Chapter Twelve: Fallout
"Please excuse me, Minabe-sensei. I would like to speak to Class One while they are all assembled."
It was the next morning, and the First Years, minus the absent Juushirou had assembled as usual in the gymnasium, a low buzz of chatter running around the room as they did so. Even in the short space of time, rumours were apparently running rife, and at the sudden appearance of the Headmaster, several faces went pale and furtive, wondering if they were about to be scolded for their gossiping.
Across the chamber, Shunsui raised his gaze to the old man's, consternation in his dark brown eyes as he read the resolution that he saw there.
So the old guy's not wasting any time, then, about dealing with this. Well, of course he isn't. He wants answers as much as anyone else. I just wonder...where those answers are going to lead.
He caught Hirata's glance at this moment, and the younger boy stiffened, turning his head pointedly away.
Shunsui was surprised by how much the deliberate shunning upset him.
I guess I need to talk to you about that, too, Juu-kun - when I get a chance. Your pet charge has taken it pretty personally, after all, and I'm half afraid I might wind up with a knife through me when I sleep at this rate. Quiet and meek he may be, but he is an Endou, after all.
"Class One, stand." Minabe looked annoyed, but she did not make any demur, gesturing her huge fist in the Head's direction. "And go with Genryuusai-sensei. When you're finished, return here. Since you have been summoned like this, you're excused for the time being - but don't dally when the Headmaster has finished speaking with you."
Slowly and hesitantly, Class One got to their feet, exchanging glances as they did so.
"This has something to do with you, Shunsui, doesn't it?" As they filed outside and across the grassy surrounds to the building beyond, Shunsui heard Sora's hiss at his right elbow, and he sighed, shrugging his shoulders.
"Now why would you think that? Sora-chan, I'm hurt."
"You don't fool me." Sora's eyes narrowed. "You're bothered too. For the first time since I've known you, you're on edge. Your eyes are all dark and murky, not like they usually are at all. And when Naoko tripped and fell headlong into the gym this morning, you didn't bat an eyelid, let alone jump in with some silly flirtatious remark to help her to her feet. Whatever happened to you and Juushirou in the forest, it was a big deal, wasn't it? And this is part of the same deal. Isn't it?"
"Wait and I'm sure Yama-jii will tell you himself." Shunsui responded simply. "Now shut up, before you get us into more trouble."
"Like you need help with that." Sora snorted, but obediently fell silent, and the eight students trailed along in near silence along the narrow hallways towards the Healing Bay.
"We're not going to his office?" Enishi murmured, and Ryuu shrugged.
"It looks that way." He responded. "Perhaps we're going to see Ukitake - he's the only member of Class One not here."
"Last I heard, Ukitake-kun was sleeping and wasn't to be disturbed on pain of horrible punishment." Naoko butted into the conversation. "The head of my Clan is here, you see, and I heard as much from Kazoe-sensei. Mitsuki was fretting about it - so we went to ask."
"Mitsuki was?" Shunsui turned, eying the retiring girl with a look of surprise, and Mitsuki blushed.
"There was such a big flare in the forest." She murmured. "And Ukitake-kun isn't well, so I thought..."
"What do you mean, he isn't well?" Enishi demanded, only just remembering to keep his voice down. "He might've been sick before, and he coughs from time to time - but it's hardly like he's at death's door."
Shunsui frowned, his eyes darkening as he remembered the fits of choking and blood in the dark cave.
"No. Mitsuki's right." He murmured. "It's more than that, Houjou. He told me himself - that he was born with some kind of lung disease. And when he pushes himself...it flares up."
"Ukitake-kun." Hirata bit his lip, sending Shunsui a reproachful look, and Shunsui sighed, holding up his hands in mock-surrender.
"I know. You hate me. You're not speaking to me. You think it's all my fault." He said heavily. "And it's fine, Hirata-kun. I don't blame you on any level. It's entirely my fault, after all."
"Enough of your idle chatter, if you please." Genryuusai stopped abruptly ahead, holding up his hand for silence. "And listen to me carefully. Kyouraku Shunsui?"
