Chapter 21

"Lady Ayame, is there any way we can get a hold of a few more heals in area 43?" A soul reaper asked.

The noblewoman looked up from the clipboard in her hands.

"I'm afraid that's not my call to make. You'll have to wait for Lieutenant Isane to finish her surgery to ask."

"Yes ma'am."

"Lady Ayame, you're needed in room 87 for a stitch-up." Another soup reaper reported.

Ayame sighed, handing the clipboard to the soul reaper beside her before heading to the room requested. Making sure her hair hadn't fallen from the bun she'd secured it in earlier, she entered the room, only to have her heart hurt at the sight of a small boy laying on the table asleep with a piece of wood sticking out of his leg. He couldn't have been older than eight.

"My lady, I apologize for removing you from where you were but I needed you and your zanpakutou." Isane started.

"How can we be of help?" Ayame whispered.

"The wood had embedded itself deep in the muscle tissue of his calf. I'd like to save the leg but if I can't remove it quickly, he'll lose it."

A soft glow filled the room as Falkina materialized next to her mistress.

"Have you tried to remove chunks yet?"

Isane shook her head.

"It might be too deep to risk."

Falkina glanced at Ayame who nodded.

"My flame can easily burn quite a bit away and I can cauterize the wound before you try to remove the rest." Falkina offered.

"I can stand by with healing if you don't mind digging." Ayame added.

Isane nodded and the three set to work.

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A few hours later had Captain Unohana finding Ayame on the top of her barracks roof, Falkina standing behind her. The zanpakutou turned sad eyes to the captain before disappearing back into her sword, which rested in dagger form, in her mistress' lap.

"Isane told me you save a young boys' life today."

"….did Isane also tell you he'll never walk properly again? That I lost nine other lives on the table, many more still wanting Falkina to heal them?"

Water filled, shining emerald green eyes whipped around to face her as she stood.

"All because some crazy lunatic wants me dead?"

Ayame gripped Falkina tight in her hand.

"Such nonsense, such unneeded bloodshed for one stupid girl…"

Captain Unohana frowned before taking a step forward.

"You remind me so much of your mother: always wanting to save everyone, wanting only for peace. A decent fighter…but a strong healer…"

Unohana made eye contact with Ayame.

"But through all that, she still understood the sacrifices that needed to be made to find the answer. My dear phoenix…"

She took the shaking woman into her arms.

"You are indeed your mother's daughter."

Ayame tried to contain her tears as she whispered, "A child Aunt Retsu, only eight, will never run again. What kind of monster destroys an orphanage and slaughters children?"

Retsu Unohana only held her goddaughter, knowing that nine little bodies would soon be laid to rest.

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A small spike of reitsu filled the air as many turned to face where the energy had come from.

"What was that?" Orihime asked.

"That felt like Lady Ayame!" Uryu exclaimed.

Several soul reapers shunpoed away, Ichigo included.

"We should go as well." Chad noted.

The three nodded and headed off.

Meanwhile, the soul reapers had arrived to find Captain Unohana standing a few feet away from a very large swirling fire.

"Captain Unohana!" Soi Fung called out.

She angled her head to see the small group with a smile.

"Oh, hello everyone."

"Are you alright Captain?" Ukitake asked.

"Are we having a bonfire? I didn't bring any alcohol." Shunsei added, to which Nanao hit him across the back of his head.

"H-hey, Lady Ayame's in there!" Ichigo exclaimed.

The silhouette of a boy appeared for only a brief second before disappearing in the flames once more.

"Well it seems as if something's upset her for her spiritual pressure to transform into flames." Yoruichi mentioned.

"Isane informed me Ayame had a few patients that didn't make it through her operations, many of them children. Our little phoenix confirmed it." Retsu explained.

"That makes sense: with all this chaos going on, her emotions are going haywire. There's no way any of us can get through those flames." Ichigo noted.

"Anyone have an idea on how to contact her zanpakutou?" Komamura asked.

"I don't think that will be necessary. Byakuya can handle it." Yoruichi said.

"What about the flames?" Uryu asked.

The silent captain of squad six merely began walking forward.

"H-hey wait a second!" Ichigo started.

"Relax Ichigo, Ayame won't hurt him." Yoruichi added.

The small group watched as the nobleman let a small sliver of his white spiritual power free before easily traversing through the bright red wall of flames.

He looked around before resting his gaze on the young woman before him. Ayame sat on the floor, dressed in a standard soul reaper uniform with a white lab coat over it, her knees tucked up against her chest, arms wrapped around her knees, and head on top. He could hear her sniffles and hiccups she tried to hide.

"Aya…"

She froze, looking up at him with shining emerald eyes.

"Byakuya…how did you…"

He walked over to kneel in front of her.

"Captain Unohana informed us of what happened. I came to check on you. You know your flames would never hurt me."

She gave a small laugh.

"You sure are cocky…" She leaned her forehead against his shoulder. "…I couldn't save them…even with Falkina's help I failed."

Byakuya wrapped an arm around her, laying a kiss to the top of her head. She clutched his captains' haori in her hands.

"I don't know what else to do. I feel so useless."

He tipped her chin up, his heart hurting for her.

"You'll never be useless Aya."

Her spiritual pressure began to disappear as he laid his lips on hers. Pulling away slowly, he then held her to him to allow her to cry so no one could see.