Chapter Nine: Falling Darkness

Megumi's reiatsu had all but dissipated, now.

Shunsui hurried through the undergrowth, anxiety adding wings to his feet as he pushed forward, his senses straining for any faint flicker of the girl's aura anywhere in the surrounding landscape. Kyouko had been scratched and bruised, her torn clothing suggesting a long run through sharp undergrowth, and so he had taken the most likely path away from the school, following his instincts as much as his wits as he struggled to locate the missing hostess. Megumi may be nothing more than trash to most of the people in the surrounding area, but to Shunsui she was a painful reminder of Saku and of the girls who he had met over the course of his aimless year of drinking and debauchery.

Girls doing what they had to do to survive in a cruel society that did not make any provision to protect them.

His eyes narrowed at this

Instead of all this rubbish about slaying Hollows and Clan pride, it would be better if Yama-jii had set up a school in teaching Noble idiots to look around them at the suffering right here.

He swept a low-hanging branch aside viciously as if to emphasise his thoughts.

As it is, even people like Juushirou who come from stable low level families are having to fight for any kind of recognition at all. If the Clans stopped to listen to their subjects, maybe they'd learn a few things from them. But it'll never happen. Not so long as we have this stupid system, where Clan can kill one another and nothing is done.

His eyes narrowed as he reached the next clearing, for Megumi's reiatsu stopped dead here, and in the atmosphere around him was the lingering melee of others - auras that had been suppressed up to that point, but for some unknown reason had been released at the same time.

Had Megumi been brought here, then? And then what? Her captors had lost interest? Or worse? And...why had they chosen this place to reveal traces of their presence?

Shunsui gazed up at the sky, cursing the darkening heavens as he did so. Even though he was relying on his sharp spiritual senses, he knew that it was a largely unfamiliar landscape beyond this point, and he had no idea of the dangers that awaited him. He ran his mind once more over what Kyouko had said about her friend's captor, pursing his lips as he pondered on the description in more detail.

"But as she said, it's not distinctive. A lot of people have those features." He murmured sadly. "And even if they had significant reiatsu, one like Kyouko wouldn't know it."

He took a tentative step or two forward, not letting his guard down for a moment as he felt out the surrounding region for any sign of company. It seemed deserted, however, and yet that tantalising swirl of reiatsu on the wind told him that until very recently it had been occupied by more than one individual.

At that moment his foot struck against something and he almost fell headlong, cursing as he reached out to grab the overhanging branch of a tree to steady himself. As he gazed down, he uttered another string of curses, dropping to the ground as he registered what he had collided with.

"Megumi-chan."

Despite himself, helpless anger welled up in his heart as he put his finger gently to the young girl's jugular, knowing before he touched her that it was too late. A gash at her throat told him that her death had been quick, yet from the scrapes and bruises on her body, it was clear that she had fought desperately for her life up until the last moment. Rage burned through him at the thought, and he bit his lip, brushing her messy dark hair out of her eyes. Her body was still luke-warm, indicating that her death had occurred only a short time before he had arrived, and somehow this stabbed through him even more deeply.

"I'm sorry, Megumi." He whispered, tears glittering on his lashes. "It seems I'm always too late. You put your trust in me, but I let you down. I wasn't quick enough to save you."

He sighed, sitting back on his heels as he forced himself to calm down and remember what Kyouko had said.

"Megumi...lately she'd been making more coin than the rest of us. But she wouldn't tell me about it. She said it was...something secret and that so long as she kept it that way, she'd keep getting paid."

"So what were you involved in?" He wondered, swallowing hard as he got to grips with his composure. He frowned, eying the gash at the throat once more, and he murmured a curse as he realised what it was about the wound that bothered him.

It was a quick, clean cut - a single swipe of a smooth-bladed weapon. It would have happened in a split second, yet from the lack of blood, Shunsui realised that it had not been the work of even the most well trained of local thieves. As he registered his train of thought, he felt his heart sinking inside of him, and then, as if summoned there by some divine force, he remembered Megumi's own words ringing in his head.

"He spends enough of his own time in and out of this town that his face is familiar to most of us. Besides, he still owes me two gold coins."

Two gold coins. Shunsui's eyes narrowed as he pieced his logic together. It was a jump, he knew, and he had no evidence, but even so...

