and Mayuri. Yet as bone tired as she was seeing him energized her a bit.
"Oh, Mayuri! What have you been doing all this time?"
Mayuri raised a brow but still kept his hand on her wrist. "Standing around holding up this building apparently." He peered intently at her and a smirk slowly formed on his mouth. "Isane, you look like shit and positively crazy..."
Isane frowned, and blew a sweat soaked clump of hair out of her face. "Why thank you Mayuri, aren't you a prince among men."
"So I have been told." His grin widened as he took in her dirty and sweat soaked form. Her hair was sticking out at odd angles due to being damp with perspiration, and her clothing was dirty and disheveled. Bits of food clung down her front and a small burn mark could be seen on the back of her hand where something boiling must have splashed up on her. She looked positively peasant-like, but intriguing none the less. Placing a hand over the burn mark a warmth spread through her as he easily healed the scorched skin.
Isane smiled at him in appreciation, but her smile wavered slightly as he dropped her hand and looked back coolly in front of him. Isane hid her disappointment at his sudden change in demeanor by recalling her captain's words:
You just have to have a little bit of patience with his personality quirks.
Straightening her shoulders she too looked out in front of her. Together they stood in silence and watching the human drama that was so alien to their normal lives. This struggle that these people went through everyday was something that as shinigami they took for granted. The normal comforts that she and everyone else experienced every day of their lives were like the greatest luxuries to these people. She could see in their faces the weariness and wariness that came with putting all your efforts into pretty much just staying alive.
"Mayuri," Isane asked softly, "how do they do it?"
Mayuri turned slightly to look at her, and raised an eye brow. "Do what, Isane?"
"Stand it all? What makes them not just give up?"
He turned fully to look at her. "They just don't know any better. To them this life is the only life that they know." He shrugged. "They do the best that they can with what they have."
"Mayuri, that sounds so cold and heartless. It also seems like a cop-out," she said frowning. "That kind of answer can't be tolerated if we are going to make things better."
"It is not cold and heartless, Isane, but rather just the plain facts. This life is all that they will ever know, and in many ways it is a cruelty what you are doing here today."
Isane stiffened at the accusation. "A cruelty?! How can helping out be cruel?"
"Because you are giving them a glimpse of something that they can never have. You are offering them a taste of a life forever out of their reach." He turned dispassionately away, and back to watching the area before him.
Isane couldn't believe what she was hearing. She looked at Mayuri with such a stunned expression, but though she was sure that he could see it he never even turned to acknowledge it. He was calmly looking out at the throng of people before him with a detached eye. It was as if everyone before him was nothing more then a specimen to be observed.
"But what is so wrong with trying to cloth, feed, or medicate those that need it? Mayuri, that seems incredibly cruel, and even coming for you."
"I am not only speaking about such matters as food, clothing, or medication. Though they are basic, physical, survival needs there is much more to it than that. No Isane, I am saying that by doing what you and Unohana are attempting here today you are offering up to them the worst cruelty of all: temporary enlightenment."
Isane felt as if her jaw had hit the floor.
"Think about the philosophy of life Isane, rather than the mechanics of it for a moment. It can be viewed as either believing in the concreteness of human existence such as physical science or believing in the human essence. The former is based on factual and objective theories that can be measured and repeated, but beyond our basic control. Who and what we are is something not determined by us but rather by nature. The latter is based on the idea that our essence is determined through our life choices. We are who and what we are because of choices that we ourselves make. No matter which belief that you stand by in the end mankind stands a part from the world around him."
Mayuri shifted his weight and folded his arms across his chest, and yet still kept his gaze forward.
"Our lives are nothing more than chance encounters or collisions that make us who we are. Have you ever thought about what it takes, literally for us to function not only physically but mentally as well? Astonishing really. Billions upon billions of mico-phsysiological steps must be followed in order for you and I to be standing here conversing. Our bodies and minds are programmed on a conscious and subconscious level to perpetuate our existence. On the other hand there is the idea that there is no such thing as chance. That everything happens for a purpose. So for some reason we are meant to be here talking, and due to some greater purpose.
