Chapter Fifteen: Empathy

That stupid, braindead fool.

Kai sank down onto his bed, flopping back onto his blankets as he re-ran in his mind the confrontation he had walked into. Although Kazoe had sent him to get his lunch, he felt sickened and on edge, and he knew that the last thing he wanted was to face his inquisitive classmates when he knew his own composure was far from settled.

Onoe had been foolish and brazen, voicing such concerns in a public place. Yet it was the deep unease that gnawed away at the core of his soul which concerned Kai the most.

Onoe was skilled and deft, and certainly able to act in the name of the Shihouin-ke without hesitation or regret. Yet he was not as smart or intuitive as his second cousin was…and Kai could not help thinking that somehow, outside manipulation had played a part.

Seimaru said it, didn't he? That if a rumour was started about Ukitake's abilities being chemical induced, it would discredit District students. I refused to do it, because of it drawing attention to Father and what his scientists are working on. But Seimaru dismissed it far too easily, in the end. And I wonder if this is why. I wonder if he'd already thought that where I might not be of use that way, Tomoyuki might.

He sighed, rubbing his temples.

Whether the idiot even realises the risk to his Clan by saying such things, God only knows. When he asked me about it this morning, before breakfast, I thought I'd at least made it clear I wasn't interested in his theories about Ukitake's ridiculous reiatsu. But I guess I was wrong. He's always been the kind to grab onto something and twist it up until he can't let it go. He believes Ukitake took his place in Class One, so therefore Ukitake's fair game. And it's not his father who's Uncle's chief when it comes to secret research projects. He probably doesn't care about any of that…if he's even seen the connection at all.

Then again, he's Aitori's nephew. And even if Tomoyuki didn't see the link, there's no way that someone as sly and slick as Aitori could have missed it.

Which means...

He sighed, gazing up at the ceiling, as he remembered the gravity and strain on his Father's face the last time they'd met. Midori betrothed. Him seconded as a spy. His brother an assistant in the laboratory proceedings. And the man's own work, as given him by the head of his Clan, suddenly the bartering tool in a new and frightening alliance.

Dabbling in banned substances despite a Council interdict was a crime punishable by death, even for one who was essentially the Shihouin-ke's second in command in many things. And since Kai's own mother had died, six years earlier, the work his Father had done for the Clan had more or less become his life – his comfort, his reason for going on, and his obsession.

It was his Uncle's obsession, too, he reflected miserably, remembering the troubled times that had plagued the Clan in the past. Although his Uncle had originally had three children, two of them had been killed carrying out missions for the family, and the surviving son, a boy of twelve, was healthy in body but weak in spiritual power. Though the family had acknowledged him, Kai had understood very quickly that this boy would soon be superceded if it came to a battle of superiority among Clansmen. The Shihouin's civil war could easily start again – and for that reason, his Uncle had continued the Clan's habit of shielding exiled scientists, putting great emphasis on continuing their work. It was all for the protection of his son, in the end - for the secure future of the Shihouin.

Kai had also often suspected that his Uncle's own disdain for him stemmed from the same source – for though his cousin, Father, brother and sister all preceded him in line to the Clan leadership, it was well known that Kai's reiatsu was naturally a good deal higher than any of the other males of his generation. In fact, it was only his revered sister Midori whose spiritual ability superceded his own – and even when his elder cousins had been alive, that had still been the case.

I have no wish to take over the Clan, though, or act as any kind of rebel against Uncle's authority.

He sighed.

It just bothers me, that's all. The idea that Father's putting his life and reputation on the line because Uncle's heir isn't fit to wear the Shihouin haori without supplementing his power with illegal chemicals. And to make it worse…Ukitake…

He closed his eyes, letting out his breath in a rush. He too had felt the reiatsu flare, after all. And no matter how much it hurt his pride to admit to it, he knew the boy was genuinely powerful.

Strong, intelligent and brave. Shinigami material in District cloaking. Times are changing – and at this rate, is our Clan even going to survive those changes? Aitori says we're using the Endou, but I don't believe it's that simple. We seem to be the ones being used – the ones thrown into the line of fire. And what about the Endou-ke's ultimate plan? Have they dazzled Uncle enough with their contributions to our chemical research to make him give such an unreasonable, unbelievable final command?

He clenched and unclenched his fists slowly.

Whatever the cause, whichever Clan spills the blood of one like Yamamoto Genryuusai Shigekuni-sama, those stains will never ever be removed. And if it's the Shihouin who have to carry out such a dirty task – even to protect the Old Order, will it mean the complete annihilation of our Clan?

