~Chapter 28~
Rukia stared dumbly at the four occupants resting in the private wing of the Fourth Squad's infirmary. She had heard about the attack on Karakura High; all of Seireitei did despite the Captain-Commander's attempts to keep the information secret. For days, it was the talk within the Gotei 13, especially when word came out that it would be the 12th Captain, Kurotsuchi Mayuri, conducting the investigation. Many within the Gotei 13 were confused by this decision because usually it was the 10th Squad that investigated such incidents; they were after all investigators. And then to make matters worse was the Captain-Commander's proclamation that Ichigo must be destroyed; all because he was a hybrid. Everyone, whoever known or crossed path with Ichigo, was stunned by the First Captain's order of 'kill-on-sight'. Some were beginning to whisper amongst themselves if an ally, such as Ichigo, was not given a chance to explain himself or even given the chance to prove himself still to be sane then what about them? Would they find themselves facing the same fate without a chance to explain or proving themselves?
Unfortunately for Rukia, she did not have to wonder. She tried not to think about it, and was usually successful in ignoring it, but there would come a time or two when memories from back then would resurface and make her shiver. And with the recent proclamation, Rukia found herself thinking more and more about her own imprisonment and near-execution. If it had not been for Ichigo and the others, she knew that she would have been dead. She would have been made into a cautionary tale to the young recruits. The memories made her shiver again.
When she had first heard about the attack and that Ichigo was missing but before the controversy of the 'kill-on-sight' order, she had barged into her Captain's office demanding to know when the rescue party would be leaving. The solemn look in her Captain's eyes had nearly crushed her. When he had told her that there would be no rescue until Captain Kurotsuchi's final report on Unohara's findings, she had refused to believe it and had ran to her brother, demanding to know why the fate of a dear friend was even up for debate in a damned committee.
"By order of the Captain-Commander." Her brother had told her. She had lost it; she had screamed and cursed, and had said a lot of things that would have been considered treasonous if anyone else had heard her. She had felt so helpless. She could do nothing for her friend, who had stormed the Seireitei for her.
She still felt helpless, but at least now, she could do something. She could help the others adjust to their new-found abilities if Captain Unohana's assessment were to be believed. Then again, Rukia believed in the Captain's assessment. After all, it happened with Orihime and Chad during that little incident with Uryuu so it should not be difficult to believe that the same could happen to the others, especially if they hung around Ichigo since he and the others had returned from the Seireitei.
Unohana was surprised by Rukia's acceptance of her theory and asked for an explanation. Rukia reluctantly told the Fourth Captain that since Tatsuki and Mizuiro had known Ichigo the longest, since childhood, and that ever since the little incident when Uryuu wanted to test Ichigo as a Shinigami, she suspected Tatsuki and Mizuiro were a little more spiritually sensitive than before. Of course, that led to Rukia to explain that particular incident. Unohana was not pleased by the Quincy's recklessness.
Suddenly, Rukia felt a sudden spike in reiatsu. Immediately, she rushed over and smiled in relief as a pair of confused eyes opened. The moment the eyes looked at her, Rukia saw more confusion but also relief, which made her smile even wider.
