Nanao stood uncomfortably at the Soutaicho's side in the front of the room while they waited for the Taichos to gather outside the hall. She shifted on her muddy bare feet and wondered briefly if she should have asked for a change of clothing first, not that there wasn't still a sense of urgency in the whole matter, but now that Kyouraku would be coming here before he went anywhere else she had time to contemplate her appearance. Then again she didn't suppose the Soutaicho had any spare female yukatas lying around, and if he did she really didn't want to know. In fact, she was pretty sure that knowledge would scar her for life. She moved again and winced as her side flared in pain. More than anything she was looking forward to lying down and sleeping.
"The false message," the Soutaicho said suddenly, not bothering to turn and look at her. "How was Tanaka planning on getting it through our systems?"
"He implied our security was lax, sir, and commanded his subordinate to go around it and make the message untraceable. I do not know the actual mechanisms his subordinates employed to do so though."
"Did you see the subordinate?"
"Yes, briefly," she said shoving a tangled lock of dirty hair back behind her ear and huffing as it quickly fell right back into her face. This was one of the reasons she preferred having her hair clipped back.
"And could you identify him at a later time?"
"If Tanaka lets me live that long, yes," Nanao said stoically. There was silence after that, and Sasakibe came in a few moments later to announce that the Taichos were mostly assembled and Kyouraku was threatening to just blow the doors down and walk in if they weren't allowed access soon.
"Always so impatient," the Soutaicho said calmly almost to himself. "Open the doors then." Sasakibe quickly moved to do as asked and the door nearly slammed open with the extra push it was given from the outside.
"Yama-jii," Kyouraku's voice said loudly as he came into the hall. "What is this all about? What's going on with Nan-" He cut himself off upon seeing her standing there, and paused for a brief moment before he picked up the pace and softened his tone. "Nanao-chan."
She sucked in a breath at the obvious worry on his face and cursed herself for not demanding a change of clothes or at the very least a washcloth and a hairbrush. "I'm fine, sir."
The other Taichos were filtering in behind him, and she saw a mix of worry, surprise, and indifference on their faces. She was actually glad that it was only the Taichos as the fukutaichos generally knew her better and would have created an even bigger scene.
"You don't look fine," he said dryly coming to a stop within arms reach of her.
"It's just a little mud, sir," she said wrapping her arms around herself to ward off the occasional cold shivers that had started up about a half hour ago. She didn't need to worry him further.
"And blood," he said glancing down at her torn up legs. He quickly slipped the pink haori off and wrapped it around her shoulders.
"It'll get dirty," Nanao said, instantly trying to shrug it off and hand it back.
"It doesn't matter," he replied firmly, tugging it closed in front of her and holding it there even after she stopped struggling.
"Shunsui, if you wouldn't mind," the Soutaicho said nodding his head towards where the rest of the Taichos were assembled, standing in their normal positions. "We'd like to begin."
"I'm sure you can talk just as well with me standing here as you can with me standing over there," Kyouraku said evenly, not stepping away from her. She ducked her head embarrassed and tried to scoot back from him. They'd really caused enough problems for one evening. He held the haori more firmly though, and she was trapped within the material.
"Always such a difficult child," the Soutaicho said shaking his head. "Stand there if you wish, but you're obviously making Ise-san uncomfortable."
"Then she can be uncomfortable," Kyouraku said dropping one hand from the haori to touch her chin and lift her face up to him. "What happened?"
"I'm fine," she repeated. "You should listen to the Soutaicho."
"Are you quite done?" the Soutaicho asked calmly.
"Go right ahead," Shunsui replied easily, still not turning his attention from her.
