We stand in awe before that which cannot be seen, and respect with every fiber that which cannot be explained…… - Opening to Bleach, Episode 1
Notes: It was almost a year ago. I can't believe its almost been a year. I had an image, just something to wonder about as I drifted off. I do that, especially when I'm hypomanic. I use the half dreams that my endless imagination conjures up to lull me to sleep. Once the image of Miroku after being converted into a Cyborg (Ghost in the Shell) and hanging in the harness lulled me to sleep even. This image was later part of the inspiration for the fanfic Sunset.
Two Searches on Soucon passed during that year. They occur once every six months. I gained my first and second promotions during them, from wingrider to Firedance, to Junior Assistant Weyrlingmaster to Assistant Weyrlingmaster. My character, Gwen, rider of blue Saeynth developed a twisted sense of humor and a sharklike grin dealing with her charges. Her parting shot to Weyrlings embarking on their first jump between, their first threadfall as well, "Don't die!" is reminiscent of Anko or Urahara warning their students to be careful.
I wasn't sure how long Heartsbond was going to last. I wasn't sure if I'd be able to keep going with it or how popular it was going to be. But as the reviews came pouring in, I quickly became shocked. I was that good? Heartsbond had racked up 234 reviews, as of 9:11 pm Friday October 5th 2007, more than all my other fanfics since 2002 combined!
I fell deeper into Bleach lore, I learned that Rukia Kuchiki /does/ get rescued. I fell in love with Grimmjow and learned why Szayel is such a pretty boy and that not all the Arrancar are evil. I learned that even shinigami are falliable. I saw shippuden, and wept when I saw Gaara die. I watched Inu-Yasha, and I watched Full Metal, and I watched Wolf's Rain and Ghost in the Shell and Ghost in the Shell Solid State and new Digimon and Trinity Blood and I got to cry over Cowboy Bebop and it was good.
I cried the entire last chapter, finishing it in less than half a day. I was raising hackles on my own neck. I can imagine what they did to yours. I really had no idea what I was going to do after all of this. Really, I wasn't sure. But seeing everyone's excitement has given me a fresh grip on the keyboard.
Karin floated in blessed darkness. Karin… young one… The tiger reached down to muzzle Karin.
Huhh?... I'm not dead?
No, my lovely Karin… you are indeed dead. But your life will begin from here. You are a shinketsu Karin… the power that I represent is your birthright. Will you make a pact with me Karin?
Not without knowing your name you stubborn tiger.
Hisuimaru. The tiger licked Karin's cheek.
Its so dark… don't I wake up soon?
Soon, child, but for now its best you sleep.
Ichi-nii, I want Ichi-nii… Karin's voice suddenly sounded in her head like a scared little child. Ichi-nii, where did you go to?
It was a disaster. That was the only way that Urahara could describe it. Karin's body was drenched in blood, only her face, her head, was untouched. And all that could run through Urahara's head was that he'd failed, again. Once more his mistakes had cost him a life.
The life had already left Tousen's body. Sado had thusfar refused treatment for his injuries. Instead he picked up Tousen's zanpakuto and his mask, and he lay the blade on Tousen's chest. Then he put the mask on top of that, and he crossed Tousen's hands over his body. Sado bowed his head, muttering a prayer in Spanish.
But most worrying were Uryu and Byakuya. Uryu's body was lifeless, cold. Uryu's spirit was seated, listless, a few paces away. He had Byakuya in his arms. Tears, with no sobs, crept down his face. He whispered in the unresponsive ear. "Koibito, please, hang on… please… I love you… I don't want to go on without you by my side. Byakuya please, Byakuya" Crooning softly. Maybe, if he hung on long enough, his love could survive. "Go on with our lives and lose those things behind," He stroked those raven locks tenderly, crooning the song in a voice that hadn't sung in so many years. "Wrapped around in lies, we stand there voiceless. We want to live our lives, until we find a way. Searching for the light for eternity." It was a silly little song, and he wouldn't have let anybody but Byakuya know that he new it.