"Evening, soldier! Sorry to interrupt your dinner – looks like the Healing Bay served up late this evening!"

Juushirou glanced up from his meal, setting down his chopsticks as he cast Shunsui a warm grin. It was that same evening, with the sun just beginning to set over the mountainous First District landscape beyond the walls of the old Yamamoto manor house. It had been a bright, gentle day, interspersed by visits from his classmates and rounds of Retsu's vigorous Kidou treatment, and as a result Juushirou was feeling much more like his usual self.

"No, I'm just finishing second helpings, that's all." He said good-naturedly now, setting the tray aside and folding his hands in his lap. "What brings you here at this time, anyway? Not that I mind the company, but even so…"

"Evening is much more my natural time of day than morning." Shunsui said simply, dropping down with a sigh on the side of his companion's bunk. "Second helpings, hmm? I guess that's proof positive there's not much wrong with you now!"

He winked.

"Some might call it malingering, in fact."

"Yes, except that it's me, and not you." Juushirou said composedly, and Shunsui chuckled, nodding his head.

"Touche." He agreed. "You're really not the malingering type, are you, Juushirou-chan?"

"Juushirou-chan, now?" Juushirou eyed him quizzically, and Shunsui shrugged.

"Whatever seems right at the time." He said casually. "Still, there's nothing wrong with your appetite, that's for sure. You might be thin as a stick, Juu-kun, but you certainly aren't shy with your food, even when you're sick!"

"Mm." Juushirou looked sheepish. "My family always tease me about that, too. The first day after an attack, they can never coax me to eat because my throat is too raw to swallow without choking. But after that, my appetite gets the better of me. Anika usually brings umeboshi back from the market and makes me o-chazuke with them as the topping…and that usually does the trick. Though I'll eat anything I'm given, usually, umeboshi-chazuke is the only thing I'll never turn down, no matter how ill I'm feeling."

"Umeboshi, huh." Shunsui looked amused. "I'll remember that, whenever I need to bribe you for your brains or your help in the future."

"I don't come cheaply." Juushirou bantered back. "So you'll have to make it worth my while."

Shunsui laughed, nodding his head.

"Somehow coming to see you, even knowing I helped put you here, really does make my mind easier." He reflected pensively, and Juushirou looked surprised.

"Really?"

"I guess its something calming in your aura." Shunsui nodded, a playful glitter in his gaze. "But I'm being serious. It's a feeling of…I don't know. Of having an ally, no matter what's going on…one I can trust in no matter what."

Juushirou's expression softened.

"Something's bothering you?" He asked gently, and Shunsui shrugged his shoulders.

"A lot of things." He reflected. "I have this habit, it seems, of doing nothing until after the fact - until it's too late to do anything, right or wrong. I've been thinking today that maybe that's not such a good habit to have – what do you think?"

"I think its a bit random, to just wake up and decide something like that after seventeen and a half years." Juushirou said honestly. "Did something in particular happen to spark this feeling, or…?"

"Mm, I suppose it's a culmination of a few things." Shunsui looked uncharacteristically serious. "It's not that I don't realise what I do or don't do has a knock-on effect on those around me. I've just been seeing it more clearly lately, that's all. It's not really much fun, if you want the truth. For the past year I've barely thought about anything like that. Now it seems to be dogging me more and more –with Megumi's death, and you being here, and…I don't know."

He shrugged, grinning suddenly, and the sober moment was gone.

"In any case, it's mine to agonise about, and I won't bring you down with it." He continued. "I really came to compare notes with you a little, to tell you the truth. Since I saw Unohana-san leaving here a little while ago – and I suppose no one's due to come and poke you in the meantime?"

"Probably not until its time for lights out." Juushirou shook his head. "Unohana-sensei's been in each night then to see me and take my temperature and so on – but she's left me to read, mostly, after dinner."

"A pretty nurse to come and see you to bed." Shunsui sighed enviously, and Juushirou swatted at his arm in irritation.

"Stop it. I've already told you, I'm not interested in her like that. Besides, she's not a nurse. She's a Kidou expert and a Clan Leader, don't forget. She's not someone you want to offend or mess with."

"Yes, sir." Shunsui saluted sharply, then he sighed. "Okay. So it's just you and me here, then, for now?"

"Unless anyone else drops in on us in the meantime, I imagine so." Juushirou settled himself more comfortably against his pillows. "Talk softly, Shunsui, and then no one will hear anything you say."

