Chapter 25: Judgment of the Soul Society
Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or Bleach. I would probably be reasonable wealthy if I did, but too bad for me.
Continuing his progress through the Seretei, Miroku made a mad dash through the stone streets. He was obviously nervous about what he would find in the Maggot's Nest, but from what he had seen during an earlier visit to that place, things were not looking good for Kagome. After a few more minutes of this, the former monk hoisted himself onto a nearby building and leapt from one rooftop to the next using a combination of well-placed flash-steps and perfectly timed jumps. As far as he was concerned, he didn't have time to navigate the endless labyrinth of buildings.
As he cleared a few more buildings, the Detention Unit Compound came into view, which prompted him to add a few more steps into his shunpo. Having been part of the Stealth Force himself, Miroku knew that the people in charge would probably refuse him entry without due permission from the proper authorities, but he still had to try before resorting to less respectable methods of entering the Maggot's Nest.
Touching down a few yards from the front gates, he stared up at the familiar gates of the prison. Like most military establishments in the Seretei, this particular building was surrounded by a wall, the large pair of thick wooden doors in the front being the only way in or out.
Taking a deep breath, the newly appointed Captain approached the two Shinigami standing watch over the Soul Society's high-security prison. Each man wore the ninja-like uniforms of the stealth force, but the symbols on their armbands served to show that they were specially trained guards given the task of protecting this area.
"Excuse me my good men, I require entry in order to interrogate the priestess being held here under Head Captain Yamamoto's orders. If you would be so kind to step aside, I will perform my duties and be on my way as soon as possible." Miroku explained with a small bow of respect.
The two sentinels exchanged looks before answering, as if they were counseling each other on ho the handle the situation. The Shinigami standing on the left side of the gate shook his head. "My apologies Squad 5 Captain, but due to the severity of the current situation, Commander Soifon has deemed that only those with the proper clearance will be allowed access."
Miroku raised a hand in objection as he prepared to explain. "As a captain of the Thirteen Court Guard Squads, that I have no hostile intent. I merely wish to take a closer look at the situation for myself. If you deem it necessary I will go through the proper channels, but I fail to see any logical reason for you to distrust me…"
Looking at his comrade for an answer, the pair of guards nodded in agreement before stepping aside to let him through. "Very well then, but make it quick." Pushing the heavy doors aside, they opened the gates and allowed him to pass.
The captain bowed a second time and continued his procession through the small courtyard of the institute. Looking around, the old prison was just as dismal as he remembered it from all those years ago. Several windows were covered with metal bars, and the inner sanctum behind the gate was paved with stone. A second set of guards stood by the entrance to the building itself, but they assumed that he had clearance and admitted him without raising any sign of objection.
Once inside of the building, Miroku took a quick glance at his surroundings, quickly taking in the brick walls and multiple doorways. Swallowing the lump that had begun to form in his throat, the former monk proceeded towards the stairs which led to the lower chambers where thy kept the most dangerous prisoners. Judging by what he had heard during the captain's meeting, he guessed that Kagome was being held in the lower depths.
Many guards eyed him suspiciously as he navigated the dingy halls of the Maggot's Nest, but none of them seemed to find his presence very suspicious and continued about their daily business. Some questioned what he was doing in a secure location, but these instances were few and he stuck with the same story that he had told to the guards at the front gates. Perhaps he had no official clearance, but it seemed that holding a captaincy among the Gotei 13 really demanded a lot more respect than he had originally thought it would.
After several minutes of silent travel, the former monk reached the final chamber in the deepest section of the underground prison. Several Shinigami guarded the door, all of whom seemed much less cooperative than the other members of the detention unit that he had run into so far. Placing an awkward smile on his face, he nervously approached the ninja-like Shinigami.
The man that appeared to be leading the group was slightly larger than his comrades and seemed to be of a much larger build. Although he wore a similar outfit to his fellow detention unit members, he wore a red sash over his shoulder. His face was also uncovered, revealing a scarred face and long dark hair tied back away from his face. Miroku recognized him as Masashi Fukushima, one of the Twentieth seated officers from Squad 2 who served as a guardsman among the detention unit.
The officer stepped away from his subordinates and approached the visitor. "Stop, this is a secure area. If you come any further than I will be forced to repel you." He warned, placing his hand over the hilt of his own Zanpakuto to emphasize his point.
"It just so happens that the guards outside allowed me access on the grounds that I only wish to see the priestess for a few minutes." Miroku explained to them.
Masashi began to pull his sword from its sheath, but quickly stopped midway as he caught sight of the visitor's white haori. Looking rather flustered, he let the blade slide back into place. "I didn't know that you were the new captain, but I assume that you will forgive my lapse of thought just now."