Yoruichi helped Tatsuki and Keigo to their feet. Matsumoto turned, and saw Orihime standing in the middle of the mess. "Orihime?"
"I hate him." Orihime's eyes brimmed with tears as she threw her arms around Matsumoto. "I hate Aizen! Matsumoto…"
"Its okay Orihime, you should have."
"Matsumoto I wanted to kill him!!" Orihime wailed.
It took Matsumoto a moment to understand.
Orihime didn't want to kill. It didn't matter if it was an enemy or a friend. She didn't want to kill. And for the space of a few minutes, she'd wanted to.
And then Isshin and Ryuken arrived. Ryuken had met Isshin halfway, when Jinta had told him that both Urahara and Yoruichi had gone off at a run. Then Ryuken had told Isshin that a pair of Arrancar had attacked his son.
They tracked the battle across the city. And finally they came to the battle site. Too late.
Isshin's eyes were wide. Ryuken looked like he was going to fall over. "U…ryu…"
Uryu's head jerked upwards. "Dad…" He said helplessly.
"Uryu!!" Ryuken ran forwards, helplessly. He pulled Uryu into his arms and cried.
"Hey… I tried. They'd killed twice already. I wanted to stop them." Uryu burst into tears, his heart felt like it was being shredded. "Dad… Byakuya… please… help us…" He sobbed softly.
Ryuken sighed, placing a hand that glowed blue against Byakuya's back. "He's anemic. And he needed to put his energy elsewhere. He needs to be brought back to the Soul Society."
"Uryu…" Hitsugaya stepped forwards, Hyorinmaru brandished.
"Give me a minute." Uryu grumbled.
"Uryu the police, fire department and ambulance could get here any minute."
"I LOVED HIM DAMNIT!!" Uryu blew up at Hitsugaya. "I STILL DO!" He sat down again. "If I don't do something he might die!" Uryu clung to Byakuya even harder.
"Is there any way to move them together?" Ryuken asked worriedly.
"If we send them both through the Senkaimon we'd have to move slowly, and if we run into a cleaner they're both as good as dead."
"Can you /check/ and see if the Cleaners are supposed to be coming through? Honestly, you lot have gotten stupider since I last spoke with you." Ryuken snapped.
Hitsugaya rolled his eyes, but he dialed first division. "Yamamoto-sotaisho, we have a situation."
"What sort of a situation?"
Hitsugaya took a deep breath. This was the saddest, the most tragic report he'd ever have had to make. "Aizen and Gin attacked. In the ensuing battle they used a drug that separated Ishida Uryu and Inoue Orihime and two others close to Ichigo Kurosaki from their bodies. It kept them there for over half an hour. During which time Karin Kurosaki had been killed. Since she's a shinketsu, she can't be konso'd. We need to bring her to the fourth division, directly. Also… Ishida Uryu and Kuchiki Byakuya were heartbonded. Ishida's chain of fate was severed. Kuchiki Byakuya is in critical condition and its believed that the two should not be separated. They need to be brought through the Senkaimon to the Fourth Division immediately. There's more…" Hitsugaya was silent for a long moment. "We have a body to bring in."
"Who…"
"Tousen, Kaname Tousen gave his life trying to protect them all. He held Aizen and Gin off for a full ten minutes with the aid of Yasutora Sado, and finally when it looked like he was going to lose he pushed Sado to the ground so that only Tousen would be injured. Sado has several gashes on his arm, but he's the least injured.
"Urahara and Yoruichi are here on cleanup, Isshin Kurosaki has Karin. He's regained his powers. Sir… should I escort them in?"
"Hai… if he wishes, allow Ryuken to come as well."
Isshin cradled Karin's spirit in his arms, trying to shield her from her old body. "Karin…" He whispered softly. "My Karin… my lovely Karin…"
Karin stirred, turning closer to her father.