"All right." Shunsui obediently muted his tones to match his companion's hoarser ones. "How's this?"

"Better, though you sound like you've swallowed a frog." Juushirou stifled a smile, and Shunsui glared at him indignantly.

"That's rich, coming from you!" He returned indignantly, and Juushirou laughed, nodding his head.

"True." He acknowledged good-naturedly. "All right. I'm sorry. What is it, anyway? Something to do with Megumi-san's death? You said when you came to see me before that there were things you hadn't told to Genryuusai-sensei. Is that why you're here now?"

"Sort of." Shunsui nodded. "I just wondered whether you remembered, that's all. When we were in the tavern that night, whose patrol it was that Megumi told us was coming into the town?"

"Aitori-sensei's." Juushirou said immediately, his brows knitting together at the memory. "Because you said we had to slip back quickly so he didn't see me and use it as an excuse to make my life difficult. Didn't you?"

"Yes." Shunsui agreed. "Then do you remember what Megumi said about him, too?"

Juushirou pursed his lips.

"That she remembered people who paid her and she remembered those who didn't." He responded slowly, then his eyes widened. "Aitori-sensei owed her money? Good grief, Shunsui, are you trying to suggest that Aitori-sensei was the one who killed her?"

"Kyouko said that she owed someone money, didn't she?" Shunsui shrugged. "But no. I know Aitori wasn't the one who slashed her, Juu – his reiatsu was nowhere near the scene and Yama-jii said himself that all the Shihouin in District One were accounted for that night with witnesses aplenty. Aitori, Kai and that Onoe brat were all helping Aitori sort out his office, apparently, with a Kuchiki and some other trustworthy companions as convenient witnesses. However…"

"You think he might still have been involved?"

Juushirou looked alarmed, and Shunsui sighed.

"I don't want to freak you out too much, but this isn't an unusual state of affairs where Clan politics are concerned." He said evenly. "Trust me on that one, okay? It's perfectly possible that any or all of the Clans – mine even included, if you like – could stoop to doing such a thing if it was a matter of protecting their honour. So putting that into context for a while, it's not unthinkable that a teacher like Aitori could be ordered to do something on his Clan's behalf. Except, of course, that Aitori didn't kill her. He was here. And though it looked like a Shihouin killed her – the wound was messy and the body was found. This is what's bugging me, I think, about it being not what it seems. The only way a Shihouin assassin would make such a blatant show of his crime would be to make a particular point about it – and I don't see what the point of this one would be."

He sighed again.

"Maybe I'm reading too many levels into a simple hit for hire, because I wasn't able to save her." He admitted honestly. "But even if that is it, it still bothers me. I really don't think she was killed by a Shihouin. I think it was just made up to look like she was."

"So it has nothing to do with Aitori-sensei and his money, after all?" Juushirou looked bewildered, and Shunsui pulled a face.

"That's the bit I'm having trouble with." He admitted. "Something else happened this afternoon that I'm trying to make sense of, and when I do, I'll see what you think, too. But it bothers me that Aitori owed Megumi money, and then she was killed because she was owed money. It makes me wonder what Aitori was paying her to do. And if it wasn't sexual favours, what was it connected to? Kyouko didn't know what it was about either, and I think she'd have known if it was for Megumi's feminine charms in the bedroom. But she thought it was something else going on, and it seems too convenient that two people haven't paid her two gold coins in a short space of time."

"You were one, too." Juushirou reminded him, and Shunsui nodded.

"I know. But I hope you consider me out of the equation." He said lightly, a faint smile on his lips. "Even if I did find the body. Besides, I may not have actively paid it to her in person, but thanks to you my promise to her was kept - does that make me off the hook?"

"Silly. I wasn't meaning that." Juushirou shook his head, a smile touching his own lips. "Just that it's not impossible in this area with so many Clan kids to have others owing amounts. And it's a lot of money to me, two gold coins, but I guess for some Clan folk it really isn't."

"Still, its the exactness of the amount, too." Shunsui shrugged. "What you say is true, but it still...maybe I'm grasping hopelessly at straws, but I can't stop thinking that it connects to something important."

"And you think Shihouin-kun is involved too, don't you?"

"If Aitori is, Shihouin almost certainly is." Shunsui agreed. "And maybe Onoe, too. But if he was paying her, but didn't kill her…"

"Maybe the Shihouin are targets, too?" Juushirou murmured. "And their Clan is being set up by someone else to take the fall for something bigger – something we haven't seen yet?"

"Mm." Shunsui looked troubled. "I rather worry about what that has to do with you, too."