"Yes, Sensei?" Shunsui jumped, staring at the old man in consternation, and Genryuusai frowned.
"Tell me, if you please, which student brought you the message that precipitated last night's events?" He asked quietly, and Shunsui frowned, shaking his head.
"I don't remember, Sensei."
"I told you yesterday how I feel about deceit." Genryuusai's tone was uncompromising. "Shall we try again?"
"It was Iwai Kenji, Sensei." Sora put in, before Shunsui could respond. "He came to the common room to get Shunsui - and that was the last we saw of him for the rest of last evening. Any of us. Except, well, Juushirou of course."
"Sora?!" Shunsui stared at her, and Sora glared back.
"Don't dig yourself a deeper grave, you idiot!" She snapped. "It's not like Iwai-kun was involved in anything, right? Sensei's not going to punish someone for bringing a message. It's not his fault you're a moron, after all!"
"Iwai Kenji." Genryuusai pursed his lips. "I see. Just Iwai?"
"Kira Hideharu met with her too." Shunsui said reluctantly. "But...they really did nothing other than tell me, Sensei. You aren't...Sora's right, isn't she? You won't punish them for that?"
"I have no intention of punishing those who are not guilty." Genryuusai shook his head. "I simply wanted to know who had brought the message."
His gaze drifted across the gathered students, then,
"Are any of your classmates here present ignorant of the events that occurred?" He asked.
"Shikibu-san and Edogawa-san weren't in the common room at the time." Shunsui said softly. "Nor was Shihouin-kun. And Sora only knew that I'd had a visitor. Nothing more than that."
"In which case, Shikibu and Edogawa, you are dismissed back to your Kenjitsu class." Genryuusai said simply, flicking his fingers in their direction. "Shihouin, you too. If one of you would tell Iwai and Kira that I'd like to speak to them when class is over, please. You may tell them they're not in trouble - but it is a matter of some importance and won't wait till after school hours."
"Yes, sir." Exchanging troubled looks, Naoko and Mitsuki answered as one person, disappearing off down the halls before the old man could change his mind. Kai hesitated for a moment, then followed suit, though Shunsui had seen the consternation in the depths of his golden eyes.
"Shiba, you knew only that Kyouraku had had a visitor? You did not know he had left campus?"
"No, Sensei." Sora sent Shunsui another dark look. "He doesn't tell me anything, even though we're almost kin."
"Then you too may go. I'm sorry for interrupting your studies."
"Yes, sir." Sora bowed, then hared off after her friends, and Genryuusai's gaze flickered round in turn to the students he had left.
"Kyouraku, Endou, Kuchiki, Houjou. Yes, just who I expected to see. Follow me, if you please. I have something important to ask you...all of you."
He slid back a side door, brushing his palm against the Kidou lamp controls and, as the room was bathed with light, he gestured for the four apprehensive boys to follow him inside.
"Ukitake, of course, is the fifth, but at present he is not in a fit state to get up." He continued. "However, I want to know definitively whether any of you are familiar with this woman."
"Woman?" Enishi gazed around the room, confusion in his dark eyes. "What woman, Sensei? I don't..."
Before he could finish his statement, however, Hirata let out an exclamation of dismay, his fingers clawing at Enishi's sleeve as he gestured his free hand towards the table in the centre of the room. His face went a sickly shade of green, and he stared at the teacher in horror.
"Sensei! What...what happened to her?!"
"Am I to assume that all four of you are acquainted with this unfortunate young woman?" Genryuusai's calm did not waver for even one moment, despite the fact he had just led his students into a makeshift mortuary, and Shunsui frowned, realising that his first assumptions had been correct. This was a serious matter - and it involved Clan.
There was silence, then Ryuu stepped forward.
"Acquainted is a strong term, Sensei." He said slowly. "I have encountered her on one occasion before, in the local town. But I would not call her someone I knew. She was simply a girl we met in the street. That is all."
"I see." Genryuusai's gaze flitted to Enishi. "Enishi? What about you?"