Hitsugaya sighed, closing up his cellphone. "I have my orders. We need to prepare to move the injured through the Senkaimon. No cleaners will be coming through today. However, we need to move quickly. Orihime, Ikkaku, Yumichika, Arisawa isn't it?"
Tatsuki looked startled. "Yes, that's me."
"The four of you, take Keigo home, and if you can, run cleanup. Ise, Kusajishi, you're going home. Urahara, Yoruichi, Isshin, you've been summoned. And… Ryuken, if you wish, you are allowed to come."
Tessai appeared then, with Jinta and Ururu, Cloud and Ririn and Kon (still a plushie.) The fivesome had the equipment with them to set up a makeshift senkaimon. "We don't have much time. Before long the police will realize what's gone on here. When that happens, Orihime, Tatsuki, Keigo, Ikkaku and Yumichika will have to be far away."
"Why should I go? I have to go home and tell Yuzu that her sister is dead." Isshin's face was pale, his jaw set, his eyes angry.
"Tell Yamamoto that I know what he wants me to do. And I won't do it." Urahara told Hitsugaya. "I have a bondmate that I won't leave. I have a life here. I want to live it."
Hitsugaya nodded gravely. "We'll miss you."
"I don't care. I want to be alive." Urahara grunted.
Isshin gulped, looking from Urahara to the work crew. Urahara had his back turned. Isshin crooned to Karin, stroking the girl's hair. I can't go this time around.
Hmm?
I'm sorry… I tried to protect her… I couldn't.
You don't have to be sorry.
Yes I do… Urahara left his entire aura open.
Ki…suke? Isshin questioned.
I hid it from you. I knew that if you knew I wouldn't be able to protect Karin. I'll stay here Isshin, I'll protect the world you love so much until you return. Isshin felt the sense of sheer futility Urahara had felt.
Urahara, take Karin. I have to go to Yuzu. Tell Karin that I'll be coming to see her soon.
The gate opened. Several Squad 4 members and a whole squadron of Stealth Force Guards came through. Orihime pulled Tatsuki back. Sado remained kneeling by Tousen's side.
One of the medics grinned impishly as she checked Keigo. "He didn't just faint, he wet himself!" She giggled. "He'll be okay." She stood up. "Nurse Naomi! We have a fainter, but it looks like he'll be okay."
"Good, see to Sado."
Several Stealth Force members gathered around Tousen's body. Sado gave no indication that he saw them, a hand on the dead shinigami's chest, he finished his prayer and looked up. "I placed him like this where he fell. He didn't deserve to have his body splayed out. He helped me fight back, and then when it became clear that we'd both be killed, he pushed me out of the way." Sado said softly.
"We'll treat his body with respect." The Stealth Force Squad Leader nodded. "We need to wrap his body for transport home." Sado nodded and stood.
The young medic gave Sado a gentle tug into a sitting position. "I can't reach your arm if you're standing up Mister Giant." She said as she started healing the gashes and burns.
"Uryu…" Naomi approached the Quincy.
Uryu barely heard anybody, or registered anything. He didn't respond, just held Byakuya and whispered to him, crooning, stroking, nuzzling. "How bad is it?" Ryuken had no knowledge of heartbonding other than it could kill when broken, that it was a miracle Uryu's spirit hadn't died along with his body.
"He's conscious, but nonresponsive." Naomi replied. "I'm going to put him to sleep. As for Kuchiki taichou, any sort of drugging at this point is likely to kill him, and then what's left of your son is going to be gone. Kuchiki taichou is going to need a transfusion as well. He's got anemia, I can feel the faintness in his limbs. The limiter on his powers being removed was likely the only thing that saved his life, the spirit pressure it released kept him alive. We're going to transport them together." She ran a hand over Byakuya's back. Her eyebrows arched. "Ishida-san, a word if you please?"
"What is it?" Ryuken wasn't quite sure what could perplex a shinigami healer. They were far better than human doctors in many facets of their trade. Especially with preventive and herbal medicines. "Is something wrong?"