"Aitori owed you two gold coins. And Kyouko said you'd not been paid by whoever it was who'd been keeping you in money of late." He mused. "Now you're here, struck down by an assassin's blade. Only someone associated with the Shihouin would have that kind of expert training - and the knowledge to slip away into the shadows as though they were never here. None of the reiatsu traces around this area were familiar, and certainly, Aitori's wasn't there. Plus, Aitori doesn't fit Kyouko's description, either. So the connection is tenuous and completely unproveable. And yet..."

He sighed, burying his head in his hands.

"Was it my mistake, Megumi-chan, assuming that Aitori's coins were for sexual favours and not thinking about it more deeply at the time?" He wondered aloud. "If I'd asked you then...but I didn't think it through. Yet even so...why would he want to eliminate you? And if it's coincidence - if Aitori's not involved himself, what if the Shihouin are? Invading their neighbour's land, using desperate young women then killing them in order to cover their tracks. Would they really be that brazen?"

He got to his feet.

"Aitori wasn't here tonight. He didn't kill you, at least." He reflected. "But even the faint possibility that his Clan might have been involved...makes me wonder what kind of dangerous game you stumbled into. For a Clan to want to kill you, it must have been significant. And, potentially, deadly."

His gaze strayed once more to his dead companion, and he let out a heavy sigh.

"It's too little, too late." He reflected. "But if I can find it out, I will. And so long as Kyouko can get to the border, I'll make sure Oniisama sees her safe. If I get sent home for this, it may be the best thing, because I can discuss it with him on our own land and out of the earshot of spies. But for the time being...I need to go back. Juushirou is going to worry, and there's nothing I can do for you now."

He cast her a last glance, then, not without misgivings he turned, beginning to make his way back towards the school. It was almost dark now, but he took no notice, so deep in his own thoughts that he barely registered the cloying blackness that had descended around him.

Why release their reiatsu there? What was that for? Why would they do something so blatantly obvious? The Shihouin aren't fool enough to leave evidence at the crime scene. Have I got it wrong after all? Are they being framed by someone else, and it's nothing to do with them or Aitori at all? There was no clear Shihouin reiatsu that I recognised - but even so...Ah, I hate this! I hate trying to think about the way the Clans work!

As he crossed into the next clearing, however, all thoughts flew from his mind as there was a tremendous, blood-chilling shriek, and something heavy landed in front of him, sending a gust of cold wind swirling around the copse. Shunsui stopped dead, staring at the Hollow in surprise and alarm.

What the...? Was I so lost in thought that I didn't even notice its approach? You careless fool. What use are you to Megumi if you just get eaten by a monster like that?

He took a step back, gauging his chances of escape, but having extended his senses to their fullest extent, he now realised that he was vulnerable to the dark aura of the creature before him and, as it beat its tremendous, scaly wings, he felt a knot of genuine fear curl up inside of his heart.

I have no way to fight. All I can do is run away. But can I even do that? It's winged, after all. It can fly probably as fast as I can run, and even if I push to move more quickly...I don't know how long I can sustain it.

He took a second step back, feeling the hard bark of an aging trunk behind him, and for some reason, Juushirou's words about becoming a tree flickered through his head. He snorted, forcing them back.

Now I'm panicking and I'm getting stupid. Get a grip, Shunsui! You've only got one chance to escape. Somehow you need to distract its attention away from you - and towards something else.

At this, his eyes widened, even as he dodged out of the way of the beast's immense beak-like head as it swooped down towards him, extending its neck far enough for Shunsui to feel its fetid breath against his cheeks.

Something else. Was that it? They revealed their presence not to alert authorities, but to lure a Hollow to destroy the evidence? Maybe they intended Megumi to be killed by a Hollow - but she fought too hard, and so they killed her. Then like the cowards they are, they fled...but the Hollow was still interested in their invitation. And since I'm the only one here...it looks like I've become dinner.

The beast's head swooped down again, and Shunsui cursed, leaping deftly up into the branches as he gauged his chances of escape through the trees. The monster had no intention of letting him get away so easily, however, for it let out another spine-curling shriek, butting its huge head against the trunk again and again until its vibrations tore the roots from the ground, sending it toppling backwards. Shunsui let out a yelp, only just managing to get clear in time, and as he struggled to catch his breath, he found himself staring straight into the Hollow's glittering gaze.