The former monk relaxed his arms a little. "There's no need for you to apologize as I am new among the ranks of the Gotei 13. Still, I would be most grateful if you were to allow me to see the girl that you are holding in here."
"I received direct orders from Head Captain Yamamoto not to allow anyone to enter this ward, so you will surely understand if I refuse." The seated officer replied with a small bow.
"I see…" Miroku closed his eyes for a moment in thought before answering. Although he didn't want to resort to violence, he knew that an order from the higher ups would definitely overrule any authority that he could provide. Having resolved to see Kagome, he decided that there was no other choice unless he wanted to pass through the proper channels, which could take months if not done properly.
Focusing his spiritual energy on the group of stealth force guards, the former monk cast an unspoken Hakufuku spell on them. The effect was immediate and seconds later the unfortunate victims began passing out onto the stone floor. Once he was sure that they were all unconscious, Miroku withdrew a set of sutras from the inside of his robes and stuck them to the foreheads of every one of the witnesses. The papers would disappear in several minutes, taking with them the last few moments of their memories. No one would know he had even been here.
The Hakufuku Kido Spell was a special attack, capable of rendering the target unconscious in seconds if performed correctly, and the papers he had used on them were actually special spell tags that he had created to erase and replace short-term memories. They were not very useful in battle and did not effect anyone with particularly high spiritual pressure, but for the time being they had been exceedingly useful.
Stepping over the lifeless bodies of the guards, he proceeded through the metal door leading to the next chamber. Behind the door was a grim room, the only source of light being the feeble glow of a single torch hanging off of the wall. Using the flickering flames as a guide, Miroku inched his was across the wall and towards the bars on the far side of the room. When he peered into the bars, a sorry sight met his weary eyes.
Kagome was asleep in the dingy cell, her delicate wrists chained to the back wall of the dungeon, and a large set of shackles cuffed tightly around her ankles. Although she was unconscious, he noticed how uncomfortable she must have been under these terrible conditions. Not only did the locks and chains restrict her movement, but he could also sense traces of Seki Seki stone in the binds, a substance powerful enough to neutralize even the most powerful reiatsu.
As he walked closer to the cell, Kagome's limp form began to stir until finally her eyes shot open with a sense of fear and alarm. When her eyes ad finally adjusted to the inadequate lighting, she pressed called out to the figure standing in the flickering torchlight. "Who's there?" she shouted into the darkness.
A feeling of dread welled up in her chest as she felt a blast of the visitor's reiatsu… but as he moved closer to the bars, she saw his facial features clearly for the first time. For a moment it felt like a dream that she was sure she would wake up from at any moment, but when he came into full view this fear evaporated.
Moving as close to the front of the cell as her binds would permit, the priestess practically leapt towards the bars. "Miroku! Is that really you?"" she cried with unrestrained joy.
The former monk placed a hand on her shoulder through the bars in an attempt to comfort this girl whom he had not seen in five centuries. Although he wore a cheerful expression, he was quite perplexed that she had identified him so quickly. "It's been quite awhile Kagome… I'm rather surprised that you were able to recognize me so easily after such a long time." Inching his hand downward, the perverted monk touched her butt with his free hand.
Feeling this sudden intrusion, the young priestess withdrew slightly at the feel of his touch. "You lecher! Even after all these years you still don't know the meaning of restraint, do you?"
Miroku smiled as she scolded him, a plethora of old memories resurfacing in his mind at that moment. "Forgive me for that… I suppose you could say that old habits die hard."
Kagome let out a small sigh before realizing that she was still in the middle of a rather terrible situation. Perhaps the shock from seeing an old friend again had caused a sudden lapse in judgment but once she had cleared her mind, the young priestess noticed for the first time that Miroku was dressed in a black Shihakusho like Inuyasha. Her eyes moved up and down his figure, and he seemed relatively unchanged otherwise, but the thing that surprised her even more was the appearance of a white uniform over his standard garb. It only took her a few seconds to realize with this meant, but the idea seemed even more mind-blowing than her encounter with Inuyasha at Kisuke Urahara's shop.
Gasping in surprise, she immediately recognized his outfit from the previous day when she had encountered the captain of Squad 2. "How did you become a Shinigami Captain?" she questioned with a sense pf surprise and curiosity.
Miroku gave her an awkward smile, but said nothing for several moments. "I was recently promoted to the permission after my predecessor led an insurgency against the Soul Society, but that is not the main issue right now. Perhaps I will answer all of your questions some other time, but I have some business to discuss with you before the guards outside of this chamber wake up."
"What did you do to them anyway?" Kagome asked.