"The ensuing quandary comes with the idea of control. Do we have any control or don't we? The ignorant person has no idea how they or even the world around them functions, and either physically or philosophically. They are what they are, the world is what it is, and with that idea there is neither a sense nor even a desire for control. Ignorance truly can be a blissful existence. However, the more educated or enlightened a person becomes the more they see how much or how little control they really have over themselves and the world around them. With such learning comes the possibility of having everything meaningful around you break down or be taken away from you."
Mayuri finally turned to Isane, and with an amused look. "So do you see now by what I meant in regards to your great cruelty? Yes, you have done a good deed for today, but what about tomorrow? What will happen to these people when they wake up and their lives are back to their normal dreariness, and with it they are left with nothing but the bitterness of what might have been. Their ignorance was the only tenuous hold that they had on their meager existence."
Isane's eyes were wide open and slightly moist. "Mayuri," she said softly, "are you talking about them, or us?"
He shrugged slightly and offered a wry smile. "Probably a bit of both, don't you think? The truths that I offer can be universally applied."
Isane was shaking slightly, but it was from a coldness of the soul. She understood what he said and the concepts behind it, but she couldn't fully believe in them. She still stood by her simple belief that offering out a helping hand to those in need would always be something that she believed in.
"I don't care Mayuri," she said passionately. "I know and yet don't care about the physics or philosophy behind our being. All I do know is that I will always offer my services to those that need it, and for whatever reason."
Mayuri smiled slightly at her vehemence. "I know, Isane, and in no small way I respect that. That is the reason why -though we might rarely agree on things- I will still offer you my support if I can," he said softly. "Your greatest weakness is also your greatest strength."
"I have to go see how Captain Unohana is doing," Isane said distractedly. She needed to get away, and back to being busy. She needed to get herself away from his words and what they might really mean.
Walking away almost blindly she was deaf to his call to her. Her mind was in a turmoil, and her vision was tunneled. All she could see was a small section across the street. Isane walked as if a trance and in doing so she failed to notice the man who ran out of the building almost directly in front of her. He was half clothed and panicked looking; his eyes were wild and his mouth was set in a grimace. As if in slow motion and witnessing it from outside her body Isane could see that the man's path was in direct line with her own, but she knew that she could do nothing about it until it would be too late.
Suddenly she found her gaze looking up at the sky from an awkward angle, and a warm substance was coating her face. Blinking her eyes and clumsily wiping her face she saw that her hand came back with a viscous fluid that was scarlet in color. Her eyes widened, and she looked around in panic. Trying to righten herself she felt a solid band around her waist constrict even tighter, and felt a snarl not her own thrum through her. Looking around she saw that she was bent at a ungainly slant due to Mayuri's arm being around her for support. Looking even closer she saw him flick Ashisogi Jizo smartly to the side, and then hold it before him menacingly. Blood still spotted the zanpaktou, and dropped in fat, lazy droplets off of it onto the ground. Struggling to gain her footing more securely she gasped in horror before her. Laying on the ground and gasping for breath was a man clutching his chest as blood poured out his mouth. He looked up at Isane with pleading eyes before falling face first at their feet.
Isane felt her face suddenly grow hot, and the edges of her vision become blurry. The shouting and yelling all around her became dim along with her vision. Her last fuzzy thought was about how they were going to explain all of this to General Yamamoto...
Isane woke up shaking. Not able to fully open her eyes yet she felt a blanket being placed over her, and covering her from chin to ankles. As she came to the memory of the man running madly at her resurfaced, and her eyes shot open. She struggled to sit up but a hand held her forcefully down.
"Stay still Isane," Mayuri said by her side, but not looking at her.
Isane looked at him, and saw what had his attention. Off to the side and near the back of the room Captain Unohana was bent over someone, and the sharply bright glow of a strong healing kidou filled the room. Isane cried out and tried to surge forward to help her captain, but she was once again caught and held firmly.
"Captain Unohana has everything under control Isane," Mayuri said looking down at her with a slightly amused expression.
"Lay off me, Mayuri!" Isane hissed. "My captain needs me."
"I think that she is doing fine on her own. To interrupt her now, and at such crucial juncture might not prove to be wise." His hand had her pinned at the shoulder, and the finger with the long nail curved around to rest against her back.
"No, I-"
"You will do as ordered, Lieutenant," he said coldly.
Isane looked up at him in resentment, but her hand came up and wrapped around his wrist as if for support. Her eyes slide away but she nodded once in acquiescence. Suddenly she gave a small, dry, and even slightly hysterical laugh.