There was nothing there, not even the faintest glimmers of life or hope, yet in the dark, oppressive aura that surrounded it, Shunsui was suddenly struck by an overwhelming sense of torment. And, as the beast screeched its intentions once more, he felt that pain seeping across his own senses, paralysing him as they flooded through his body.

The Hollow was in pain.

Just like his Father, this creature had been stripped of all his hope. Just like Matsuhara, this beast was a prisoner of its fate.

Shunsui swallowed hard, struggling to process this thought coherently.

Father hated killing Hollows, even though Hollows were killing others. You knew, didn't you, Father? That their pain was like yours. That you saw yourself in their empty eyes - that you'd lost everything by slaying them, and so didn't want to do it any more.

The monster shrieked again, its pain resonating cruelly against Shunsui's young, raw senses, and it beat its wings, priming itself for a fresh attack. Like the girls who had been compelled to risk their lives to gain the illicit substances they craved, Shunsui suddenly saw the Hollow in the same light - as a depraved, trapped beast whose dignity and hope had been swallowed by the dark desire to consume and destroy.

Before the creature could attack, however, a flash of blue light came flooding across the copse, illuminating it for a moment in its glow and, as the blast caught the tip of the creature's wing it screamed, reeling back and turning as if seeking the cause of its discomfort. As it did so, Shunsui felt something else flit across his senses, and his eyes opened wide with dismay as he struggled to his feet.

There, in the entrance to the copse, silhouetted briefly by the flare of his own magic, was the thin form of his District-born classmate.

"Juushirou?!"

"Shunsui?" Juushirou's aura was pulsing with fear, prickling and dancing in a way that Shunsui hadn't known it before, yet he stood his ground, grim resolution in his hazel eyes. "Shunsui, are you all right?"

"What are you doing here, you idiot?" Shunsui darted across to join him, sending him an incredulous look. "Didn't I tell you already, stay behind? Damn, do you know what kind of trouble you're going to be in now?"

"Better that than knowing you were out here and being attacked without doing anything." Juushirou said flatly. "You don't know how to fire Kidou. I do. Even if my level's not enough to kill a Hollow yet, it's probably enough to drive them back. I know that much. So I came."

"You...even from school, you felt the Hollow?"

"I'd never forget a Hollow's reiatsu." Juushirou nodded. "Not ever."

He swallowed hard, and Shunsui could tell his companion was only just keeping his fear in check.

"We need to get out of here. Fast."

"Tell him that." Shunsui flung his fist in the direction of the Hollow, and Juushirou sighed, closing his eyes briefly to compose himself.

"Get ready to run." He murmured, stretching his hands out before him as he gathered his spirit power together. "All right? We won't have much time to, so be ready."

"What are you going to...?"

"Kunrinsha yo! Chiniku no kamen, Banshou, Habataki, Hito no na o kansu mono yo!"

Juushirou's words were muttered and low, but just loud enough for Shunsui to hear them, and his eyes opened wide with surprise.

"You're going to...but..."

"Shounetsu to souran, umi-hedate sakamaki, minami e ho o susumu yo."

Juushirou's entire body stiffened, and Shunsui felt his heart skip a beat as he felt the raw flare of his companion's reiatsu surge inside of him as it answered its master's call.

"Hadou no sanjuu-ichi! Shakka-hou!"

As he yelled out the final part of the spell, a bolt of red flame burst from the boy's hands, speeding across the clearing like a bullet and hitting the Hollow square in the chest. It stumbled, screaming in protest, and Juushirou grasped Shunsui by the wrist, pulling him into the forest without waiting to see what the monster did next. Behind them, Shunsui could feel the beast's reiatsu as it spread its wings, soaring up into the skies overhead, and he swallowed hard.

"We can't outrun something when it's flying!" He exclaimed.

"Do...you have...any better...ideas?" Juushirou demanded, and at his broken, blunt response, Shunsui realised that his companion had used a fair amount of his own strength to fire the blast. His reiatsu was still swirling and dancing, and it seemed that Juushirou was only just keeping it under his control. His face was ash pale, and from the terror rooted deep in his hazel eyes, Shunsui knew his companion was still battling against his own urge to break down and scream for help. Yet he kept going, even though his breaths were coming in rougher and rougher gasps, and despite himself, Shunsui felt a fresh surge of respect for his classmate.