"I rendered the detention unit guards unconscious using a combination of kido and the spiritual arts that I learned during my life as a monk, but the details are not really important at the moment." He replied with a sense of haste. "I can't stay for long, but I heard from Inuyasha that you were being held here and I couldn't have lived with myself if I didn't make sure that everyone was all right."
The young priestess leaned forward as she heard the name of her beloved. "Where's he being kept right now? Is he all right? What's going on?" she shouted. Although she hadn't meant top be so forward, she had regurgitated her volley of questions on mere impulse.
"Be silent…" The former monk cupped a hand over her mouth and looked around as if he expected someone to enter the room. She remained quiet as he probed the area for any sign of spiritual pressure before speaking up again. "I do not think it would be wise for us to attract any unwanted attention."
"All right, but I really want to know what's going on around here. Ever since I woke up, no one's told me anything. The only person that came in here delivered my food and left shortly after he was done… I've been worried about Inuyasha ever since they left me in here." She replied with a frown.
Miroku cleared his throat in a businesslike manner. "There's absolutely no reason for you to worry about Inuyasha right now. He's been convicted of suspected treason and is currently being held in the Eleventh Division Barracks as a prisoner, but I see no immediate danger to his life in any case."
"Isn't treason punishable by death?" she asked him.
He shook his head in response. "The circumstances surrounding this case are rather complex, and he is only a seated officer. Were he a captain or lieutenant then perhaps I would be worried, but at the moment they will probably keep him contained."
She let out a small sigh of relief upon hearing this new bit of information. "Thank goodness he's all right. I don't know what I would have done if anything bad happened to him…"
He folded his arms, looking slightly grim. "He'll be fine for now so long as he doesn't try anything foolish, but I am much more concerned about you at the moment." Upon seeing the puzzled expression on her face, he decided to elaborate. "You are currently being held in the worst prison in the Seretei for safekeeping. I assume that Inuyasha has already explained why?" he waited for her nod before resuming the explanation. "Despite the current circumstances, I do not believe that you have done anything wrong to deserve this and I plan to plead your case to the other captains as soon as possible."
Kagome grasped the bars with her shacked hands and looked down at the stone floor with an expression of shame. "Do you really think that you will be able to help us? I understand why the Soul Society want to keep me here… and maybe it would be better for everyone is I stay where I won't cause any problems for anyone." A single tear ran down her face, concealed by her rave hair. "I know about the true fate of the jewel, and I would just be a danger to everyone around me no matter where I go…"
"Do not speak like that!" Miroku gave her a rather stern expression at this time.
"If those assailants out there manage to capture me, who knows how they could use the jewel?" she cried through the streams of tears running down her face. "At least if I stay here, I won't be a burden anymore."
Reaching through the bars, the former monk pushed her chin up so that she could see his face. "You are an innocent person who just happened to get mixed up in this mess… and I will do everything I can to help secure your freedom. In harboring Kikyo's spirit your fate was tied to the Shikon Jewel from birth, but you did not choose this fate… Understand this fact and learn to live with it, but do not believe for a second that you deserve to rot in here because of who or what you are."
The young priestess fell silent again. Sparing another glance at her old friend, she wiped the tears away from her eyes and drew herself up to her full height. Her expression softened as a nervous expression crept its way onto her face. "I thought that I had become stronger, but I guess that after all this time I'm still the same as I was before."
Miroku observed her carefully through the flickering light of the torch, his own eyes having finally adjusted to the lackluster source of light. "That is nothing to be ashamed of. Despite all of the hardships that you have endured over time, you have remained pure of heart and spirit, which is something that very few people can truthfully say."
Kagome shifted her gaze to floor, although her tears had stopped, she still seemed depressed by the dangers surround the situation in the Soul Society. "Thank you… but I still can't help but wonder how this will end. I know I'm not exactly an expert on the legends surrounding the jewel, or the secrets of the Soul Society, but is it possible to remove the jewel from existence for good, or are we helpless to prevent its return to the world?"
"That is something that even I cannot answer, but perhaps we will find out soon enough." He looked equally as puzzled by this thought, but a sudden rustling noise outside of the cell told him that the spell was beginning to wear off. Kagome seemed to hear it too and opened her mouth to say something else, but he raised a hand to silence her. "I'm afraid I must go now, but I promise to return if I have any more news to share with you."
"Before you go, could you please tell me what happened to Sango after I left. Is she here in the Soul Society, or did something happen to her" She pleaded for an answer.
Sorrow filled his eyes as he thought of the situation, but any tears that he had shed for his beloved wife had dried up years ago. He had spent years mourning her death after she died in the world of the living, and even more after he failed to find her again in the Soul Society. Although he still remained saddened by her disappearance from his life, the feeling of loneliness never left him even after five centuries.
