Chapter 29: The Brush Stroke
(I am being buried under a heavy pile of work, but it should ease up by tomorrow, so I will be diving into my PMs and such then. Just wanted to get a post in before running off to work. Enjoy the new chapter! Love, Spunky)
Tama sat quietly in front of the canvas, his grey eyes deeply focused on the lovely lines of his son's beautiful face as he added color to the long strands of swirling hair that fell around his shoulders, then worked on the fine details around Byakuya's eyes that looked like his, the finely chiseled lines of his nose and jaw, then the pale and graceful looking throat.
I see it everywhere, the things that came from my love, Soujun, and the things that came from me. Byakuya is such a perfect representation of our love. I only wish dear Soujun could be here now. I know what he would be doing. He wouldn't be sitting here, painting quietly as though nothing could be wrong. No, Soujun would be out looking for our son and doing what he could to save him!
But how can I do that?
There has been no sign of him, and word came from Ichigo that he was placed in a permanent gigai and had his memories taken.
Tama shivered inwardly at the thought and his brush trembled in his hand. He looked at it more closely and took a breath.
I don't know where he is, but I do know that we have to find him. He is all that is left of Soujun. I have watched Byakuya from a distance for all of these years and it never seemed that he needed anything from me, but he needs me now. Somehow, I have to find a way to be there for him...and not just by painting him and helping watch over the babies.
His fingers tightened around the brush in his hand.
It is time for me to act like a real father. I never could before, because of our situation...the scandal around his birth that Soujun was desperate to avoid and then, the fact that Byakuya was heir to the Kuchiki family and had other stronger people protecting him. There was no place for me in that picture.
He stole another glance at the unfinished canvas.
But there is now.
Tama looked up, his grey eyes curious as voices sounded near the front of the house. He rose and slipped into the hallway, pausing near the end and watching where Tessai stood, talking to two police officers.
"I'm sorry," Tessai said, "Urahara-san and Ichigo-san are not here right now, but if it's about Byakuya-san, you can talk to me. I am also his friend."
"I just wanted to pass on something that may or may not be important," one of the officers explained, "There was a man who was picked up in Aomori. It's pretty far away, but the prints we took did match the ones your friends provided. It may be a mistake. The guy we found doesn't look exactly like your friend, but...we thought we should pass on that there was a match on the prints."
"That's very interesting," Tessai said, looking down and studying the picture the officer handed him, "May I keep this?"
"Of course," the officer said, "I hope it helps."
"It might," Tessai said, frowning, "Thank you. I will make sure that Urahara-san and Ichigo-san receive it."
"Thanks."
Tama edged closer, angling so that he could see the picture that Tessai held.
They are right that it doesn't look like him. But if the ones who took him didn't want us finding him, they would have hidden his face, wouldn't they? Then, this could be Byakuya. The eyes look right. They look so empty though!
He bit his lip gently and looked again at the brush in his hand. Very slowly, he retreated back down the hallway and into the room he had been given. His fingers tightened around the paintbrush and he took a steadying breath.
I will have to be sure that I am not recognized, he reasoned, If they took his memories and set him down in that other place, they will have someone watching him. Luckily...this brush is good for something more than regular painting. As a peaceful person, I don't often use it that way, but it seems there is no choice. I won't leave Byakuya in that situation. I have no choice but to do as my Soujun would if he was still here. I will go and find our son!
"Aibu," he breathed, his heart quickening as reiatsu swelled around the hand that held the paintbrush, "Gamenseimei!"
He looked into the mirror that stood on the dresser in the room, watching as his face was slowly made over so that he was unrecognizable. When the reiatsu settled, he moved to the window and slipped outside. He left quickly, and opened a senkaimon, smiling as he remembered Soujun's gentle touch on his face and his lover's sweet smile.
"I have given you permission to use our family senkaimon, if you are ever in need."
Tama smiled sadly.
"Thank you, my love," he whispered, passing into the precipice world, "Now, I can finally do right by you...by us and the wonderful son we made together!"
XXXXXXXXXX
Nobu looked up as a knock sounded on the door and hurried to answer. He smiled at the young woman who stood waiting outside.
"Kinu-san," he greeted her, "thank you for coming so quickly."
"Well, it sounded like you were worried about our Mitsukai. Where is he?"
Nobu motioned for her to enter the house and pointed towards the hallway.
"He's asleep, or he was, last time I checked. I gave him some of the ginger tea you gave me to calm his stomach and help him rest after he was sick."
"What was wrong with him? Tell me what happened," Kinu said, following him into the hallway.
"He seemed very depressed, which makes sense with what's happened to him."
"Yes, it does."
"But he was coping all right. He said that he was starting to remember something...something about someone bathing him. He seemed to become upset then. He had a bad headache when he tried to recall more. After that, he threw up and got very dizzy."