Mayuri raised a brow and cocked his head to the side in an unspoken question.
"You are never going to let me live this down, are you?" She spoke in a whisper so that no one would over-hear them, but with everyone's attention riveted upon Unohana she thought that she could have screamed it out, and no one would have even blinked.
Mayuri slowly bent forward and a wide, toothy grin appeared. "Isane," he said lowly, "I plan on torturing you with this for all eternity," he said with an evil chuckle.
Isane was neither surprised nor dismayed. It was what she had come to expect from him. "How is it that I have to bear the burden when...Wait, what happened?"
Mayuri straightened up, but now he discreetly and nonchalantly moved his hand so that it held hers under the cover of the blanket. He felt Isane's fingers entwine with his own.
"The man over there bolted from Captain Unohana as she was doing an in depth physical on him. He had some very interesting bowel parasites," Mayuri said trailing off as if the disease was more important then the man. "But as she was assessing his situation he suddenly pushed her aside, made a break for it, and then almost ran you over. I stepped in, and as I grabbed you out of the way I pulled out Ashisogi Jizo and stabbed him in the chest to stop him. I was lucky enough not to hit his gut...so now I just might be able to salvage this fiasco by bringing something interesting back to my lab..."
Isane looked at Mayuri in disgust. "Gods Mayuri...a tape worm? You really want to take a tape worm home as a pet? How revolting can you be?"
Mayuri looked at Isane with disdain. "It is no ordinary parasite, and it most probably is not a tape worm...Tape worms do not flourish here in the Rukongai." He looked at Isane as if she should know better. "Didn't you ever study parasitology? Seems a bit more useful as well as interesting then mucking about with all those dead plants that you are so keen on."
"I'm not even going to dignify that absurd statement with a reply," she said trying to hold a smile down.
"Good, because you'll just end up annoying me," he said blithely.
Isane squeezed his hand. "Please let me sit up? I feel bad enough, and I'll feel worse if I stay on my back like this."
Mayuri suddenly looked down at Isane with a knowing gleam. "Why, Isane? I kind of like you flat on your back, and at my mercy."
Isane couldn't help the shiver that passed through her. She also couldn't help the sudden wave of guilt as well. Here she was flirting with Mayuri while her captain tried to save a man's life...
"Please," she said with a soft entreaty.
"No," he said firmly, and turning his gaze back on to Unohana's figure.
Isane was thinking of a way to some how cajole him into letting her up when she felt his hand smoothly leave her own, and then trail up her arm and across her stomach. Isane's eyes frantically darted to him, and saw that for anyone looking he appeared riveted upon what was going on around her captain. He almost looked bored. But underneath the covers Isane felt three fingers start to weave their way into her uniform top. Deftly and gently they snaked their way past layers of clothing to rest finally upon the skin of her rib cage. She was about to smack his hand when his voice fell down upon her like silk.
"I wouldn't, if I was you. It might cause some unwanted attention, and it would be very obvious as to what was going on," he said with his own attention still on Unohana.
Isane tensed and gritted her teeth, but it soon dissipated as he tickled her gently under her last floating rib. Just where her torso curved in and down he traced a path almost to her belly button. Isane could do nothing but lay there, and try to cause no one's attention to become focused on them. She looked nervously over at her captain's form, and saw by the glow of her aura and kidou that the healing was almost done. Isane knew that soon Unohana would be over to check on her.
Mayuri's hand was now fully within the confines of her clothing and lay hot against her skin. The long nail of his third finger curved around her torso perfectly, and lay like a claw of some great cat against its smaller prey; the nail's pressure was firm but gentle, and was a show that at any moment things could turn around. Isane could feel not only her skin heating up but her breath increasing as well. She was trapped between sheer mortification and a desire to know more. Her teeth were clenched and her gaze worried between the two captains; one who was intent on healing and the other intent on causing havoc.
She tried her best not to squirm, but all she ended up doing was trembling and shivering. His hand was doing nothing but resting against her, but the combination of his flesh solidly and intimately on hers coupled with the idea that the room was filled with not only her Captain but at least fifteen other shinigami made her quake. Soon the tremors were threatening to dislodge the blanket over her, but she stilled when she felt a warmth spread out from his hand, and slowly envelope her in tendrils of warm and soothing comfort.