"Megumi." Enishi's own features had paled as the truth had finally sunk in. "I remember her, Sensei. I met her a couple of times in the town, like Ryuu said. Not intentionally - I didn't go to meet her or anything! But she was there. Twice, I think, I met her."
"Endou?"
"What H...Houjou-kun said." Hirata swallowed hard. "A couple of times. But not on purpose."
"Then we come back to you, Kyouraku." Genryuusai's gaze fixed in on Shunsui once more. "Since you seem to have the strongest connection to this girl, and also to have been the first person to find her body last night - by your own admission."
"Kyouraku?" Enishi's eyes almost fell out of his head, and Shunsui nodded slowly.
"Megumi was the friend I went to try and help." He said softly. "But I was too late. She was dead when I got there...her throat slit, like you see her now."
"Slit by a Clan blade, it seems." Ryuu said astutely, peering at the body as if it were no more than an animal carcass ready to be gutted for cooking. "I understand why you have called us here, Sensei. If this woman was murdered by a Clansman, then doubtless a serious offence has occurred."
His eyes narrowed maliciously.
"It looks much like the swipe of a Shihouin blade to me."
"Thank you, Kuchiki. Those things I can ascertain for myself." Genryuusai said frankly, a warning note in his tones, and even the proud Ryuu subsided. "I have already surmised that the manner of death bears a resemblance to a Clan assassination. I have already made enquiries, however - and all of the Shihouin known to be currently in this area are accounted for for the whole of yesterday."
"Even Kai?" Ryuu looked startled, and Genryuusai sighed.
"This petty rivalry must end." He said frankly. "And I am not in the habit of suspecting my students of murder. Besides, the answer to your question is yes. As it happens, Kai's whereabouts were also accounted for for the entirety of yesterday, with several independent witnesses, including a kinsman of your own. No, whatever this crime is, it isn't what it appears to be. Which is why I hope to learn more about the girl. This crime is, after all, District One's jurisdiction. And it obviously has ties to my pupils - so I want to get to the bottom of those here and now."
His gaze flitted back to Kyouraku.
"This girl is indeed your acquaintance more than the others?"
"Yes, Sensei." Shunsui gave it up as a bad job. "I met her in the local town, and she served me sake. I paid her in good coin and I guess she trusted me because I didn't break my promises - when I said I'd pay her, I did. And I never tried to do anything bad to her, either."
"And so she looked to you for help? Via this mysterious, disappeared friend of hers?"
"Yes, sir." Shunsui bit his lip hard enough to taste blood on his tongue. "Kyouko said that she and Megumi had been surprised, and Megumi'd been taken hostage by men who were looking for her. Kyouko said she'd been paid for something extra lately and that there'd been some kind of argument. But I don't know what it was. Kyouko didn't, either, and Megumi never said anything to me about it at all. So that's really all I know, Sensei. I went out of bounds last night to try and save Megumi's life and I failed and caused a whole lot more trouble for a whole lot more people into the bargain. But I can't tell you any more than I have. That's all there is."
And if I was to speak to Ukitake?"
"He knows even less than me, really." Shunsui shook his head. "He only knows Megumi as well as Houjou or Hirata do. She was my acquaintance and they knew her through me. Not through any other means."
Genryuusai sighed.
"Perhaps you children will learn, now, why there are curfew rules surrounding this establishment." He murmured. "Very well. You are dismissed. Return directly to your class, and apologise to Minabe-sensei for how long I've kept you. And this matter is to be kept to your own discretion. I have heard enough buzzing rumours this morning - I do not wish to hear more lurid ones this afternoon. You understand?"
"Yes, Sensei." As one, the boys responded, and as they trooped back towards the gymnasium, Enishi let out a heavy sigh.
"I can't believe she was murdered." He murmured. "A pretty young girl like that. Who'd kill someone like her?"
"Someone who owed her money and didn't feel like paying?" Shunsui shrugged. "There are a lot of people who see people like Megumi as worthless and disposable commodities, Houjou. That's why I wanted to save her. Because I knew no one else would."
"It was horrible." Hirata shivered. "She was all pale and cold and...and..."