"Hmm," Kinu said, looking down at the sleeping man, "Let me have a look. Why don't you go and bring him some plain rice and something to drink for when he wakes? He is very pale and his skin feels cold. There's no fever."
Nobu nodded and exited the room, leaving the nurse alone with the sleeping man. Kinu leaned over Byakuya, her eyes narrowing slightly as she placed a hand on his forehead and closed her eyes for a moment. Her frown deepening, she ran her fingers down the side of his face, making him flinch and shift in his sleep.
"Hmm," she mused, glancing over her shoulder, then sliding a hand into her medical bag.
She withdrew a small syringe and filled it from a little bottle, then took hold of Byakuya's arm and gave him a quick injection. Byakuya's eyes flew open in reaction and locked on hers, widening as realization registered in them.
"Kinu-san," he managed, "what are you...?"
"It's all right," the nurse said reassuringly, smiling and touching his face gently, "You will be fine now. I've given you something to help clear your mind. Rest a little longer, Mitsukai. You will be fine now."
Byakuya shivered, his heart pounding strangely and his mind going hazy and quiet. As the nurse's eyes watched closely, he relaxed and his eyes blinked slowly and closed again. Kinu looked up and smiled at Nobu as the officer entered the bedroom, carrying a tray of food.
"He didn't wake for you?" he asked worriedly, "Kinu-san, is he going to be all right?"
"He will be fine," the nurse assured him, "I had to give him something to calm him. He was getting restless. So, he may be groggy when he wakes, but that will wear off. Just...I think that until he is more settled, you should avoid pushing him to remember things. If, as you said, remembering triggers his physical symptoms, we should focus on getting him physically stronger, then he can come to the hospital for meetings with a psychologist to help him work on remembering. I know a man on our staff who is very good. I will be sure Mitsukai is assigned to him."
"Thank you so much, Kinu-san," Nobu said appreciatively.
"You are welcome," the nurse said, smiling more warmly, "but are you sure you wish to keep him here?"
"I can't let him go out on his own like this," Nobu said, frowning, "maybe when he's better."
"You're so kind to take care of him," Kinu went on, "but I have been speaking with his doctor, and he seemed to think he could get a referral to move Mitsukai into a care facility."
"Oh no, he wouldn't last a day in an asylum!"
"Oh, no, not like that," Kinu said quickly, "This is a private hospital that has a very good reputation. They might be able to help Mitsukai regain his memory. They take only a few cases of indigent patients, but the doctors feel he is an interesting case."
Nobu's frown deepened and he looked uncertainly from the nurse to Byakuya.
"I don't know," he said softly, "I suppose if it will help him recover..."
"You can just wait until he wakes and see how he feels about it," Kinu suggested, "He seems motivated to recover his memory. This could be the way to do that."
"I suppose you are right," Nobu said anxiously, "I will talk to him about it. Thank you again for coming, Kinu-san. Can I offer you some tea and snacks?"
"That would be nice," Kinu answered, nodding, "That way, I can examine him again when he wakes...to make sure that the medicine I gave him had the desired effect."
The two exited the room, leaving Byakuya sleeping quietly.
Byakuya's mind spun in gentle circles under the influence of the medication, turning over the things that had happened. Little flashes of other things...the green-eyed man who had bathed him, another man with ginger colored hair and a friendly smile, an image of beautiful gardens...tried to form, but were swiftly spun away again.
Why can't I remember?
I feel things trying to come to me, but they just slip away again...
In his dizzy mind, he saw Kinu's eyes looking down into his and felt a sharp sting in his arm.
She said this would help me, but...I don't...
His mind went into a longer spiral and he felt the images from before fade away. He thought he should feel afraid, but his dizziness increased and his body relaxed in response to the medication.
"Rest now, Mitsukai," Kinu's gentle voice urged him, "Just let everything go for a while."
A little voice in the back of his spinning mind sounded warningly, but was drowned out by a sort of soft buzzing that spread and took over. Slowly, his worry drained away and he sank into a deeper sleep. Kinu returned to the room one more time and laid a hand on his face.
"There now. That is much better. You are adjusting well. Just don't be stubborn and everything will be fine."
Kinu gathered her things and rose, giving Byakuya a final glance before nodding in approval and exiting the room.
XXXXXXXXXX
"I can't believe those bastards!" Ichigo complained to Kisuke as the two returned through the precipice world, "You should've heard them. They are just giving up and letting those assholes railroad Byakuya! I'm not letting it happen. No way!"
"Well," Kisuke said bracingly, "we will do something, but you need to calm down and let's think about this first. We need to try to get some leads."
"Man," Ichigo sighed anxiously, "I just hope Hinata and Satoshi can really get Tetsuya and Renji out of the family jail."