Isane had once heard from Captain Kyoraku that of all the captains and lieutenants in the Gotei that Mayuri was the best at Kidou. He was so good in fact that Captain Kuchiki himself had been heard to admit that Mayuri could bypass the chant or any other verbal words needed to complete the spell. Mayuri was considered a Master of Kidou of such proportions that some even claimed that his abilities went beyond even that of the traitor Aizen, and he had been good, very good. But for some reason Mayuri was considered better. His technique and control were supposedly legendary. Of course, many also speculated that he had become so proficient in the art due to the fact that he most probably had many victims to practice it on.
Isane felt three small, electric tendrils dance lazily across her skin as they spread outward and down from his fingers. They jumped like miniature bolts of electricity across her already highly charged skin. She could feel the baby-soft hairs stand up, and her skin pucker with raised goose flesh. Isane clenched her fists and tried to sit up, but found that she couldn't. She was pinned to the table due to the constant pressure that his hand had on her stomach. Trying anyway to move she felt a fast but sharp pain. She looked up at Mayuri in hurt confusion.
"I told you Lieutenant, did I not?" He finally looked down at her, and the look in his eyes was amused but with a slight tinge of cruelty.
Isane pursed her lips in defiance and mouth silently to him: I will seriously get you for this.
"One may always hope," he said with a sigh, and then turned back to Unohana, who was now done with her healing.
Mayuri slide his hand out from under the blanket, but not before sending Isane one last, little reminder. He saw her eyes drop momentarily closed and her jaw become slack. He purred low in the back of his throat in satisfaction. Moving his hands to the inside of his own sleeves he stood by Isane with an unreadable look on his face as Unohana came towards them.
"Ah! Isane, you are awake! Are you feeling better?" Unohana placed a warm hand on Isane's fevered brow, and furrowed her own. "Isane, you seem to have a slightly elevated temperature. Are you sure Captain Kurotsuchi that Isane did not come to any harm?" She looked at Mayuri with a slightly accusing look.
"I told you that she was fine. She just disgraced herself by fainting, nothing more,"he said in an almost weary voice. "How inconvenient it must be to have such a subordinate."
Now that his hand was no longer on her Isane shot up so fast that Unohana stepped back in surprise. Mayuri though looked like at any moment he would loose himself to hysterical laughter. Her face contorted in rage, and the madder she got the more enjoyment Mayuri seemed to get. They both knew that she was in a corner with no chance of escape.
Isane slid unsteadily off the table, and turning her back purposefully on Mayuri looked at her captain with regret. Her words came out in flurry of condemnation.
"Oh Captain, I am so sorry for any problems that I have caused. I had no idea that this would all turn out to be so-"
"Isane! Calm down! There is no need for you to worry. Today's venture has been most decidedly a success, and I am very proud of you for having thought of it."
Isane looked at the sweet and gentle face of her Captain and almost fell to pieces. There was no condemnation written anywhere, only respect and friendship. Her captain was everything that she hoped to be someday, and yet she always felt in the back of her head that the idea was nothing more then wishful thinking on her part.
Maybe Mayuri was right after all. Ignorance was bliss. Well, it wouldn't stop her from trying anyway.
Isane lowered her gaze respectfully, and nodded.
"Captain Unohana," Mayuri said cutting into Isane's mental revelry, "what about the specimen?"
Unohana gave a feminine moue of distaste. "Captain Kurotsuchi, the thing has been terminated, and taken care of. Permanently," she said with a slight shudder.
Mayuri's shoulders slumped in defeat. "But I had such a good home for it..."
Isane and her captain looked at Mayuri silently, and neither could find the right words to express their revulsion.
"Yes, well...maybe we should wrap things up for today? I think that for our first time, and excluding a minor mishap I think that things went very well. Isane, would you and Third Seat Iemura please start to assemble everyone for our return home?"
Isane nodded and hastily went to do as her captain asked.
"Mayuri, if it wasn't for the fact that your action was based on chivalry for my Lieutenant I would be very displeased with what had transpired," Unohana said with a wry smile and raised brow. Her censure was light but serious.
"The clod was getting ready to run over Isane, Retsu. I offer no apologies. I'd do it again with out a doubt." Mayuri frowned down at Unohana coldly.