"Its faint, but Kuchiki taichou is pregnant. That's the source of the anemia. The pregnancy is drawing both nutrients, and if it can, blood, into the area to form the correct organs. The Kuchiki family's genome is enclosed, so genetic illnesses such as anemia often show up in cases like this and compound problems further."
"Wait… are you saying that Uryu and that…"
"About a week, maybe a little earlier. If no symptoms had occurred cluing either parent as to the child's presence, its likely that they wouldn't have known until now."
"When its too late. Uryu would have had no knowledge of this…"
"… and as far as we know Kuchiki Byakuya has never been pregnant." Naomi finished. "We need to get both of them to the Fourth Division as soon as possible."
Ryuken nodded. Naomi walked over, and murmured to Uryu. "Forgive me." She passed a hand in front of his eyes, and Uryu fell asleep. The medics came over. "Carry them on the same stretcher. Do /not/ separate them when they arrive. Kuchiki taichou needs a compatible transfusion, search the divisions for a match, starting with the three Kuchiki siblings currently entered in the academy and up through the family. Do. Not. Inform the Kuchiki clan elders yet as to what's happened. That's Unohana's duty."
"Ready?" Naomi asked Ryuken. "We move them together. One, two, three!" Ryuken hadn't worked an emergency room in awhile, that didn't mean that his skills dealing with emergency medicine had slacked. They got Uryu and Byakuya together.
"This does seem odd to me." Ryuken frowned as Naomi wrapped a blanket over the two.
"That they're moved together? For shinigami, in cases like this, we move them together. As long as they aren't bleeding we use the same stretcher, the same hospital bed. We don't separate them because the further they get from each other, the weaker the remains of their bond become and the less likely they are to survive. Uryu's human/quincy heritage may have saved him from the worst of the damage."
Urahara lay Karin out on a stretcher. "Leave her body, exactly where it is now." Isshin instructed the stealth force members. "The police will find it, if there are any human fingerprints on it they'll think that it's the prints of her murderer, not a rescuer." He turned to Hanatarou. "You're lucky you didn't use a gigai when you were here. You'd have become a suspect. But Hanatarou is it?" The little shinigami nodded. "Thank you." Isshin sighed tiredly, grief reflected in his eyes.
The medics carried Karin over to the Senkaimon, and paused only long enough for the stretcher with Uryu and Byakuya on it to go through.
Ryuken followed on one side. He wasn't willing to let his son be brought to the Fourth Division without him. Urahara pelted alongside Karin's stretcher at top speed. There would be time to mourn when Karin was safe in the fourth division. When the adrenaline wore off, then Isshin would begin to cry, then Urahara would fall into the tearless melancholy he did when he too mourned. Behind them, Yoruichi still seemed to command respect among the stealth force. She had four of them assisting her with the stretcher that bore Tousen's body, wrapped carefully for the ME.
Ichigo, Renji and Rukia were on their way back to their respective barracks from the celebratory lunch they'd had in the upper rukongai. "Hey…" Renji suggested. "Lets go visit Izuru and Shuhei."
"Oh yeah, I could go for that." Ichigo agreed.
"Sure." Rukia agreed. The trio turned towards the third division.
Unfortunately they had to pass the fourth first. The ruckus in the courtyard alerted all three. Ichigo looked at the other two, they nodded in agreement, and the trio went running.
They were just in time to see the three stretchers disappear inside. "What happened?" Ichigo demanded of one of the remaining Stealth Force guards.
"Aizen and Ichimaru killed a shinketsu girl, a young Quincy and almost killed Kuchiki taichou. The traitor Tousen died trying to protect them and all three are in intensive care." The guard replied.
"NI-SAMA!" Rukia shrieked before he finished the words Kuchiki taichou. She went skittering after the stretchers.