"Are you seriously telling me that, as an Endou, you've never seen death before?" Ryuu shot him an incredulous look. "We are here to learn to fight, not to become skilled in calligraphy and flower arrangement! What use will you be against Hollows if you cannot stomach one common girl's corpse?"
Hirata stiffened.
"I don't have to like it, no matter whether I've seen it or not." He defended himself. "Besides, Megumi wasn't someone who'd hurt anyone. She didn't deserve...it was evil."
"Too true." Shunsui said grimly. "If I'd only been a little quicker - maybe then there'd have been a point to last night's disaster. But she must've been killed within a short time before me getting to her. And that's what bugs me most of all. I was that close - but I was still too late."
"You are odd sometimes, Kyouraku." Ryuu observed pensively. "I believe you care more for that girl's death than you do about any of the values this place is here to uphold."
"Something along those lines." Shunsui nodded. "Especially if I find out it was Clan who killed her."
"It looked like a Shihouin blade all right. Kuchiki was right about that." Enishi remarked.
"But if all of the Shihouin are accounted for, that means either someone crept over the border and did it illicitly, or otherwise it's an attempt at framing." Ryuu reflected. Shunsui nodded.
"I'm about at that point myself." He admitted. "But that's still wide open."
"But if Sensei is involved, it will be sorted out. Won't it?" Hirata murmured, and Shunsui gazed at him in surprise.
"I thought you weren't speaking to me, kid."
"I'm not kid. Not from you." Hirata said stiffly. "And I'm not. Not really. 'Cept I think that, if you tried to save someone's life, at least maybe I'm less cross with you than I was. Though I'm still angry that you got Ukitake-kun hurt. We can't even see him, yet, which means he must've been pretty bad."
"Yeah...he kind of was." Shunsui's expression became shadowed. "I'm sorry, Hirata. I didn't mean it to end up that way. He saved my life, and I endangered his. Believe me, you can't be as cross with me as I am with myself over that."
He offered the boy a casual smile, but it did not fully reach his eyes.
"Whether you believe me or not, I'm fond of Juushirou too." He added. "And I do have a conscience - even if it does take a lot to wake it up."
"He'll be all right though, won't he?" Enishi asked, and Shunsui nodded.
"I guess so. Now he's here." He agreed. "You heard Naoko, didn't you? The head of her clan is here. That's the head of the Unohana - the Healing Order. Yama-jii said the same to me yesterday, too - and I saw her haori for myself. I guess she must've been called because of Juushirou...so in that case, there's no doubting he'll recover."
"Kyouraku is correct." Ryuu nodded. "Unohana Retsu is known for her skills, after all - she is said to be the most gifted healer in generations of the Unohana Clan - Ukitake is in the safest hands."
"But to call someone like that, it must've been a bad injury to begin with." Enishi reflected absently. "What did happen out there last night, Kyouraku? What did you do to the poor guy?"
"Nothing, exactly." Shunsui replied evenly. "He was using what spells he knew to drive back the Hollow so we could escape. He pushed himself too far, in the end."
"We shouldn't speak about this in front of others." As they reached the gymnasium once more, Ryuu put his hand on the door, turning to face them. "As Sensei said, we do not want to elicit more rumours. Between ourselves is one thing - but from now we should stop talking like this."
"Kuchiki's right. Let's drop it." Enishi agreed. "We've missed enough of class as it is, and Minabe won't let us off the hook if we slack for the rest of it."
He offered his companions a rueful grin, leaning across his companion to slide back the door.
"For now, lets just focus on Kenjitsu and leave everything else to Genryuusai-sensei."
"And that's enough for today's class."
Aitori set down his books on the edge of his desk, turning to face the gathered eight students with a faint, slightly derisive smile. "For my next class, you can go over the theories we've studied today and then, tomorrow afternoon I trust we'll start once more exploring the physical possibilities of shifting through light."
It was that same afternoon, and the students had returned to as normal a routine as they could in light of the morning's revelations, each one keeping strongly in mind Genryuusai's words about discretion. From his corner at the back of the room, Kai could clearly see that whatever the Headmaster had said to them, it had had a lasting effect, for there was tension in each boy's aura - but though he had heard Sora eagerly questioning Shunsui as they had left Kenjitsu class, so far none of them had revealed what had happened between them and the Head.