Unohana smiled warmly. "I know Mayuri, and I appreciate you saving my Isane." Unohana looked at Mayuri with a piercing gaze. "You care very much for her, don't you Mayuri," she said softly.
Mayuri's gaze slid away, and he shrugged as if the subject matter was trivial to him.
A sweet peal of laughter spilled from Unohana. "However Mayuri, you need to stop torturing my Lieutenant. Your furtive groping is starting to cause her no small amount of distress."
"Furtive groping? How crude, and even for you, Retsu." Mayuri shook his head sadly. "I am no adolescent school boy who finds that he is capable of nothing better then clumsy attempts at furtive groping," he said disdainfully.
"No Mayuri, your attempts are far from clumsy," Unohana said respectfully. "In fact, I would go so far as to say that they are smoothly advanced."
"Hn."
"All I am saying is that as exciting as the possibility is of being found out, it can start to wear on a girl's nerves sometimes if there is too much of it. Maybe try something a bit more relaxing?"
Mayuri smiled devilishly, and leaned towards Unohana with a wicked gleam in his eyes. "What Retsu," he said in a harsh whisper, "is this the same little speech that you gave Kenpachi not too long ago? Hm?"
Unohana uncharacteristically turned a deep carmine, and cleared her throat nervously.
"I'll take that as a yes, Retsu," Mayuri said snickering, and tucking that little bit of information away for a rainy day. He walked cockily away from Unohana, and for once leaving her speechless he made his way out the building. Seeing the flurry of activity he told Nemu to gather their squad and prepare everyone to return back to the Seireitei. He stood watching Isane directing people to de-camp, and he couldn't help but admire what a figure she made. She was brisk without being brusque, and efficient without being over-bearing. Her squad seemed to genuinely like and respect her, and more then once he watched her lend a helping hand in something.
He thought about Unohana's words, and agreed that it was time.
Looking over towards the middle of the street he could still see the blood soaked stain in the dirt. The peasant was lucky to still be alive, and not that he deserved it. What was one less life here in the Rukongai when all was said and done? Retsu had saved a man to live another day when he most probably would die sometime soon anyway. A pathetic waste of resources. It was a pity though that he hadn't been able to save the organism. Personally, he would have let the host die, and instead spent all his effort saving the parasite.
After an incredibly brief amount of time the squads found themselves heading back the way they came. The sun was starting to set, and the late autumn chill was starting to set in. Everyone was as quiet as they had been in the morning, but as it had then been due to the early time now it was due primarily to the long day. But it was a satisfied feeling of weariness, and one that was shared by everyone in the Fourth. The satisfaction that came with the success of their endeavor brought a new feeling of pride and unity among the Fourth. They had done a job that no one outside their division had taken seriously, or even wanted a part of. Just like their sanitation jobs the Fourth could be counted upon to fulfill their duties with no complaints from either end.
Isane and Unohana walked back and spoke quietly together of future plans when all of a sudden Mayuri appeared in front of them, and semi-blocking their pathway.
"Captain Unohana, I have business with your Lieutenant if you don't mind," Mayuri said telling rather then asking.
Isane gave Mayuri an outraged look as he roughly grasped her wrist and rudely started off with her. She hissed in anger and embarrassment as she dug her heels in. Not only was her captain a witness to this rash and rude treatment, but she knew without turning around that a quite a lot of eyes from her squad as well as his own were taking this all in as well.
Gods, the shinigami grapevine would be abuzz tonight...The hell with Mayuri and his idiosyncrasies! This was just plain crude and impolite!
"Mayuri!" Isane said in a harsh whisper as she tried to disengage herself from his steel grip. Mayuri in turn gave her a quelling look, and appeared as if he was about to shake her for her supposed ill manners.
"Yes, I quite forgot Captain Kurotsuchi," Unohana said loudly and almost too dramatically. "You better run, or that apothecary will be closed for the evening."
Mayuri gave Unohana an almost imperceptible nod of his head.
Isane looked to her captain with wide eyes and her mouth in a surprised 'o'. "But Captain-!"
Unohana waived at the pair, and motioned for her remaining squad to continue onward. Faces avidly watched as Captain Kurotsuchi then flash stepped Lieutenant Kotetsu away with him.