At that moment, however, the Hollow's reiatsu descended over them again, and as the beast thundered down across their path, Shunsui hauled Juushirou to a halt, shaking his head.

"If you know any more clever spells, now would be the time to share them with him." He said softly. "Because he's a little charred, and not very happy - and he's still after us."

Juushirou closed his eyes, a brief flash of pain crossing his brow as he drew breath into his lungs.

"I only...know...Soukatsui...and Shakka-hou." He managed. "And it's...hard to focus...reiatsu...after running...headlong."

"Then we're going to have to find another way of escaping it." Shunsui took a step or two forwards, grasping a branch and pulling it off a nearby tree, wielding it firmly. Juushirou stared at him, shaking his head.

"What use is that?" He demanded. "You can't...kill a Hollow...with a tree branch!"

"I never said anything about killing anything." Shunsui shook his head. "I just want to give us some space to escape. That's all."

"You already said it, though! We can't...outrun something...that's flying!"

"Then we'll have to give it the run-around till a Gotei patrol detects it and someone comes to rescue us, won't we?" Shunsui said matter-of-factly. "In which case, while you recharge your batteries, I'll give him a game with this."

"Don't be stupid!" Juushirou exclaimed. "His claws are bigger than your head - he'll kill you!"

He coughed, wincing involuntarily as he drew a tentative breath into his lungs.

"And you're no use to me if you choose now to have a coughing fit." Shunsui pointed out. "Don't yell at me hysterically, okay? If we're going to get out of this, we need two clear heads. That's one more than the Hollow has...right?"

Juushirou did not answer, but at that moment the beast bore down on them once more, attacking with such force that it sliced Shunsui's branch clean in two. Despite himself, Shunsui took a step back, but it was not enough and, as the creature's beak drew closer to his body, he felt himself saying an inward, desperate prayer to the heavens for help.

Then, as if summoned by that cry, something came barrelling into him, knocking him to the floor. As Shunsui struggled to work out what had happened, he saw Juushirou standing between him and the Hollow, a mixture of terror and determination on his face. A strange glow surrounded his body, whipping at the stray ends of his odd white hair and illuminating the whole of his aura as if every inch of Juushirou's resolve had been somehow translated into spirit power. Despite himself, Shunsui found he was almost as afraid of his classmate as he was of the monster before him, for even the flare of reiatsu that had defeated Ryuu in the gym Kenjitsu fight was a mere candle flame in comparison.

Juushirou's aura was raw, dark and filled with pain, and somehow Shunsui could feel that every breath he took into his body was an effort as the reiryoku surged wild and free from within him, growing greater and greater with every passing second until it almost filled the copse with unrelenting, unfettered spiritual energy. Mesmerised by the sensation, Shunsui almost thought he heard the sound of waves lapping against a shore, and he swallowed hard, realising that unless he gathered his wits, he too would be smothered and swallowed up by his classmate's spreading power.

The Hollow hesitated, taking a step back and raising its head to the sky to let out a shriek of confusion and dismay.

Somehow, Shunsui knew how it felt.

"Juushirou." He whispered, and at the sound of his name, the apparition before him turned, offering him a faint, pained smile.

"Run." He murmured, and Shunsui stared at him in disbelief.

"And leave you here? Not likely."

"Go." Juushirou's eyes became desperate. "I can't...much more...it's...my limit is..."

Before he could finish, he stumbled, falling to his knees as the wild glow began to fade and fragment, splitting into incoherent flickers and flares as Shunsui felt Juushirou's consciousness waver. As his classmate fell, he cursed, hurrying to catch him, and a burning, prickling sensation ran through his fingers as he made contact with the boy's heavy body.

"So you're reckless and stupid and you don't listen. Any other bad habits I need to know about?" He demanded, but there was no humour in his tones, and Juushirou merely stared at him, terror and pain clear in his eyes.

"We're either both leaving here, or neither of us are." Shunsui continued grimly, shifting his position so that he was more able to adequately shield his wounded comrade from the Hollow's range of attack. "So here's plan B. You just stay put there, and while it's confused, I'm going to give that Shakka-hou thing of yours a shot. All right?"

"Shun..."