"With me?"

"Yes." Shunsui agreed, and Juushirou sighed.

"I'm not going to focus on this whole conspiracy against me theory." He said at length. "Right now, it doesn't seem like I matter as much as you think I do in any of what you've just said. For the time being, Megumi-san is what you wanted to resolve, wasn't it? We know she was murdered. We know her body was dumped in the forest. And we know Aitori-sensei didn't kill her. So who did?"

"I think the idea was for her to be killed by the Hollow we played games with." Shunsui said honestly. "But she fought too hard and they had to do away with her before they could draw it to where she was. There was a flurry of reiatsu near her body – but none of them were significant or familiar to me in any way, so that was no help. If anyone more powerful was involved, they didn't reveal themselves in that way."

"Kyouko-san said that the person who led the party to snare them was fair-skinned, with dark hair and pale eyes. Maybe in his twenties." Juushirou remembered carefully. "Didn't she?"

"Which also counts out the Shihouin." Shunsui agreed. "For obvious reasons."

He grimaced.

"Kyouko said that Megumi knew him but she didn't. So whoever it was she'd dealt with directly before, about whatever it was that got her killed." He murmured. "If Oniisama finds Kyouko, she might be able to identify who it was if she saw him again. But that being the case, they may track her down and they might still get to her before Tokutarou-nii's men. I don't know if she'd trust Clansfolk in a strange District, after all, just on my say-so. And she's vulnerable. She's involved with chemicals that she can't get in Eighth District."

"She shouldn't be able to get them here." Juushirou said frankly, and Shunsui's eyes widened.

"No, she shouldn't." he murmured. "You're right. District One are as strong on the ban as any other – in fact, the Yamamoto-ke seem very against them. Houjou-kun's reaction on the subject too – it's as though they hate the idea more than any other Clan, if I'm truthful about it. Yet it's here, in that town, that this trade is so prevalent. That's significant, isn't it? It's unusual. I bet there's nowhere else in District One that you'd find it so easy to get those kinds of things."

"Meaning someone is shipping them in?" Juushirou questioned, and Shunsui nodded.

"Because it's exactly like you said. Right here there's a school." He said grimly. "Where people travel, above suspicion, from all over Seireitei. Whichever district these chemicals are coming from, they're connected to this place in some way for sure. That's how they're getting into District One. And it about proves that it's Clan related, too. Because whoever's doing it has been doing it since before we were here. Megumi and her friends are known to our senpai, after all. That implies that it's been going on at least a year before we came here. All the students before this year were Clan. So that means one of the Clans is involved in illicit chemical dealing."

"Find the Clan and we find Megumi-san's killer, you mean." Juushirou looked grave. "But why would they owe Megumi-san money? Surely she was acquiring the chemicals, not selling them...?"

"Perhaps they were part of her pay-off." Shunsui said grimly. "Maybe it wasn't all in coin."

"Maybe." Juushirou bit his lip. "But even if its true, going after those people would be dangerous, surely? If they killed her over it…"

"I still have a feeling it's the tip of some horrendous iceberg, but it's as good as we've got for now." Shunsui said sadly. "We don't even know which chemical it is. If we knew more about that, we might be able to work out what it's made of and where it's coming from. But right now we know nothing. I don't even know the names of most of these things. Just that they existed and they killed people. That's all."

"Could we find that kind of thing out?"

"It might be possible there's something in the school library archives about the experiments and so on." Shunsui acknowledged. "If we fancied digging through a bunch of dusty books."

"Meaning you want me to do that part, I suppose?" Juushirou grimaced at him. "Fine. When I'm set loose from here, I'll see what I can discover on that subject."

"Thank you." Shunsui grinned. "That might be a dead end but it might not be. I know it seems stupid, Juu, but it really matters to me that Megumi isn't just forgotten. This time I don't want to do nothing at all, even if I was too late to save her. This time I want to do something about it, even if it's just uncovering the truth of her death."

"And I already said that I'd help." Juushirou responded evenly. "So that's decided. Reading is something I'm good at, and I feel happier doing that than charging into battle unprepared with Clanfolk unknown at the moment."

"Which leaves us with the person who took Megumi from her home." Shunsui said evenly. "And I guess that's my job, for now. But there are a lot more dark haired people with pale eyes in Seireitei, sadly, than there are dark skinned ones with gold eyes. She didn't even specify what colour eyes, just that they were pale. Narrowing down who Kyouko saw to a particular individual is going to be a nightmare from start to finish. Minabe-sensei's apparently been doing Yama-jii's dirty work asking questions in the town, but hasn't found anything more out that way, and if it's Clan related then they'll have closed up shop and she won't. Not even if she threatens people. So…right now it's a dead end, even so. I can't see that I'll discover anything without going to the town myself, but I'm not sure if I'm still under interdict. I guess I'll have to do some more thinking around that one."