Turning his head away from the young priestess, he tried to conceal his feelings of eternal sorrow until he was able to find his voice again. "I'm afraid… I don't know… …" he muttered more to himself than anyone else. "I scoured the Soul Society for over a century when I first came here after my death, but I could not find her."
She now silently wished that she hadn't asked him about it. It must have truly been painful for him to endure. Like Inuyasha, he apparently retained his memories from life, but considering how long the former half-demon had lived without her made her think that Miroku had gone through the same experience. "I'm sorry…" was the only reply she could muster.
Miroku shook his head and turned back to face her again. "Do not apologize, Kagome… I may have retained my memories of life, but that does not mean that I can allow myself to be ruled by a past now long gone. Many years ago I told myself that I would not, because Sango would never have wanted me to live in misery… Perhaps one day I may find her, but until then I shall preserver. Everyone has his or her own burden to bear in life, but that it is what it means to be human."
"I guess that makes sense…" she replied. Kagome looked on as her old friend turned to leave. "When will I see you again, and what about Inuyasha?"
"There is a captain's meeting taking place this week so I should be able to plead your case to Head Captain Yamamoto. Although I am unsure of how they will react, my guess is that it will be a challenge to make the other captains see reason." He said. The former monk averted her gaze for a moment before finishing. "If all else fails, than I will speak with Inuyasha and we will try to come up with something else."
Kagome seemed to understand and merely sunk back with a gloomy disposition, but her movement did not go unnoticed by Miroku, even though his back was still to her.
"As I said before, I will return if anything else happens, but for now you must not lose faith. I promise you that I will do what I can to solve this problem." Glancing back at her for one last time, the Shinigami Captain gave her a shadow of a smile and disappeared in a flash of shunpo. A small gust of wind struck her as he vanished, but it dissipated in a matter of seconds, leaving behind no evidence that he had been there to begin with.
She was rather stunned by his appearance, but knowing that she had his support was even more comforting. If her was a captain, then perhaps he really could help both her and Inuyasha get out of this mess. Settling herself back into the chair in her cell, she prayed that everything would turn out for the best, no matter what needed to be done in order to achieve this. Above all, she hoped that everyone would get out of this mess all right…
Leaving the stealth Force Prison behind him, Miroku resumed his journey throughout the Soul Society, but a voice interrupted his thoughts as if it he could hear it inside of his head. "Attention! By order of the Commander General, all available captains are to report to the Squad 1 assembly hall for an emergency captain's meeting. I repeat, all available captains report in for an emergency meeting… That is all…"
Changing course in compliance with this new bit of information, he diverted his path towards the giant castle-like structure atop the giant hill in the center of the Seretei. Hurrying as fast as he could, he managed to reach the front doors of the meeting hall just in time for the gathering to begin. The guards stepped aside as he approached, allowing him to enter the inner sanctum of the Squad 1 Headquarters. Placing their hands on the doors, the sentinels heaved open the wooden barricade to reveal the long meeting hall where the other captains had already assembled.
As soon as he entered the room, Miroku felt slightly out of place. This was his first official meeting where he had something important to say, and the looks that the other captains were giving him were anything but welcoming. Only Jushiro Ukitake seemed to be happy to see him, while the other ranking officers seemed either distrustful or indifferent to his presence. Mayuri Kurotsuchi gave an unpleasant sneer, while Byakuya Kuchiki remained unmoved by the new captain's entry. A few of them didn't seem to care… particularly Shunsui Kyouraku who merely tilted his hat down to hide his face, and Kenpachi who looked rather bored with the proceedings.
Focusing his attention away from the awkward stares and silent sneers, the newly appointed captain approached the end of the room and took his place beside the canine-faced Sajin Komamura. Standing up as straight as he could, Miroku attempted to hold himself with the same dignity that the other captains seemed to have. Once everyone had settled, Head Captain Yamamoto rose from his throne at the end of the hall and tapped the end of his wooden staff against the floor twice to signal the beginning of the meeting.
Clearing his throat, the old general addressed the regal assembly. "I have called you all here to address a matter of grave importance." Miroku shifted uneasily, but said nothing as the elderly man continued. "By now you are all aware of the current circumstances plaguing the Soul Society, but Captain Kurotsuchi has recently stumbled onto some most disturbing news."
The Squad 12 Captain took this as his cue to speak. "Recent information that I came across in the Central 46 archives suggests that our enemy may yet try to attack the Seretei."