She made it to the waiting room before Urahara and Yoruichi caught her and turned her around. Rukia found herself over the Shihouin woman's shoulder. Ichigo charged forwards as well. "Let me go! Let me go! I have to get to him!" Rukia wailed.
"Uryu, that was Uryu that got killed wasn't it?" Ichigo demanded, trying to get past the door. "Let me through! Let me through!" Urahara had to restrain Ichigo, shaking his head. "Ichigo, don't! All three are in critical condition."
"That guard outside said one of the ones who got killed was a shinketsu! What the hell is that? Who was it that Aizen was after?" Ichigo demanded.
Urahara shook his head. "Ichigo calm down."
"I won't! Let me go damn you hat n' clogs!" Ichigo snarled.
Urahara shoved Ichigo into a chair. "I don't care if I have to sit on you, sit down and hold /still./ You can't go in there!"
The nurse that came out had to have the worst timing in the entire Seireitei. "Urahara taichou, the Kurosaki girl you brought in is fine. She's asleep, and she's likely to stay that way for a few hours more, but she's out of danger. I want to keep her here a little longer though. She's not going to get rest any……"
Urahara's face twitched, his expression boding an unpleasant talking to for whatever idiot had let the nurse bring the news out to him at that moment.
"WHICH ONE???" Ichigo shot up from his chair and shot down the hall before Urahara could react.
Yoruichi chased after him, tackling Ichigo to the ground. "LET ME GO! DAMNIT LET ME GO!!!!!" Ichigo bellowed.
"Ichigo if you make a scene your going to disturb an entire hospital wing with your yelling." Yoruichi growled. "You'll wake Uryu up, you'll wake…"
"Which. One." Ichigo growled beneath Yoruichi's body.
"I beg your pardon?"
"Which. One. Did. He. Kill?" Ichigo spat out.
Yoruichi growled, taking Ichigo by the scruff of the neck and dragging him back down the hall to the waiting room.
Renji was trying to comfort Rukia, who was sobbing uncontrollably. Yoruichi shoved Ichigo back into a chair. "Now listen, the three of you."
"This morning, while all of us were going about our business, Aizen and Gin, followed by six Arrancar, kidnapped Orihime, Tatsuki, Uryu, and Ichigo's school friend Keigo. Ironically enough it was Orihime who landed first blood. She'll leave Yammy with an interesting pattern of scars on his face from Tsubaki. Then Ichigo's younger sister Karin came upon the group and jumped Aizen. Literally jumped him and started pounding on his head. Tousen Kaname, Sado Yasutora and Yamada Hanatarou came upon the scene, including Karin. They freed Uryu, Orihime, Tatsuki and Keigo, however, a drug was barring the four of them from reentering their bodies, even though the chain of fate hadn't been severed.
"Kaname Tousen teamed up with Sado to take on Aizen and Gin using his Bankai, the bankai absorbed at least half of the damage that would have been done to the surrounding area. However, when it looked like they were going to be killed, Tousen shoved Sado out of the way and took the fatal shot himself. Sado managed to survive the blast, but Tousen was killed. While they worked, Hanatarou pulled Karin's spirit and body out of the line of fire while Orihime tried to heal her, and found that it was too late to do so.
Hot tears were running down Ichigo's face. Karin had jumped right into one of Aizen's traps. And he hadn't been there to protect her. He'd been stuck here, he'd been showing off. "Don't start Ichigo. A stage show is one thing for a pregnant shinigami. There are others around to help in case there's a problem. A battle against the two most dangerous criminals in Seireitei history and six of their deadliest henchmen is quite another." Yoruichi warned him.
"And then, Byakuya arrived on the scene. He and Uryu took on Aizen and Gin single handed. Aizen shoved Gin out of the way of a combination attack that would have killed Ichimaru. Then he dropped into a dive and sliced Uryu's chain of fate. He'd been heartbonded to Byakuya, and the two of them collapsed. Uryu was in shock at suddenly being severed from his body, and Byakuya's bond had been broken. He was anemic prior to the battle and the medics found out as soon as they could scan him, one week pregnant. Their conclusion was that because Uryu's spirit is still alive, because the limiter had been removed and his spiritual pressure could move freely while still in the living world, and because Byakuya had a child to live for, he survived. However, without a blood transfusion compatible with him he's only going to get worse. Ryuken offered, but the blood of a living creature would only make things worse." Urahara finished.