"Anideshi has pale eyes." Juushirou reflected, and Shunsui snorted.

"And blond hair. Are you colour-blind?" He demanded. "Besides, do you think Anideshi is that kind of person?"

"No…" Juushirou shook his head. "But it just struck me, when you said it. Anideshi does have fair hair, true, and so does Kamitani-kun in Class Two. But…those chemicals were an Urahara experiment in the first place, weren't they? And the Urahara's pale eyes are quite distinctive – like Kuchiki-kun's grey ones or Shihouin-kun's gold ones – they're a Clan trait. And being distinctive, Kyouko-san may not have been able to define a colour. Just that they were pale. It's not like Hirata's, for example. They're pale but they're definitely pale blue. Anideshi's, on the other hand...and it seems to me, even from my limited experience of all this, that most Clansfolk, whatever their family name, bear striking features in common from person to person."

"A sign of all that lovely inbreeding, no doubt." Shunsui said ruefully. "Though I see your point. If there was a member of the Urahara-ke with dark hair and pale eyes, that might be unusual enough to stand out. And something to go on, too."

"Exactly." Juushirou looked triumphant. "I don't know whether the Urahara-ke would do anything like this, so that you'll have to tell me. But at least it's something."

He looked sheepish.

"I really do feel like your partner in crime, now." He added. "Discussing these things in a hushed voice as though the fate of the world rested on it."

"Maybe it does, in a way." Shunsui reflected absently. "We might as well stop now, though. It seems you're going to have other visitors in a moment or two."

"Other..." Juushirou frowned, casting his companion a surprised look. "More people coming to wish me well?"

"Guess so. Can't you sense them? It's Sora and Mitsuki-chan and they're heading this way."

"Till I'm healed, I'm not even trying to use my senses." Juushirou said ruefully. "I'll just take your word for it that it's the case."

"Sora I can understand, since she's always poking her nose into everything and I'm pretty sure she considers you one of her extended buddy bunch now." Shunsui reflected. "But why Mitsuki, too? That's an interesting development if ever there was one."

He eyed Juushirou keenly.

"Is that why you're so adamantly not interested in Unohana-san? Because you're secretly intertwined in a forbidden love affair with Mitsuki-chan?"

"What?" Juushirou stared, then shook his head. "Don't be stupid! I told you already...stop teasing me, Shunsui!"

"Well, there must be a reason why she's come all the way to see you." Shunsui said innocently. "Don't you think so?"

"Edogawa-san is just like that, I suppose. She's sensitive, and I've noticed that she's always worried if someone seems ill or out of sorts." Juushirou said frankly. "Stop putting love story spin on everything for a moment and see things rationally, okay? She's as self-conscious as Hirata, in her own way, and if you start saying stupid things like that when she's here you'll probably upset her. Or scare her. Or both."

"Relax. My nonsense theories are for your ears only, for now." Shunsui said blithely. "But she's a pretty girl too, Mitsuki-chan. You shouldn't forget that fact, all right?"

Before Juushirou could respond, the wooden divide slid back to reveal the two girls, Sora bounding forward almost as soon as she saw them.

"Shunsui! You're here too?"

"Didn't you sense me? I'm hurt, Sora-chan." Shunsui got to his feet, bowing his head mock-politely towards her, and she grimaced, shoving him out of the way.

"We came to see Juushirou, not you – so shift over, will you? There's room for more than one if you don't lounge all over the place."

She turned, beckoning to Mitsuki who had hesitated uncertainly in the doorway, and Juushirou offered her a smile, gesturing for her to join them.

"It's all right, Edogawa-san. You're quite welcome to come in."

Mitsuki offered him a shy smile, nodding and moving closer to the bed. In her hand she carried a small vial, which she set down carefully on the beside unit.

"I'm sorry if we're disturbing you, Ukitake-kun – only I wanted to bring you this." She said, in her soft, gentle tones. "It's an old remedy my nurse used to make for me whenever I had a bad throat or a cough and I thought it might help in some way."

"A remedy?" Juushirou scooped it up, glancing at her in surprise, and Shunsui snorted.