"Our recent capture of the priestess was a major victory on our part." Byakuya Kuchiki replied in an emotionless drawl. "They would be fools to attack us in any case, as the priestess is being held in the Maggot's Nest in the Stealth Force compound, and the Shikon stone is held in a tower inside of this very building… Both of these locations are heavily guarded at all times, and are too deep within the Seretei for them to try anything."
"It appears that you have a short memory Captain Kuchiki…" the mad scientist retaliated with an mean spirited leer. "The reports given to use by the Captain Hitsugaya and the Stealth Force indicate that this enemy has some impressive fighters among their ranks. Such as individuals with spiritual pressure matching that of us captains, as another who was fast enough to outmaneuver the Head of Squad 2."
Captain Hitsugaya nodded in agreement. "Not to mention my initial encounter with that strange assailant outside of the Squad 10 Barracks. Admittedly enough I was foolish enough to let my guard down in front of an enemy, but I assure you that his reiatsu was just as strong as a captain's."
Kenpachi's mouth twisted into an insane smile. "I say let them come… It's been boring as hell around here ever since that bastard Aizen ran off. It's about time something interesting happened in this place if you ask me."
"Well nobody asked you." Soifon snapped. The Squad 11 Captain glared back at the diminutive woman but a quick glance around the room brought him back to his senses.
"Either way it is a ludicrous idea that a banished clan of Shinigami could possibly infiltrate the Seretei and enter two of the most heavily guarded areas within the Soul Society." Komamura interjected. "If we place squads at each gate and double security, I see no reason why we would have to get personally involved."
The mad scientist glared as he held back the urge to lash out at his fellow captains for interrupting. "If someone had allowed me to finish what I was saying earlier, than perhaps the rest of you degenerates would not have wasted our time with this meaningless bickering." When the other officers turned their attention back to him, Kurotsuchi spoke again. "As I was trying to explain earlier… the four stones each have powerful mystic properties of their own."
A silence fell over the room for a few moments, but none of the captains seemed to lose their composure quite yet. Ukitake was the first to recover from the thought. "If theoretically the enemy had the other three stones, then they could use these abilities against us."
Shunsui Kyouraku pushed the brim of his hat up so that he could get a better view of his surroundings. "I don't like to think about it, but I must admit that it's a very strong possibility… As far as we know, these stones could provide exactly the kind of power that these people need to capture the last one that we have in our possession."
Yamamoto nodded in agreement. "That is our concern, but as it stands we have little knowledge of this possible scenario."
"Not exactly true." Kurotsuchi replied. "My research also yielded some interesting facts that you may find most interesting. Five-hundred years ago, the Central 46 did some experiments on the stone that we were able to obtain, and managed to awaken its power using forbidden Kido especially developed for that purpose. Fearful of their own discoveries, the council ended all research on the subject and handed the stone over to the Captains of the Thirteen Court Guard Squads to safeguard."
Ukitake looked thoroughly disturbed by the thought. "Were you able to discover exactly what kind of power can be obtained through such dark designs."
"It's actually quite interesting you see… The dark power of these stones can produce artificial souls which obey the orders of the person who cast the spell." The Squad 12 Captain explained.
A look of grave concern appeared on Miroku's face. Taking this pause to his own advantage, the newly appointed captain spoke up for the first time all meeting. "Here in the Soul Society the Department of Research and Development has manufactured many artificial souls over the years, including a number of mod-souls. Tell me how these synthetic creatures differ."
The mad scientist merely shrugged off the question. "It's really not that different in most respects, but the souls are given physical forms without the need of a Gigai. What makes matters worse, is that these creatures were built for battle. They feel no pain and if ordered they will continue to fight as long as their bodies remain intact."
The old general raised his head as if he had just come to another conclusion. "Your description is reminiscent of something that our investigation team witnessed in the Rukongai."
Kurotsuchi's eyes widened with interest, but the rest of the captains seemed visibly disturbed by this news. The snowy haired captain of Squad 10 took a step forward. "Did you receive any more details?" he questioned his superior.
"Indeed…" the elderly man replied with a stern expression. "There were supposedly six of these creatures, all of them garbed in samurai armor and wielding various weapons. According to the account given to us by Lieutenant Kira, they managed to behead one of these creatures, but the bodies continued to fight."
Despite the severity of the situation, Kurotsuchi worked his best to suppress an evil grin. "That is essentially how the Soul Society archives describe the artificial souls spawned by the Shikon Stones. Bearing this new bit of information in mind, it is entirely possible that the enemy may be assembling an army of these soul puppets as we speak."