This had only confirmed Kai's own private suspicions - that Genryuusai had taken them to identify Megumi's body.
He frowned, his brows knitting together in consternation at this thought. He did not know how deep their acquaintance with the girl ran, or how much they knew about her illicit activities. But even one misplaced word could put him and his Clan under suspicion of her murder.
At that thought, he once again cursed Seimaru inwardly for the casual way in which he had handled things.
So much for the responsibilities of Clan leaders and their heirs. An infant could have done a better job covering his tracks than that.
"Kyouraku, I've been informed by Genryuusai-sensei that even though you haven't cleared my assessment, you are to attend Practical Hohou classes from hereon in." Aitori was speaking again, and Kai wrested his attention back to the matter at hand, surprise flooding through him as he wondered why the Headmaster had so easily overridden the rules he himself had set in place. "I have no idea why this is the case, but I will not question a direct order."
He smiled coldly.
"Perhaps, given your love of breaking rules he feels that you need occupation, and should be pushed harder."
"Maybe my brother thinks so, and has asked Genryuusai-sensei to intervene on my behalf." Shunsui said evenly, offering the teacher a faint smile. "He has some funny ideas of what he thinks I should be able to achieve, after all - I suspect he wouldn't like me being kept behind."
"You should do more to deserve Tokutarou-dono's faith in you, in that case." Aitori said evenly. "I will expect you to arrive promptly, however, and your having missed four weeks so far will not be considered an adequate excuse for you lagging behind your companions. Even if the instruction has come from the Head of the Kyouraku-ke, I do not have time to nanny dullards."
"Yes, Sensei." Shunsui bowed his head slightly in acknowledgement, and a chill touched Kai's spine as he read the expression in the boy's eyes.
Tokutarou-dono had nothing to do with this, I'd stake my honour on it. He's lying, which means he's covering something up. Did he give Genryuusai-sensei information? Did he trade that information in order to move on in some way? It must be that. Why else would a lazy fool like Kyouraku suddenly get special favours, when he of all students has been so inattentive so far?
He bit his lip. There had been something different to Shunsui's aura since last night, but he could not put his finger on what it was. Even so, though, he knew it wasn't a feeling he liked.
Did he know something, after all? Did that girl tell him her secrets?
Aitori cast Kai a brief glance, then he paced across the class, pausing in front of Shunsui's desk and resting his hand down casually on the wood.
"You may pass a message to your District-born friend, also." He murmured, a slight sneer curling at the edge of his lips. "Ill health will not be considered a reason for gaps in preparation when it comes to the end of semester exams."
"Juushirou's really sick, though, Sensei!" Sora objected, the words slipping out before she could stop them, and Aitori's gaze narrowed.
"If he cannot cope with facing up against just one meagre Hollow, what use is it him being a student in this class?" He asked coolly. "If he wishes to play Noble games, he must improve his stamina."
He gestured towards the door.
"You are dismissed." He added. "Kai, I wish you to stay behind - the rest of you may go."
Kai, who had got to his feet with his fellows paused, a hesitant glance crossing his features as he gazed at the teacher in surprise. At his faltering, Aitori frowned, shaking his head slowly.
"Your assignment on how Shinigami use reiatsu to pierce the speed of light was not up to the standard I expect from you." He said coldly. "And I would rather not discuss that in front of your fellows."
Kai's expression darkened further, but he made no demur, merely watching as his classmates vacated the classroom one at a time. When the door had slid shut behind the last, Hirata, he cast his companion a questioning look.
"Well?" He murmured accusingly. "You know that if you continue to call on me so often, Aitori, people will be suspicious?"
Aitori frowned, pursing his lips in annoyance. Without a word he strode across the classroom, bringing his hand down hard across Kai's cheek. Despite himself the boy stumbled back, only just steadying his balance as he fingered his bruised face in surprise and dismay.