"Don't worry about that," the shopkeeper chuckled, "Hinata's got a few tricks up his sleeve and you know those Shihoins. They don't give up easily and they're slippery as hell. Don't worry, Tetsuya and Renji are in good hands. Those two will have them sprung in no time."
"And then what?" Ichigo mused, scowling in frustration, "We still have no idea where Byakuya could be. And we know now that if we get too nosy, these jerks who took him are going to kill him!"
"We're kind of lucky the bastards didn't kill him outright," Kisuke sighed, but I'm with you. This whole thing stinks, Ichigo."
"I'm sure that a few of those elders are working with the rogue group," Ichigo surmised, "That means that we can't depend on them for much of anything. We don't want to get Byakuya killed. He's completely defenseless. He doesn't have any idea how much danger he's in!"
"Well, then we'll do it without their help," Kisuke said in a determined tone, "I'll go tracking, starting with the area where he was taken."
"I thought you already looked there," Ichigo said, frowning.
"I did, but maybe we missed something. I'm going to try a few things to see if I can't pick up something. There has to be something. There always is."
"What can I do?" Ichigo asked, "I feel like I need to be doing something or I'll go out of my mind."
"It's okay. I understand how you feel. Just...we need to be careful to protect your babies while we're making our moves."
"You think the ones who took Byakuya will hurt Suki and Torao?" Ichigo asked worriedly.
"Well, they took Byakuya out," Kisuke reasoned, "They want a pureblood leader, and the kids are mixed bloods."
"This is crazy!" Ichigo exclaimed, "I don't get these guys at all! Why does it matter that they have a little peasant blood too? It's insane, Kisuke."
"Yeah, I agree," the shopkeeper sighed, "But noble clan logic works a little differently, and they're the ones with the power, Ichigo."
"Yeah?" Ichigo snapped softly, "well we've got some power too. We're gonna find Byakuya and bust the living hell out of the guys who did this to him!"
"Good thinking," Kisuke chuckled, "Keep thinking that way, just, you might wanna wait until we have a few more clues before you lay waste, okay?"
"I'll be careful," Ichigo resolved, "I'm pissed, but I'm not going to do anything that will get Byakuya hurt. We're gonna get him back, Kisuke, and we're going to make those bastards who took him pay for it!"
"I'm with you," Kisuke agreed, flash stepping out of the precipice world and dropping into the underground training area.
The two were immediately met by Tessai, who handed Kisuke a picture.
"Boss, while you were gone, two police officers came. I think one was the officer who met with you and Ichigo-san yesterday."
"What did they say?" Ichigo asked quickly, "Did they find him?"
"Well, they weren't sure," Tessai explained, "They gave me a picture of a man who was injured in an incident in Aomori."
"That's pretty far away," Kisuke mused, "but then, they'd want him to be well away from here. Go on."
"They gave me this picture. They said that the prints match, but the picture doesn't look like the one you provided."
"Which I expected could happen, because the ones who made off with Byakuya wouldn't have wanted him to be recognizable."
"You think this is really him?" Ichigo asked, gazing down at the picture.
Kisuke studied the picture closely.
"It might be," he decided, "The eyes are right and the fingerprints match. We should check this out."
"I'm going with you," Ichigo insisted.
"Ichigo, we have to be real careful. If it is Byakuya, he's being watched...and you can be damned sure we're being watched too!"
"Man, I wish Tetsuya was here," Ichigo sighed, "He could use his waterforms to help us move without them knowing."
Kisuke gave Ichigo a look of mock reproach.
"Hey, what do I look like, chopped liver?" he complained.
"Oh," Ichigo said, coloring, "I forgot that the great and powerful Kisuke is a genius. So, what do you have in mind? Are we going to Aomori?"
"Yeah, we'll go," Kisuke confirmed, "I'll need a little time to prepare, but we can leave in the morning."
"Boss," said Tessai, "there's one more thing you should know."
"What's wrong?" Ichigo asked, frowning.
"Maybe nothing, but it may be something," Tessai went on, "Ururu and Jinta informed me that they can't find Kuchiki Tama."
"What?" Ichigo exclaimed, "Byakuya's father is gone now, too? What happened? How did he disappear? Are the babies okay?"
"The babies are fine," Tessai assured him, "They are being watched. I had a look in Tama-san's room and I found no signs of struggle where I sensed him last being. I did sense the use of some power in his room, but the reiatsu was obscured. It seemed like it might be his."
"So, what are you saying?" Ichigo asked.
"Hmm," Kisuke mused, "I think what Tessai is saying is that he doesn't think Tama-san was taken by force."
"You mean, he went after Byakuya?" Ichigo said, looking alarmed.
"He could have overheard me talking to the police," Tessai surmised.
"But Tama...he's just a...Kisuke, why would he do this? Tama's just a normal guy, a painter, isn't he?"
"I don't know," Kisuke said, frowning, "because it sounds like painting isn't all that guy is capable of..."