Soifon stepped forward aggressively, quickly shifting her gaze onto the scientist. "What kind of numbers are we talking about? Surely the limited abilities of the stones could never have released enough soldiers to openly challenge the combined forces of the Stealth Force, Kido Corps, and the Thirteen Court Guard Squads."
The Squad 12 Captain scratched the side of his chin with his long fingernail. "It's hard to say really… The power of the stones is limited, but not in the way that most people would surmise. For you see, they can only spawn a limited number of souls each day, and it takes a considerable amount of effort on behalf of the puppet master."
Kenpachi scratched the side of his head in boredom. "Enough with the details. Just give us an idea of what we're up against here."
"Even if the enemy only recent began to produce these puppets, than I would be willing to say that we would be up against a considerable force. The secret art developed by the research team five centuries ago was written down in the archives, but unfortunately for us the information recently disappeared from the database."
Captain Hitsugaya folded his arms in a rather serious manner. "Thinking back on that night I was attacked, I am beginning to wonder if the enemy wanted more than to test the strength of our security. Perhaps he also managed to escape with the information necessary to use these forbidden arts."
"What do you know? This could be fun after all…" The Squad 11 Captain replied with an amused smirk.
Miroku glanced down the line at the erasable berserker, apparently un-amused by the concept of all out war. "Perhaps we should stop them before things in the Soul Society get worse."
"If that was a possible course of action, we would have done so already." Yamamoto explained. "We currently have no idea where the enemy is hiding. Therefore, we will not be able to initiate such a plan without first finding out more about the current situation."
"So do we just wait for them to come to use then?" Soifon interjected.
"Don't be too hasty, we can't afford to lose our composure in the face of adversity." The former monk replied in an attempt to prevent another argument.
The Stealth Force Commander advanced forwards, stopping short of the old general. "Head-Captain Yamamoto… I have already dispatched units of the Stealth Force to different parts of the Rukongai to search for leads. I believe that if we continue to search, we may eventually find out the necessary information to plot a counterattack against the enemy."
Ukitake stepped out of line. "The Fallen House of Izanai was known for producing quite a number of captain-level Shinigami before their banishment. I believe that even without the assistance of the Shikon Stones they would still be a powerful enemy."
The old general held up a withered hand to silence them, his own patience beginning to wane. "As it stands, we must proceed with caution for the time being. I believe that we should wait for the Stealth Force to report in before acting, but if they are still unable to discover the whereabouts of the enemy, then we may have no other choice but to wait for our adversary to make the first move."
A murmur of agreement swept over the group. Once he was satisfied with their reaction, Yamamoto tapped his walking stick against the floor to bring the meeting to order. "The next topic on today's agenda concerns the security of the remaining stone and the priestess. After this meeting, I intend to double the security around both locations so that the enemy will not be able to approach easily."
Swallowing the lump that had begun to form in his throat, Miroku finally decided that now was as good a time as ever to voice his concerns if he planned to do so. Stepping out of line, the newly appointed captain stepped in front of the old general and bowed his head in respect.
"Is there something that you wish to say, Squad 5 Captain?" the Head Captain asked.
He looked his superior in the eye, but paused for a moment as if he were unable to find the right words. "As a newcomer among the captains I have little right to go against the decisions of the Soul Society, but I… I believe that the priestess has done nothing to warrant imprisonment in the Maggot's Nest."
Soifon glared at him with intense disgust. "After everything that you have heard, you can honestly say that our decision is unjust. We cannot take any chances considering what may happen if the enemy is allowed to get their hands on her."
"She is safest in the Maggot's nest." Captain Hitsugaya agreed.
Byakuya merely nodded. "Her current confinement is best for the Soul Society. As Captains of the Thirteen Court Guard Squads, it is our duty to ensure the safety and stability of both worlds… No matter what the cost."
"She is an innocent girl who has done nothing to deserve such confinement." Miroku cried. "The Maggot's Nest is a prison for the worst criminals in the Soul Society, and the conditions in which the prisoners are forced to live are appalling. The priestess did not choose her fate, nor has she committed any crimes deserving of such terrible treatment."
To his intense surprise, the sickly captain of the Thirteenth Division seconded his notion. "While I agree that the girl must be kept safe from our enemies, I also believe that her current living conditions should be improved."
"I see no reason why we should concern ourselves with such a trivial matter. The priestess is currently being one of the most secure locations in the Seretei, and it would be best if we leave her there until this state of emergency is over" Soifon replied.
Miroku turned to his opposition with an irritated look. "Apparently you have no qualms about treating an innocent girl like a common criminal."
"Are you suggesting that we put the entire Soul Society at risk to cater to your personal sense of justice!" she argued back.