The Soutaicho quickly and efficiently explained what she'd told him earlier on that night, and she stared down at her feet throughout the explanation. She wasn't sure why she was suddenly so embarrassed, but she knew Kyouraku's possessive demeanor wasn't helping anything, nor was standing half naked and dirty wrapped up in her Taicho's haori at the front of the meeting. It was awkward enough having the Soutaicho explain to all the Taichos of the Gotei 13 that she'd escaped, obviously to some detriment to herself, just to protect Kyouraku from a problem he could have possibly managed on his own. Although, perhaps she was being oversensitive given the fact that she had practically flat out admitted to the Soutaicho that her feelings for Kyouraku went beyond the call of duty, and now the man in question wouldn't move away from her and had never had any qualms about loudly declaring he had feelings for her. She supposed logically the Soutaicho had been well aware of her feelings long before this night, but it was one thing for him to assume and quite another to have her confirm it.
"So he is working with hollows," Hitsugaya said as the Soutaicho came to the end of his explanation.
"If Ise-san is to be believed," the Soutaicho said.
"I don't see any reason we wouldn't believe her," Ukitake put in, and she glanced over at him tying to convey her gratitude for his support with her eyes.
"Perhaps the fact that she's been collared and obviously beaten, and could simply be looking for an excuse to escape her father, would suffice as a reason," Kurotsuchi pointed out, and Nanao wondered if anyone else saw the irony of this particular man being the one to make that specific observation.
"I didn't come here to be protected from Tanaka," she said quietly but firmly. "I'll go back to him willingly, but I'm telling the truth."
"Like hell you will," Kyouraku said uncharacteristically fiercely.
"It's not a problem," Nanao said finally looking up at him. "I'm fine."
"You aren't fine, and I don't want to hear you lie about it again. I also don't understand why we're all here discussing this still when you obviously need medical attention."
"I'm," she started to say fine again, but then stopped.
"Retsu-san, would you mind looking her over?" he asked turning his head back to the healer who took a step forward.
"Unohana Taicho you may stay where you are," the Soutaicho rumbled out, effectively stilling the woman's steps forward.
Nanao was about to explain to Kyouraku that reiatsu based healing wouldn't work on her, when she felt all the breath get stolen from her lungs. The only other time she'd felt anything like it was during the fight with the Soutaicho and she glanced at him in shock wondering why he'd let loose on her now. His attention though, seemed to be entirely on Kyouraku, not her, and it took her a moment to realize that it wasn't his reiatsu that was suffocating her.
"What are you saying?" Kyouraku demanded. "She's obviously hurt."
"With the collar on, no reiatsu based healing can help her," the Soutaicho said tranquilly, glancing at her. She desperately tried to pull in air and not panic.
"Then get her basic medical attention," Kyouraku growled glaring at the older man. "At least clean the wounds out."
Nanao tried again to pull in a breath and felt everything get a bit hazy at the corners of her vision. She attempted to make a noise to signal her distress, but found without air even that was impossible. Reaching out blindly she grabbed the edge of Kyouraku's white haori, and managed to steal his attention back.
"Nanao? What's happening?" he asked fear and concern lacing his voice and she winced as the pressure in the room got greater. It was then that she put two and two together reaching to her throat trying to explain the problem even as she feared collapsing.
"I believe the collar puts her on par with a normal reiatsuless soul," the Soutaicho said blithely. "At that level any loss of reiatsu restraint on a Taicho's part, while mainly not noteworthy for us, would have truly catastrophic effects on the soul."
Kyouraku's eyes widened in horror and she felt the pressure ease off her instantly as he clamped down on the reiatsu levels he'd let rise with his emotions. She sucked in a ragged breath of air and lurched forward still clutching the edge of his white haori as the world went dark around her. Her vision twisted and came back into focus as she fell towards Kyouraku. He lifted his arms to catch her as she crumpled, encircling her around her back. As soon as his arms made contact with the wounds there she gave an involuntary cry of pain and instinctively arched forward into him and away from his supporting arms.
"Nanao-chan," he said, and she heard the panic in his tone. "I'm sorry."
"I'm fine," she wheezed out, using the grip on his haori to help support herself as she leaned heavily against him. "It's not your fault."
"Now if you're done throwing childish tantrums, can we continue on to the point," the Soutaicho drawled out.