"That's not very gracious." He scolded. "Edogawa-san went to all the trouble of bringing it here personally, too, and all you can do is stare at her? For shame, Juu-kun! We need to work on your manners, if that's the best you can do!"

Mitsuki blushed furiously at this, holding up her hands as she hurriedly shook her head.

"No! It…it's all right, I just…it was…"

"Shunsui's right." Juushirou looked sheepish. "I'm sorry, Edogawa-san. And I'm grateful. I just didn't expect it, that's all."

"It's made from jasmine and other herbs. Mitsuki made it herself." Sora added. "She's really good at those things, you know."

She held up her arm, indicating a healing scrape across her elbow.

"I got caught on a tree branch yesterday morning and it was gushing blood everywhere." She explained cheerfully. "I didn't want to bother the Healing Bay, though, not with them still patching you up. So Mitsuki gave me a herbal poultice to put on it. The blood and pain stopped almost straight away and you can see that it's already started to mend. So if she says that remedy will help you, Juushirou, it probably will."

"It is only herbs, though." Mitsuki added, her cheeks still pink from Sora's casual praise. "It's not a cure, it's only a soothing remedy. Retsu-sama might not like you to have it, I suppose – but even so, I…"

"I'll ask her, but I'm sure she won't mind. Not if it's just herbs." Juushirou told her gently. "Thank you, Edogawa-san. I appreciate the thought."

"It's nothing." Mitsuki glanced at her hands. "I just wanted to try and help. I could feel it, you see. In your aura. That you were hurting…and I don't like feeling people's pain."

"Mitsuki…" Shunsui shot the girl a look of surprise, and Sora slipped a reassuring arm around her shoulders.

"Mitsuki's sensitive. She's a Kuchiki, after all, so she senses things really easily, even if they're faint." She explained. "And she's been worrying about Juushirou since you idiot boys came back from the mountain. It's disturbed her sleep these last couple of evenings with nightmares and so on, so today we decided that it would be better if we came here and saw him."

"I…gave you…nightmares?" Juushirou stared, and Shunsui let out a low chuckle.

"You really do have zero skill with women, don't you?" He said, amused, and Juushirou reddened, casting him an annoyed glare.

"Shunsui! It's not funny! If my reiatsu's flaring enough that it's upsetting the people I live with…"

"No, I think Mitsuki-chan's a special case." Shunsui shook his head, his eyes becoming serious. "I've heard of it, in the past – empaths whose spiritual power tunes in to the suffering of others. Only most of them are born in the Unohana-ke. I doubt Kuchiki, with all his heightened senses and all his latent fondness for you would be driven to nightmares by something like this."

"Is that right, Edogawa-san?" Juushirou asked, and slowly Mitsuki nodded her head.

"It's often happened in the past." She said quietly. "I'm aware of things like that. And when I am, I want to help…somehow. Because it's terrible when someone's in pain and you can't do anything to stop it."

Juushirou's eyes softened.

"I'm sorry I've caused you such worry, then." He said gently. "I didn't mean to. Really, I'm all right – I'm stronger than I look, and I'm used to fighting against this disease. I was born with it, after all – it's my constant companion for better or for worse."

"I know." Mitsuki nodded, meeting his gaze with her grey one. "I felt it when I first met you. That your spirit was strong but your body was somehow broken."

Her eyes widened in dismay as she realised what she'd said.

"I…I don't mean…broken as in…"

"It's okay. It's the truth, really." Juushirou said dismissively. "But you don't need to worry about me any more. I'll bounce back, you see, no matter what it throws at me. I told my family before I left District Six and I've told myself hundreds of times that I'm not ready to die just yet. So long as I feel like that, I won't lose to this. So you don't need to have any more nightmares, Edogawa-san. I'm not suffering, not really – not in the big picture of things."

"There speaks the brave, wounded soldier." Shunsui intoned gravely, breaking the serious atmosphere with his low, deadpan tones, and Sora laughed.

"Of course, too many long visits by this idiot might make you change your mind about wanting to live." She observed dryly, and Juushirou grinned.

"I'm pretty sure I'm up to it." He assured her.

"There was something else we wanted to ask, too." Sora glanced at Shunsui for a moment, then shrugged. "I guess it's okay that you're here too, though I was hoping to ask Juushirou because he's smart at least and he'll answer me straight. But it's fine. I'll ask you both."

"Ask? About what?" Juushirou looked foxed, and Sora's expression became serious.