The former monk breathed an exasperated sigh and silently walked back to his place in line. Although he could feel all eyes on himself, he basically ignored it. Turning to face his fellow captains, Miroku bowed his head a second time. "You have my apologies for the interruption, Head Captain Yamamoto." He replied courteously. "I only wished to voice my concerns…"
"Your input is noted, but we have no other accommodations for prisoners that would be much more suitable." The old general replied. "Our concern is that she remains safely out of the enemy's hands."
Miroku gave a reluctant nod. "Perhaps if we have no other choice… but I do not believe that it is necessary to keep her trapped in such a place."
Although he wished to say more, he realized that revealing too much about his own past with Kagome and Inuyasha might not be the best idea at the moment. With that thought in mind, he also decided against pressing for Inuyasha's release right now, although considering how the system worked, he could probably find a another legal way to help the his former half-demon friend.
Once the assembly had grown silent again, Yamamoto spoke up again. "Very well then… If no one else has anything to contribute, I hereby call this captain's meeting to an end…" Tapping his staff on the floor again, he dismissed the group from the hall. Slowly but surely the group marched towards the open doors, disappearing in a flash of Shunpo as they passed over the threshold.
Miroku had a few more things that he wanted to know, but he decided to return to the Squad 5 Barracks for the time being to sort out his thoughts. Maybe there was something else he could do, but would it be worth trying… He wanted to see if there was anything else he could learn about the situation, but sneaking into the Department of Research and Development would cause a lot of trouble if he didn't have permission.
In Karakura Town
It was the end of a rather long school day, but Ichigo and the others had chosen to remain behind as the other students headed home.
"Damn it! What do you mean they just took her and left?" he shouted, grabbing the front of Renji's shirt and shaking him slightly.
"You don't have to shout like that, I'm right next to you." The Squad 6 lieutenant shot him a rather irritated expression as he stuck a finger into his right ear and twisted it around a few times. "Just calm down already, people are beginning to stare, and if you keep yelling like that I might lose my sense of hearing."
The orange-haired student looked around at his classmates and noticed that quite a few of them had deviated from their own conversations to watch the spectacle. After several moments, they all went about their own business, allowing Ichigo's group in the corner of the schoolyard to continue the discussion in private.
He leaned forward so that they could discuss things more quietly. "So, what did those bastards do to Kagome anyway?"
Renji shrugged with a puzzled expression. "I'm not entirely sure what they have planned for her, but I heard from Marechiyo Omaeda that they were planning on keeping her locked up in the Maggot's Nest until the danger passes."
Rukia's eyes widened slightly, but her notion didn't go unnoticed by the other members of their little group. Uryu slipped onto the scene with a serious expression on his face. "And just what kind of place is this Maggot's Nest."
"It's the most high-security prison in the Soul Society…" The petite woman replied in a solemn tone. Once everyone turned to look at her, she continued her explanation. "People say that all who are thrown into those terrible dungeons never come out alive."
"And they just sent an innocent girl into a place like that!" the Quincy archer replied with a noticeable scowl.
Ichigo seemed to reciprocate this feeling. "We have to do something about this now. With so much crap going on there's no telling what might happen even if the Soul Society thinks they're keeping her safe by taking away her rights to freedom."
"You already know what's going on Ichigo, and we can't do a damn thing about it." Renji tried to explain to him. "The captains already made their decision, and I've been hearing some nasty rumors going around the Seretei about the true identity of the enemy who is trying to capture the priestess."
"What are you two doing about it then?" Ichigo asked.
"Due to the current events and new discoveries made by our superiors, we have been called back to duty in the Soul Society…" Rukia explained. "Right now it is important that Renji and I return to the Seretei and report in to our squads. We came to give you this information before we go…"
Ichigo clenched his fists. "Fine, if that's the case then I'm going with you guys…"
"I shall accompany you as well." Uryu straightened his glasses, his powerful gaze settling on the three Shinigami. "Count me in…" Orihime chimed in. "I'm in too…" Chad replied quickly.
The pair of Shinigami exchanged concerned looks. "I'm sorry, but none of you should get involved in this. This is Shinigami business…." Renji added
"Since when has that ever stopped us?" Ichigo questioned with an irritated expression. "As far as I'm concerned, Kagome's involvement makes it our business, and who knows what'll happen if we don't try to sort this mess out soon."
The Squad 6 lieutenant pressed the palm of his hand against his vibrantly colored hair, letting out a deep sigh. "Even if you did come with us, your friends couldn't really do much anyway… The official Senkaimon doesn't work on humans, which is why the Kido Corps had to prepare a special gate for you guys the last time you left the Soul Society."