"You can continue on however you like," Kyouraku said quietly, keeping one arm slung down around her lower back almost resting across her rear where it wouldn't hurt her, and using the other hand to push her tangled hair away from her face as she leaned against him panting. "I'm taking Nanao-chan and seeing that she gets the treatment she needs."
"I would think you've already helped quite enough," the Soutaicho said blandly, and she felt Kyouraku tense up below her. It was a low blow, and if she had any energy left she'd have glared at the old bastard, but she was frankly too tired to care about just about anything right now. Instead she just pressed closer to Kyouraku and hoped he got the point that she didn't care what the Soutaicho said.
Just then the door to the room opened again and Nanao didn't have to even raise her head to be able to tell by the silence and the way Kyouraku maneuvered her further away from the entrance that Tanaka had come into the room.
"Well now isn't that sweet?" Tanaka asked lightly. "As much as I hate to break up this scene, I'll be asking for my daughter back now."
"Nanao is staying here," Kyouraku said coldly and his hand fell from her hair onto the hilt of his sword. "Unless you think you can take her from me."
"Soutaicho," Tanaka said kindly, and Nanao finally sighed lifting her head reluctantly from Kyouraku's chest. "I kindly ask you to get your subordinate to step out of the way of my rightful property."
"She's a woman, not property," Ukitake said, suddenly closer than she thought he had been previously.
"It's ok," Nanao stated, trying to stand up on her own shaky legs. She felt Kyouraku move to stop her, but then hesitate, for what she could only assume was fear of hurting her again.
"Really of all the places to run, little princess, why here?" Tanaka asked watching her with a twinkle in his eyes. "Did you really think they'd take you back?"
"It doesn't matter," she said taking a stumbling step back from Kyouraku only to have him grasp her arm in an action meant to restrain and support her at once.
"I would ask that you keep your people away from my daughter in the future," Tanaka said bowing low to the Soutaicho.
"Of course," he replied easily. "She is none of our concern."
Kyouraku nearly growled next to her and she was positive if he hadn't been holding her up his swords would have already been drawn. Whatever Kyouraku had opened his mouth to say though, was cut off by a solitary hell butterfly floating down in front of him. He stared at it dumbly for a moment before the Soutaicho told him it looked like he better listen to it. Lifting his hand from his sword hilt Kyouraku allowed the butterfly to land.
"Apparently there are academy students having trouble in the living world with some hollows," Kyouraku said dryly as the butterfly took off again.
"Looks like you have things to do," Tanaka said innocently. "My daughter, please."
"Your daughter is no longer any of your business," the Soutaicho said calmly, making quite a few heads snap towards him in surprise.
"Excuse me?" Tanaka asked trying his best to keep the tone light.
"As of this moment Ise Nanao will remain in the custody of the Gotei 13 as a witness in an attempted murder case," the Soutaicho said. "Zaraki, Hitsugaya, Kuchiki, if you would, go to the location given to Kyouraku and investigate. If possible keep one of the vasto lordes alive for further questioning." Nanao saw the slight widening of Tanaka's eyes at that comment and had to fight the self-satisfied smirk that wanted to work its way onto her face.
"Attempted murder case?" Tanaka asked casually as the assigned Taichos left the premises. "I don't know what lies the girl told you to get you to protect her, but I can assure you it is only that, lies."
"As she had no way to tell the future without overhearing the conversation she claims to have overheard, I hardly think Ise-san made it up, nor has she ever been known to have a penchant for lying," the Soutaicho said serenely. "There are no academy students out in the field right now. We recalled them all an hour ago. Apparently there is a very large glitch in our communication system. Until we have discovered where the problem has arisen from, Ise-san will remain in our custody as a witness."
"A witness to what?" Tanaka growled getting frustrated. "A computer giving you the wrong information?"
"To you informing one of your subordinates to have a computer give the wrong information," the Soutaicho said coldly. "Information that could have resulted in the death of a Taicho of the Gotei 13."
"I did nothing of the sort," Tanaka said harshly.
"Perhaps not, but until that is verified your daughter remains here."