"The girl. The one in the forest." She murmured. "Because people have been talking about her a lot these last couple of days. Seems Minabe-sensei went to the local town and asked a lot of questions. Word's filtered back here, and pieces have been put together. Yesterday morning, after all, something was buried outside the school grounds and Unohana-sama was there to oversee it, so it had to be something kind of official. Naoko heard from her cousin in Anideshi's class that a body'd been found when they went out to rescue the pair of you in the mountain. Then we were all dragged out of class a couple of days ago, weren't we? It's not hard to see how it's all been connected."

"It's probably a question that you don't want the answer to." Shunsui said heavily. "And Juu and I don't know what that answer is either."

"Really?" Sora looked disappointed. "Murder like that is unusual in District One. I thought that Genryuusai-sensei must've at least said something."

Juushirou shook his head.

"I think he wants us to let it alone." He murmured. "He's barely mentioned it to me at all, and he's not spoken to Shunsui about it since her body was identified."

He hesitated, then spread his hands.

"She's been buried, now…I guess that's all there is to know."

Sora's eyes narrowed, and she glanced at Mitsuki quizzically. Mitsuki frowned, shaking her head.

"That's not completely true." She murmured. "I can tell, Ukitake-kun. It's in your aura. You're a bad liar – you don't do it naturally because you're honest and you don't know how to cover the signs. So it's obvious when you're not telling the full truth."

Juushirou stared at her, stricken, and Shunsui let out a heavy sigh.

"Listen, the pair of you." He said firmly. "If you came here to find out gossip, there's no gossip to find out. Just that whoever killed Megumi is still out there, and what's more, she was just a tool in something bigger. We don't know what that something bigger is. We just know it exists and it's dangerous, because when Megumi's friend brought me her message, she as much said so. Clan is probably involved – and it's not clear which at this moment. So stay out of it. It's not safe."

"Mitsuki-chan?" Sora asked softly, and Mitsuki shrugged her shoulders helplessly.

"If Kyouraku-kun is lying, I can't tell." She said honestly. "I can't read his aura the same way as I can Ukitake-kun's. He's better at covering up his feelings – I can't see inside."

"Join the club." Sora muttered. "Fine. Then I guess we'll just have to take him at his word."

"You know, this spying game isn't very ladylike." Shunsui added. "Why does it bother you so much to find these things out?"

There was a moment of silence, then,

"I'm sorry. It's my fault." Mitsuki said sadly, her expression clouded with guilt and consternation. "Just…that girl…when she died…like a candle flame being snuffed out. I felt it, Kyouraku-kun. I wasn't in the common room and so I wasn't actually involved. But I felt everything. Her fear. Her pain. Her screaming and fighting to get free. It flooded through me like she was right there within my reach. And then…it was gone. Just like that…she was gone."

She bit her lip, rubbing her temples as Shunsui and Juushirou exchanged horrified looks.

"I felt you, Kyouraku-kun, and then Ukitake-kun and everything that followed." She murmured. "But between her leaving and you arriving, I felt a flicker of something else. Something that felt powerful, yet somehow scrambled and brief so I couldn't identify it. She was killed by a Shihouin blade, wasn't she? But it wasn't a Shihouin who wielded it – because the cut was all wrong. The herbs applied to the blade to stem the bleeding and conceal the evidence…they weren't in the right proportions. And the smell of those herbs…it was wrong."

"What are you talking about?" Shunsui asked softly, and Mitsuki swallowed hard, struggling to compose herself as tears glittered on her lashes.

"Edogawa-san, are you all right?" Juushirou asked anxiously, and Mitsuki nodded.

"I just don't like it when someone's in pain." She whispered.

"Mitsuki told us what she'd sensed happening in the forest." Sora said quietly. "And so, when we heard you'd been brought back, we crept down to the Healing Bay to find out what was going on. We didn't see any body being brought back. But we did see a Shihouin blade. And Mitsuki said that she could tell even from that distance – that the herbs used on it were wrong."

"They found a sword?" Shunsui froze. "But…when I found Megumi…there was no weapon."

"No. It wasn't found in the forest." Mitsuki whispered, shaking her head. "Naoko-chan found out because Retsu-sama is her kinswoman and she has other family who are based here as well as kin in higher classes who might have heard other stories. The sword was left here, at the school. After you and Ukitake-kun were brought back here. "

"Left at the school?" Juushirou echoed. "As what? A message? A warning?"

"An attempt to frame the Shihouin-ke, probably." Sora said frankly. "Only with Mitsuki's senses, we know that's not true. Mitsuki knows a lot more about herbs and medicaments than most of her Clan, and she also has the Kuchiki-ke's sensitive wits. Besides, the Shihouin have set themselves up as Kuchiki rivals for generations. There's very little the two Clans don't know about each other's key skills. Because of that, I believe Mitsuki's right."