"Precisely…" Rukia added with a small nod. "I'm willing to bet that Kisuke Urahara also did adjustments to his own gate when you guys first arrived in the Soul Society. As it stands, only a spirit being can pass through an ordinary doorway leading between the worlds."
Digging around inside of his backpack, the orange-haired substitute pulled out a rather grumpy looking stuffed lion. "If that's the case, I'll come with you guys now, and the others can meet up with us later."
Forcing himself out of Ichigo's grip, the stuffed animal leapt from his captors arm and collided with the ground a few feet away. "Hey what's the big idea?" Kon shouted, shaking an fist at his owner with irritation. "You think you can just use me whenever you want? What am I, some jacket you can just slip on and off whenever you want."
Despite everything that he was saying, Ichigo seemed to ignore the stuffed toy's angry protests. Lifting his foot in the air, he stomped Kon into the ground with his sneaker, putting in deliberate force as he repeated the action a few times to emphasize the point. Everyone stared on in interest as the substitute Shinigami picked up the doll and shook him. "You're a pain in the ass, you know that?" he said to the doll.
Reaching into the toy's mouth, the orange-haired high school student removed the Ginkongan from the plush doll's stomach, eliciting a loud gagging noise as the stuffed animal fell limp. After dusting it off against his shirt, Ichigo swallowed the pill whole, and in a matter of seconds, he came bursting out of his body in Shinigami form.
His physical body stood a few feet away wearing a puzzled expression, but seemed to be fine nonetheless. Once he had regained his bearings, Kon pounced forward and wrapped his or rather, Ichigo's arms, around the female Shinigami standing a few feet away.
Rukia pried open his grip and shoved her assailant backwards, nailing him in the head with a powerful kick. The impact sent him flying backwards towards Ishida, who merely stepped to the side to avoid the collision.
The real Ichigo opened his mouth to say something, but found himself lost for words for the moment as he watched the petite woman defend herself. He had seen beat on Kon plenty of times, but he had a feeling that he would feel this one when he got back to his body.
"You little midget! That's my body, you know?" he replied, his temper firing up as he imagined the possible damage she could have done.
She folded her arms with a grim expression. "And I suppose for that reason alone, you expected me to let him continue."
"Yeah… well no… I … …" The Substitute Shinigami searched his mind for an answer, but a load groan coming from behind him caught their attention. Although Kon looked like he was in pain, it appeared as though he was fine.
Uryu bent over Ichigo's limp form and observed him for a few seconds. "It's doesn't look like there will be any lasting damage." He replied in an indifferent tone. "You are fortunate that he only took a bump to the head."
Chad lifted Kon into the air and leaned him up against one of the trees in the Schoolyard. Luckily for them, most of the students had left by now, so they hadn't attracted any unwanted gazes from outsiders. Ichigo placed a hand on his spiritual forehead as he imagined the pain that his physical body must be in right now. "Kon… I want you to fill in for me while I'm gone. If you do anything that seems suspicious while I'm gone, I promise to make your life a living hell when I get back."
The mod-soul cringed in fear at the thought, having been on the receiving end of his owner's wrath too many times to count. The gesture looked rather odd coming from his body, but the Substitute Shinigami appeared to be relatively satisfied with the result.
"All right then… I'll head to the Soul Society with them right now." He explained. "The rest of you guys should find Urahara and meet up with the rest of us as soon as you can."
Turning back to his other two friends, he seemed pleased that they had reached a solid understanding. "All right, let's head out."
Separating from their respective Gigai's, Rukia and Renji appeared next to Ichigo. Exchanging an understanding expression with the orange-haired Shinigami, she thrust her Zanpakuto into the air in front of them, turning the hilt like a key and opening the doorway between the worlds. A strange mist engulfed the surrounding area as a pair of wooden doors appeared in front of them and slid open to reveal a dark passageway.
Cracking his knuckles in boredom, Renji extended his index finger, allowing a hell butterfly to land on his hand. Once he had gained clearance, the red-haired lieutenant leapt through the portal and into the dangai between the Soul Society and the world of the living. Rukia gave her friends a shadow of a smile before leaping into the portal, and Ichigo gave them a casual wave and quickly followed after the petite woman.
Note to Readers: Sorry for the series of events again, but it is necessary to sit through this before we can get to the good part. Trust me, the Bleach Anime and many other Anime shows often do that. I'm sorry for not updating for a while, but I had final exams in my college classes, and I found the chapter particularly difficult to write. I don't really enjoy writing the boring stuff much more than you guys enjoy reading it.
So, Miroku's been completely overruled by Head Captain Yamamoto…What will he do, and what will happen when Ichigo gets involved? Please review... It helps motivate me to wrtie more chapters and update faster.