"She murdered two of my men tonight," Tanaka bit out. "Are we to just let that pass?"
"Given the situation, I'm going to assume it was self defense until proven otherwise," the Soutaicho said not missing a beat, although she felt her Taicho give a start next to her.
Tanaka looked about ready to lose it, and then at the last minute reeled it back in, placing a calm look back on his face. "Good show, child," he said easily meeting her eyes. "Got everyone wrapped around that delicate little finger have you? Tell me, did it even give you pause for a moment when you ripped Ito-kun's throat out?"
"You're one to talk," she said, firmly refusing to let him make her feel ashamed.
"He had a wife and son," Tanaka continued narrowing his eyes at her. "How do you think they are going to take it when I have to inform them that their loving husband and father has been murdered tonight by a spoiled brat."
"Perhaps you should inform them that he was in the business of selling women and little defenseless children into prostitution and slavery and they won't miss him quite so very much," she hissed back.
"Not even a shred of remorse for taking a man's life then," Tanaka said appraising her again. "Maybe I made a very large miscalculation all those years ago. Hmm, little princess?"
"You've made a plethora of miscalculations. I'm sure I wouldn't know exactly which one you are referring to," she said angrily.
"I always thought you were the one hiding behind your brother, but I think I was wrong. I think he was always forcefully pushing you behind him. Protecting you whether you desired it or not. Maybe all those years ago I picked the wrong Egami," he said coldly. "Your brother may have never been able to understand what I do, but you could have been raised to."
"I'd have never been able to do what you do," she yelled indignantly, wrenching her arm free from Kyouraku and taking a step forward before he got a hand on her shoulder restraining her. At least with her adrenaline going again, her injuries weren't bothering her all that much.
"What is it I do exactly, except decided that some lives are worth more than others?" Tanaka asked seriously. "Those children, those women, they're nothing and they will never be anything. I count myself, and the nobles that I serve, worth more. I choose one life over another, just as you did tonight. You counted his life as worth more than those lives of the men you took to get to him. We're not so different you and I. I saw your brother after he killed a man in a yakuza scuffle. He could barely walk away, barely forgive himself for what he'd just done, but not you. You stand there, just as fierce and beautiful as ever, little princess. Not a hint of regret tingeing your soul. How did I ever choose the wrong child?"
"Screw you," she said, though it lacked some of the edge she'd hoped it would have. "It's not the same. It was to save a life not for money. They didn't have to try to stop me. They'd still be alive if they'd just let me go, they had a choice. The women and children, you never give them a choice."
"One life for the price of two," Tanaka said calmly. "No, make that four. Your dear brother and his friend's death should probably be added to that count, ne? How many more men are going to die for you? How about you Kyouraku-san, willing to join the body count?"
"Was that a threat Tanaka-san?" the Soutaicho asked interrupting the conversation.
"Absolutely not. Merely a question," he said waving a hand dismissively. "You can't deny that it seems to be a very dangerous proposition staying in her presence."
"The Taichos dismissed to the living world should return shortly," the Soutaicho said lightly. "Hopefully they've kept a vasto lorde alive for questioning. Are you planning on staying here for that interrogation?"
"I didn't do anything wrong," Tanaka said lightly. "But I understand your need for protocol. When my name has been cleared, I fully expect my daughter returned in the condition I'm loaning her to you in. I will also be seeking reparation for the financial damage this detaining will cost me. I assume I'll pick her up from the 8th shortly?"
"She will be under the 12th's supervision until we see fit to release her," the Soutaicho said casually, and Nanao couldn't help but thank him silently for directly pointing Tanaka in a direction other than the 8th.
"Yama-jii," Kyouraku started in protest.
"Enough, Shunsui," the Soutaicho said finally. "You've already proven tonight that you are incapable of acting rationally when it comes to the girl, which has already hurt her once. Will you do further damage to her by losing your temper once again? She goes to the 12th, she will receive whatever medical care is necessary, and that is the end of that."
"She should be in the 8th. You know as well as I do that I wouldn't let harm come to her," he said defensively and she could see the pain in his expression because he had hurt her no matter how unintentionally.