"You may be the blood nephew of the Clan Leader, Kai, but by God you will address me with the respect owing an elder Clansman." Aitori's voice shook with anger. "Else I will beat it into you, and then people will indeed talk."
"I'm sorry." Kai touched his cheek gingerly once more, then bowed his head. "It's just...I...with all that's happened..."
He trailed off, and Aitori's lips thinned.
"Yes." He murmured. "But you needn't worry on that account. It was all taken care of. All of it has gone exactly according to plan."
"You knew, Sensei, didn't you?" Kai asked apprehensively. "That Seimaru-dono was planning...and that's why..."
"Why I seconded you to help me out? Yes, of course." Aitori smiled, a small, unpleasant smile. "And I helped provide him with a Shihouin blade, also. It was entirely his idea to work it that way - that we would, after all, be perfectly above suspicion. And his men could do the deed without any fear of it being traced back to the Endou-ke."
"I can't believe you just let him cast suspicion on our Clan like that." Kai muttered, and Aitori frowned.
"The world is changing." He said softly. "You must see that too, Kai. Young and foolish as you are, you must know that things are shifting in a particular direction. The Shihouin are not the force to be reckoned with that they once were. A trio of weak leaders before your Uncle took command, the in-fighting that preceded that event...not to mention the most recent decisions made by the Noble Council of Elders. The Shihouin do not have the same spiritual potential as the Kuchiki, the Shiba or the Yamamoto in this current environment. They are no longer in a position to be able to hold firm alone."
"So we're to be shored up by Endou schemes and Endou blood? Is that it?" Kai demanded. "I'm sorry, Sensei, but I don't like that one bit! I'm Shihouin. That's all I am. I don't want any part in anything else."
"Things are probably already too far progressed to be changed too considerably." Aitori mused, leaning up against the wall and folding his arms across his chest. "The Endou, too, have their weaknesses. We are, if you like, mutually supportive. By marrying your sister to Seimaru-dono, we're forging an alliance no different from Kyouraku Matsuhara's alliance with the Shiba, to name but one. The Kyouraku have been a weak Clan too, you know, in recent generations. But their newest leader has Shiba blood as well as Kyouraku blood and even in a precious few years he has taken hold of his family and resurrected their good name. In time, we will no doubt do the same."
"By allowing the Endou to tell us what to do?"
"No, you foolish boy." Aitori shook his head impatiently. "All Noble alliances have catches - and you should understand how much the Shihouin live in the shadows. We pursue this alliance and this pretence so long as it can strengthen the cracks that haven't quite been smoothed over. Once Midori is married to Seimaru-dono, then a new game begins - any heir she births will be half Shihouin and educated as such, after all. If Seimaru-dono objects to it, he'll find he has a Clan of assassins on his hands - no, Kai, you are wrong to think that we'll let ourselves be so easily taken into the Endou-ke's dark snare."
"Then what are we doing, then, letting him pass off the murder of a town girl onto one of our people?" Kai demanded. "I'm not trying to be disrespectful, but I don't understand it. Megumi's body was brought here and Unohana-sama, of all people, has examined it. Genryuusai-sensei is suspicious about it and what's worse, more than one of my classmates were acquainted with her. If even one tiny thread leads back here..."
"Yes. That's why I called you back today." Aitori nodded, his eyes becoming ice cold as he gazed down at his young companion. "You've been preoccupied, and it won't do. You have no connection to Megumi, nor anything she was involved in in town. You met her maybe once, but now she's dead there's noone to testify to that fact. You have no reason to be worried about anything - nobody suspects you or I in anything. But you will give us away if you continue in this vein. And I'm warning you. This comes direct from your Uncle's mouth - if you compromise this operation even one bit, I am to remove you from the equation permanently."
Kai froze, staring at his companion in horror, and Aitori smiled that unpleasant smile again.