Rukia had started to tremble. So did Ichigo. Renji, by now, had an arm around each, comforting his two best friends. Ichigo shivered. "Check mine." Ichigo offered.
"I beg your pardon?"
"See if my blood will work." Ichigo offered. "I know about transfusions, you need the same blood type."
Rukia looked up at Ichigo with a look of shock.
"You can't. You're pregnant. It won't kill either of you, but its not a good idea."
"How about mine?" Renji asked, brows furrowed seriously.
"You?"
"I'm his fukutaisho, my mate saved his sister's life, I grew up with his sister in the Rukongai. Symbolically I speak for them both, if I turn out to match then all the better." Renji reasoned.
Urahara was too surprised to snap his fan or make a comment about freeloaders. "Alright, speak with Unohana."
The very woman came out of the hallway into the waiting room. "Kurosaki-fukutaisho, Kuchiki-san, Abarai-fukutaisho, I heard the commotion. I'm sorry you had to find out this way."
Ichigo growled. "Take me to my sister." It was /almost/ a threat.
Unohana sighed. She /almost/ took offense. "She's not awake yet, Ichigo this isn't uncommon for Shinketsu deaths. The more violent the manner their mortal body died the deeper the psychic shock and the longer they stay asleep."
"What did they do to her?" Ichigo's bangs covered his eyes, but his voice was completely cold.
"I don't want to put that image in your mind Ichigo."
"TELL ME!" Ichigo growled, his hands at his sides squeezed into fists.
Unohana was being amazingly tolerant. She'd dealt with grieving families before. "Ichigo, it would be unprofessional for me to put that image into your head. Karin is here, her death in the living world is something personal for her, and the last thing I want to do is put her private nightmare into your head. If she wants you to know how she died she'll tell you, but its considered rude to ask that of another shinigami." Unohana regarded Ichigo with quiet steel. "And she has been that for weeks now, its her birthright in fact. You will give her a certain amount of professional liberty."
That was the best term that Unohana could think of, and it didn't begin to describe it. Sibling shinigami did not try to protect each other to the point of smothering. And that was what Ichigo was likely to do at this point.
"Renji, hold out your arm. The typing crystal will tell me whether or not you match your Taichou." Unohana took a small blank smokey crystal point and ran it along Renji's upper arm.
Ichigo just stared. Just like that she was brushing him aside? He scowled. Unohana ignored the scowl. "Well that makes for a short search. Renji's compatible." Unohana sighed. "Ichigo, I can let you see Karin, but don't smother her if she wakes up." She called to Hanatarou. "Yamada-san, please take Kurosaki-fukutaisho to his sister. This way Abarai fukutaisho."
The group split. Rukia sat alone in the waiting room, absolutely miserable.
Ryuken sat, motionless, quiet, against the far wall through Byakuya's transfusion. Uryu and Byakuya had been set on a wider hospital bed. A foot apart from each other. He'd been offered a bottle of sake by a female shinigami with a large bust. "Drown your sorrows in this. Izuru's already smashed. Shuhei's whining that he can't have some."
"Shuhei?"
"He's pregnant, and the one who's it is died tonight."
"Hn."
Footsteps fell at the door. Ryuken didn't look up.
Then an elderly voice spoke up softly. "So you're the one…"
Ryuken's head shot up. His eyes went wide, expecting to meet an accusatory and resentful shinigami noble.
The old man at the door, bent over, smiling; he had long thick and silky white hair. His eyes were as darkly blue gray as the summers night. "…who's son made my Byakuya so happy."
There you go... goodnight, you can read and sleep easy.