"I know. I've never been taught it, and I might spoon it badly." Shunsui nodded. "But it's the only chance we've got. All right? I'll blast him and then we're getting out of here. Both of us. All right?"

Juushirou's eyes fluttered closed for a moment, then,

"Kunrinsha yo." He murmured, and Shunsui realised he was repeating the spell. Resolution coursed through him, and he nodded.

"You say it, and I'll cast it." He said firmly. "Just like that."

He stretched out his hands, remembering Juushirou's stiff, determined stance, and, as the injured boy hoarsely murmured the words of the spell, he repeated them, pouring all of his will into it.

"Hadou no sanjuu-ichi, Shakka-hou!"

He exclaimed, and as he did so, the palms of his hands seemed to burn with a scalding red flame as he released his usual limits on his reiryoku, giving his all to the blast. It hit the Hollow square on, knocking him back off his feet, and as the creature tumbled heavily against two trees, Shunsui saw his chance. Tightening his hold on Juushirou's thin form, already shaking with trauma and fear, he focused his energy on moving at speed away from the battleground.

The school was too far, he knew that. But he remembered a cave he had once hidden in to conceal himself from the school curfew patrols, and he set his sights on it, letting out a sigh of relief as he managed to make the distance.

Juushirou was unconscious by this point, and he set his companion's trembling form down against the cool floor of the cave, putting a hand to his brow and frowning as he realised the boy was beginning a fever.

"I don't know what you did in there, but it was frightening." He murmured. "And now...what am I going to do with you? You're hurt, obviously - how am I going to get you back to school?"

It was late, and the darkness outside of the school was beginning to grow oppressive.

Hirata pushed his food from one side of his plate to the other, his mind far away from the Dining Hall as he went over Juushirou's last words to him for the hundredth time. Since his white-haired friend had disappeared into the grounds of the Academy, Hirata had not seen hide nor hair of either him or the irreverent Shunsui, and at that time a curl of resentment had begun to stir inside of his heart.

Kyouraku Shunsui was a troublemaker, after all, and now he'd gone and broken bounds and taken his classmate with him. Hirata was not foolish, and he knew that the punishment for breaking his curfew would probably be steep - though if he was truly honest with himself, he didn't care all that much about Shunsui's fate. Instead he had agonised over Juushirou's absence, fretting alternatively with envy and anger as he realised he had been well and truly left behind.

But, as the evening had drawn on, his jealousy had begun to turn into anxiety, and, as he remembered the shadow of fear that had touched Juushirou's gaze the last time they had spoken, a deep feeling of dread had flooded through his young body.

What if they didn't come back? What kind of danger had his friend meant? And should he go to Genryuusai-sensei as Ukitake-kun had told him, even if it meant them getting into serious trouble? He knew only too well what his life would be like if Juushirou was expelled from the Academy - and the idea did not bear thinking about.

And then, as he had dropped down in his usual place beside Enishi at the dining table assigned to his dorm's residents, he had felt it - the dark, relentless wave of a Hollow on the rampage.

And at that moment he had known what Juushirou had gone to face. Whatever Shunsui had gotten himself involved in, Juushirou had gone to protect him from the Hollow. And he had probably put his life in danger at the same time.

"Are you going to eat that, Hirata, or are you just going to decorate your plate with it?" Enishi asked him at that moment, and Hirata started, staring up at the big boy with uncomprehending eyes.

"Your food." Enishi jerked a chopstick in the direction of the other boy's platter. "You've not eaten more than a bite since we came here. What's on your mind?"

"Perhaps he can't eat without his minder there to cut up the food for him." Kai muttered darkly, and Hirata flinched, indignation and apprehension competing for dominance as he read the disdain in the other boy's golden eyes. "Where is Ukitake, anyway? Kyouraku, too. What are they doing? It's not like either of them to miss a meal."

"Considering how often you do so of late, I am surprised you'd bother to comment." Ryuu said flatly, finishing his own meal and setting down his chopsticks. "I shouldn't be surprised, given your usual unpleasant manner, but there is no need to take out whatever is bothering you on Hirata. He's your classmate, not a small child in need of nannies and nursemaids."

"Sometimes I wonder." Kai glowered. "And noone asked you anything about that. I was asking about Kyouraku and Ukitake. Not the mouse that squeaks in the corner of our room each morning and night, if it's all the same to you."