"She'll be placed in the 12th," the Soutaicho repeated calmly, "and I think it is best for all parties that you not be allowed access to her. She's here as a detained witness not as a family friend, Shunsui. Now stop arguing or I will hand her right back over to Tanaka this moment and let him keep her until a trial date is set." Her Taicho was silent after that, and she couldn't help but feel guilty for requesting the alternate division.
"I shall pick her up from the 12th soon then," Tanaka said with a darkness to his tone that served to relieve some of her guilt. At least if he was going to come after her, he'd only get one shot, and that shot would be far away from Kyouraku. Tanaka turned on his heel and stormed out of the 1st division his bodyguards hot on his heels.
"Nanao-chan," her Taicho said once the doors banged shut behind him.
"Stop it with that forlorn face," she said giving him a struggling smile. She moved towards him and laid her palm against the side of his face. It might be inappropriate, but she'd crossed so many lines that night anyway, and she couldn't bear to watch him look that way anymore. "You didn't hurt me, not any worse than holding my breath for a few moments would have. You're being ridiculous, you barely lost control at all, it's just this stupid collar's fault. I'll be fine at the 12th and it'll be done before you know. Look at the bright side, now you don't have to waste piles of money buying me back."
He reached up to grab her hand and pressed it more firmly into the stubble on his cheek as if reassuring himself that she was really there. "It wouldn't have been a waste."
"But could you imagine how many overtime hours I would have had to take just to pay you back?" she said trying to joke him out of his morose mood. "It'd be enough for me to get two division's work done."
"You wouldn't have had to pay me a cent," he said resolutely.
"But then I would have felt indebted forever," she pointed out rolling her eyes.
"Then you could have just stayed at my side, and I'd have called it even," he replied seriously. She'd opened her mouth to respond, but even she wasn't sure what she'd been about to say when a throat cleared close to them. Both of them blinked realizing again that the room was still full of other people and Nanao let her hand drop away from his face.
"If you're done," Kurotsuchi said uninterestedly. "I have experiments to get back to. Nemu is waiting outside, I'm sure she can tend to whatever it is you need."
"I want Ise-san on lockdown, Kurotsuchi," the Soutaicho said clearly. "No one gets in and no one gets out. Is it possible to remove the collar?"
"From what I've observed, not if you want her to keep her head, and I've found that most of you seem quite attached to that," Kurotsuchi said casually moving towards the doors. "Come along then." Nanao gave her Taicho one last look and saw his reluctance to let her go.
"I'll be fine," she said trying to sound at ease. "I'm safe in the Seireitei and I'm too boring for Kurotsuchi to have any interest in experimenting on me."
"But they have form 322," he said darkly watching Kurotsuchi reach up to open the 1st division doors.
"She won't be experimented on," the Soutaicho said, and she thought even she could hear the parental exasperation creeping into his tone. "If you're going to say something of significance say it now, Shunsui, or else let the girl go for the time being. She's about to drop on her feet."
"Sometime tonight, Ise," Kurotsuchi yelled from the doors.
"I'll see you soon," she said wanting to give him a hug, but keeping her formality firmly in place. "You don't look so good yourself. Get some sleep and leave the sake bottle alone for the evening." That said she turned on her barefoot heel and followed Kurotsuchi out of the swinging door trying not to limp due to her wounded feet and side. The cold night air hit her and she pulled the pink haori closer around her having conveniently forgotten to return it.
A/N: Right. So I jinxed the hell out of myself last time when I said hope it's a good week at work so I can post. Sorry this took so long, but this past week was hell. Oh well, it ended on a good note which is, I suppose, what counts.
Hebi R. I totally agree with your assessment of the Soutaicho. I think he's a jerk because more often then not he has to be, and someone has to make the hard decisions. At least Kyouraku and Ukitake are around to occasionally loosen him up and show him the rules aren't full proof.
As always thanks for the reviews (trust me, they made my crappy week so much better) and hope you enjoyed the chapter!