"That's not my goal." He added. "I dislike slaying kin, and it would be messy and troublesome to cover up. But my work here is important, too. In the last twenty years the scientists your Father oversees have made great advances in purifying and amending the chemicals that the Council so rashly banned two generations ago. With a little bit more time and effort, they will reach a stage where they should be safe to use. Megumi's death is an inconvenience for me, since she's been a very adept intermediary for this or that since I came here. But with you here to spy on your low-born classmates, and me perfectly able to find other greedy townsfolk to work for good coin, it isn't too much of a tragedy."
"The Endou-ke have something much bigger in mind than just protecting your smuggling racket, Sensei." Kai said darkly, and Aitori nodded.
"Yes." He said frankly. "They've long hated this Academy and they want to see it brought to a firm conclusion. Of course, till now it's been no more than talk on their part - but with the last Council vote swaying our Clan in their direction, at last they have the allies they need to carry out the job properly. You, Tomoyuki and I are unsuspected here, Kai. For now, that's the most important thing. When we're called on, if we are, we'll do our job and we will strike. You understand that, I trust? Your years of training have at least taught you that?"
"Yes, Sensei." Kai bowed his head, resignation in his heart.
"In the meantime, did the wench manage to tell anything to any of your classmates before she died?"
"I don't think so." Kai shook his head.
"Or to her friend, perhaps?" Aitori pursed his lips. "Kyouko, wasn't it? She's disappeared completely - even with my connections, I've been unable to track down her whereabouts. It seems she's left District One entirely."
"I wouldn't blame her. She probably ran scared." Kai shrugged. "But I doubt she knows anything. So far as I understand it, the girl came here and unburdened herself to Kyouraku and Ukitake yesterday - if she'd known anything incriminating, I think we'd have seen repercussions by now."
"I agree." Aitori rubbed his chin pensively. "But it troubles me a little that she so easily escaped my attentions. For now, though, I won't worry about her."
"Sensei..." Kai hesitated, then, "Do you think the Endou-ke can really bring down this Academy? Even with our help, to go up against someone like Genryuusai-sensei..."
"Genryuusai-sensei is not a fool, but he has a weakness and that is that he cares about the students here." Aitori's eyes became like flint. "He won't release his legendary sword and risk hurting them. On the other hand, I have absolutely no feeling for any of the idiots I'm forced to teach, and if some of them die in the process, so be it. We will succeed, in the end, because we have nothing to hold us back. We just have to be patient and bide our time. It wouldn't do to get careless, after all, and give ourselves away too soon."
"Mm." Kai pursed his lips. "And Sensei, what about Ukitake?"
"What about him?"
"Are we to do anything about him? Did Uncle say...?"
"The presence of one like him makes a mockery of this institution, and indicates even more strongly why the Endou feel how they do." Aitori mused. "I dislike him, and would sorely like to remove him just because his being here is an eyesore and an affront to Clan pride. But so far there's been no order directly telling me what should be done about that boy. And so, for now, we do nothing."
"Seimaru-dono said he'd be easy to kill, with his weak body, or to discredit because of Clan prejudice." Kai murmured. "But..."
"But?" Aitori looked surprised. "Why 'but'? Do you think that one District born boy is in any way a match for the might of the Shihouin and the Endou Clans?"
Kai was silent for a moment, debating this carefully. Then, at length, he nodded.
"I don't understand what it is about him." He murmured. "Only people...they seem drawn in by him. Even Kuchiki. Even one like him. And I don't know...but I'm starting to think that it might be tougher to kill him than Seimaru-dono thought."
"Implying what? That we should make a start on doing so now, even before we've had an order?" Aitori was incredulous, and Kai shook his head.
"No." He said uneasily. "But it's not just him. Kyouraku, too, these last twenty-four hours. Since the girl died - there's been something about him that I can't quantify or explain. But the both of them...bother me. And not being able to explain why bothers me, too."
His eyes narrowed.
"I can't help thinking they're going to be problems for us, the more this goes on." He whispered. "Because...I really don't think that Kyouraku's going to easily let Megumi's murder go."
Author's Note:
Unless nobody else has realised it yet, Yama-jii has a slightly sadistic way of teaching his students how to be Shinigami...^_^. I guess corpse identification comes under extra-curricular studies...meh, it's a violent old world out there ^_^.