"Why would you care?" Ryuu returned. "I wasn't aware that they were particular friends of yours, after all."

"And now they're your closest companions, I suppose?" Kai curled his lip, getting to his feet and scooping up his tray. "Fine. If it's that much of a secret, I won't ask. I have other things to do, in any case - and I have enough of your company already. Maybe you can help Endou finish his meal, if he's not able to eat on his own. I'll see you all in Dorm."

With that he was gone, and Enishi grimaced.

"Shihouin, exit, stage right." He muttered. "Why is it conversations between you two always end that way?"

"Because his level of argument is inferior to mine, and he knows he cannot get the better of me." Ryuu said dismissively. "His presence is not required here, though, so there is no reason to worry. Besides, now he is gone, I wish to know the answer to his question, also. Kyouraku and Ukitake do not usually miss the evening meal - why are they not here tonight?"

"Beyond me." Enishi shrugged. "Kyouraku's good at falling asleep in random places, so I guess that's where he is. Ukitake? Now that's the odd one. But maybe he went by the Healing Bay or something. Or to see Kazoe about this afternoon. There are a lot of options."

Hirata bit his lip, lowering his gaze as he slowly set down his chopsticks. At his movement, Ryuu's eyes narrowed, and he fixed his gaze on the younger boy thoughtfully.

"Not long after Kyouraku and Ukitake left us in the common room, I sensed their reiatsu shifting to outside of the Academy's grounds." He said softly. "Hirata, you went after them - did you not? Yet you came back alone and have not spoken a word about it since. Surely you know where they might be?"

"Outside?" Enishi's eyes widened. "Are you sure? Kyouraku's not allowed to do that...and Ukitake's not the kind to rashly break bounds."

"I imagine it had something to do with the young woman who invaded our campus." Ryuu reflected. "But she left in a different direction, so they did not accompany her anywhere. In fact, they did not even leave together. Kyouraku went first, then Ukitake a short time later. We could, I suppose, ask Iwai or Kira what they recall about the girl...but I still think that Hirata probably knows more than we do. And it would be easier, Hirata, if you would tell us that information without my having to force it out of you."

Hirata's eyes became huge at this, fear reflecting in his pale eyes, and Enishi held up his hands.

"You're not going to do anything to him." He said warningly. "Ukitake'd never stand for it and I won't either. If he knows something, there must be a reason why he hasn't told us. I guess Ukitake made him promise not to - is that right, kid?"

Slowly, Hirata nodded his head.

"I'm sorry." He whispered. "But he said...not to...until dinner was ended. If...they weren't...here."

"But you do know where they've gone?" Ryuu raised an eyebrow.

Hirata shook his head.

"No." He admitted, tears glittering in his pale eyes at the demanding note in his classmate's austere tones. "I don't. Ukitake-kun...he didn't tell me exactly."

"Well, dinner is over, except for you." Enishi dropped his chopsticks down onto his plate with a clatter. "And they're not here. So you won't be breaking any promises if you tell us now."

"I was supposed...to only...tell Genryuusai-sensei. If they didn't come."

"Then I guess we're going to speak to the head honcho, huh?" Enishi met Ryuu's gaze and Ryuu frowned, nodding his head.

"Yes, I imagine we are." He murmured. "Hirata, I hope you understand the implications of this, however. Or did you not know that there was a Hollow in the forest this evening?"

"A Hollow?" Enishi stared, and Hirata nodded miserably.

"I can feel it too." He whispered. "But...Ukitake-kun...he made me promise. And...and I...I don't want to make him...mad at me."

"Better mad than dead." Ryuu said bluntly, and Hirata flinched, knowing that his classmate's words were true. Before he could respond, however, something assailed his senses, and he shot to his feet, fear and alarm flooding his features as he registered what it was.

"Ukitake-kun!" He whispered, and from the look on Ryuu's face, he knew that his classmate had felt it too.

"They're in trouble." There was none of the usual finesse in the Kuchiki boy's tone, and he grabbed Hirata by the arm, pulling him towards the door. "That's it. We're going to Genryuusai-sensei now. No more delaying, Hirata. It's not a matter of keeping a promise any more."

"Wait! Woah, what's gotten into the both of you!" Enishi demanded, hurrying after them as many older students turned to stare at their sudden and unexpected dash from the Dining Hall. "Where are we going? Why are you acting like someone prodded you up the rear with sharpened asauchi? What's going on?"

"You didn't feel it?" Ryuu wheeled on him, disbelief in his expression. "Seriously, Houjou, what kind of reiatsu awareness do you have, anyway?"

"Nothing like as sensitive as yours, obviously." Enishi said ruefully. "What about it? Did you pick something up?"

"Yes." Ryuu said abruptly, and Hirata bit his lip, struggling to hold the tears back.

"Ukitake-kun's reiatsu." He whispered, his voice wavering as fear took over his vocal chords, threatening to paralyse them completely. "In the forest. Like..."

"Like nothing on earth." Ryuu said darkly, and Hirata nodded, knowing that there were no good words to describe the darkness or desperation that had suddenly pierced through his wits like a blade through his soul.

"You can feel that...from here?"

"As though it was right across the room." Ryuu agreed, not slowing his step for one moment, and Hirata was struck by the genuine note of anxiety in the boy's normally aloof tones. "Whatever's going on, Ukitake just released his reiatsu about as hard as he could go. The time he did it in the gym is nothing on this. They must've met with the Hollow. If Ukitake did something like that, it must mean they're in real trouble. And even if we get to Sensei, I don't know if we'll be in time. But dammit, we don't have a lot of choice."

"I don't think I ever heard you swear before." Enishi's eyes became wide with surprise as they hurried down the passageway that led to the Head's study. "Kuchiki, you're really worried about them, aren't you?"

"I'm worried about what that idiot Kyouraku has dragged one of my kinsmen into." Ryuu said abruptly, a flicker of embarrassment in his slate grey eyes at his uncharacteristic show of emotion. "That's all. Even if Ukitake is low-born, he does have some Kuchiki blood. And therefore it's my duty to be concerned, no matter how dilute the consanguinity."

"If you say so." Enishi spread his hands. "I'm worried about the both of them, if whatever you just felt has got the pair of you wound up like this. Kyouraku might be a lazy idiot sometimes, but if they're in trouble...why wouldn't they run from the Hollow? Why would they try and fight it, anyway?."

"Maybe Kyouraku-kun is hurt, and Ukitake-kun was protecting him." Hirata managed, and Ryuu shrugged.

"I don't know." He said frankly. "But I do know this. After a flare like that, there's no way Ukitake's in one piece. He almost took himself out fighting me in the gymnasium earlier this term. And this was a much more powerful burst. I would not be so worried about Kyouraku. His like tend to slip out of trouble with great and alarming ease. But Ukitake's the kind of fool who races in to save someone without thinking about what he's doing. And the consequences..."

He trailed off, but Hirata's heart went cold as he interpreted his classmate's meaning.

At that moment they reached the Head's office, however, and Ryuu rapped smartly on the door, waiting impatiently to be called in. After what seemed like forever, the call came, and as Ryuu slid back the door, Hirata stumbled into the office, his hysteria getting the better of him as he met the concerned gaze of the school's Headmaster. One look at the old man's face told the frightened boy that Genryuusai already knew all about the Hollow and the sudden, unexpected flare of one of his students' life forces in the forest - and that by keeping his word to Ukitake, Hirata realised that he may well have cost his friend his life.

That was the last straw, as his last tentative hold on his emotions broke and the floodgates opened.

"There's a H...Hollow in the forest." He choked out, tears streaming down his face as he gazed up at the old man in desperation. "And Ukitake-kun's n...not here!"

Author's Note

In case anyone is wondering...

It can be assumed that Yamamoto knew about the Hollow the moment it surfaced. However, he's not actively Gotei at this point, so he himself would not deal with it. More, he'd remain at the school in case it was needed for him to protect his students.

As for knowing where Kyouraku and Ukitake were - I imagine he'd not given that much thought until Ukitake flared his reiatsu - whereas Hirata and Ryuu were looking for them the whole time. I'm not trying to suggest that Hirata or Ryuu have sharper wits than their Headmaster by any stretch of the imagination :) But I wanted to show Ryuu's reaction especially to what was going on - and I wanted to do it from Hirata's viewpoint, so Yamamoto's actions or thoughts before they enter his office are not known. Hirata is, after all, not in the most coherent state of mind at this point.