"And so you came to tell us?" Shunsui asked, and Sora shrugged.

"I thought you weren't going to let it go." She said seriously. "Because no matter how much of a lazy idiot you are, Shunsui, I don't think you're the kind to hare out to save someone's life and then forget about them when you fail. You're stupid a lot of the time, a flake and a pervert t'boot. But you wouldn't let anyone get killed if you could help it – and if someone you knew was killed, I don't think you'd let it go."

She cast Juushirou a faint smile.

"And if he did, you certainly wouldn't." She added. "Even though I've only known you a short time, Juushirou, I'm sure about that."

"Even Yama-jii didn't mention the sword." Shunsui muttered. "But he had gone to the trouble to discover the whereabouts of all local Shihouin between yelling at me and hauling us all out of Kenjitsu class. I should have realised why, then."

"He spoke to Aitori-sensei, who could provide him with an alibi for each of them." Juushirou added.

"Aitori's responsible for acting as go-between for the Shihouin here and District Two." Sora shrugged. "That's normal. It's like Kazoe would take responsibility for Unohana-ke problems, if Unohana-sama wasn't here in person so often herself. So of course he'd ask Aitori. And Aitori'd obviously know what his kin were up to if he was doing his job."

"Depending on what that job was, of course." Shunsui said grimly.

"Do you think Aitori killed the girl?" Sora looked surprised, and Shunsui shook his head.

"No. He has an alibi." He replied. "But I wonder if Yama-jii asked him to identify the sword. And I wonder if he was able to identify it."

"Should he know something like that? It was an assassin's dagger, and not a zanpakutou." Sora pointed out, and Shunsui shrugged.

"I don't know." He admitted. "I don't know enough about the dark murkiness that is the Shihouin-ke to find out."

"But she wasn't killed by a Shihouin." Mitsuki said softly. "Whatever that strong, stifled aura was surrounding her, it wasn't from that Clan."

"Well, we'd come to the same conclusion." Juushirou sighed. "That it wasn't a Shihouin who killed Megumi-san, even if it was a Shihouin weapon."

"This is a big deal, then, isn't it?" Sora's eyes glittered in anticipation. "A real life scandal right under our noses."

"Megumi was murdered." Shunsui said bluntly. "This isn't a game."

"Sora knows that, Shunsui-kun." Juushirou murmured. "She knows better than I do what it means, I expect, if a Clan is being framed and probably by another Clan."

"You want to solve it though, don't you?" Sora eyed Shunsui keenly, and Shunsui hesitated, then nodded his head.

"I promised Megumi justice, and I intend to keep my word." He agreed gravely.

"Then let us help you." Sora suggested.

"And put yourselves in danger? Not a chance."

"There's danger whether we're involved or not." Mitsuki said softly. "It's in the air, Kyouraku-kun. This is just the beginning. You know it too, don't you?"

"That's Kuchiki senses for you." Shunsui sighed, holding up his hands in resignation. "Okay, but listen. We're not doing anything crazy, impulsive or dare-devil. We don't know anything and we may never know anything. That's how it is. But I feel the same as Edogawa-san – that this is the start of something bigger. So as long as you can both be discreet…if you hear anything more, let us know, and vice versa. All right?"

"Maybe Edogawa-san could find Kyouko-san." Juushirou suggested.

"Kyouko-san?" Sora looked blank, and Juushirou nodded.

"The girl who came with Megumi-san's message. We don't know where she is."

Shunsui shook his head.

"Mitsuki felt Megumi when Megumi was being killed." He said gravely, and Juushirou could see the genuine pain in his friend's dark eyes. "Megumi's terror must've been so great it sent waves across the whole of the area, and an empath like Mitsuki-chan couldn't help but tune it in. It wasn't far from the school really, after all. But so long as Kyouko's not in danger, the same won't happen. She'll hopefully be further away by now, too, if she's managed to cross into District Eight. And if Mitsuki does sense something…chances are it'll be too late to reach Kyouko, not a way of finding her. For now, let's leave that one alone."

"So what can we do, then?" Sora demanded.

"Right now, nothing." Shunsui said frankly. "Till Juu's out of quarantine and back among the rest of us."

"We could at least find out what happened to that weapon." Sora suggested.

"Aitori-sensei would have it, wouldn't he?" Juushirou asked. "Being that it belongs to his Clan. If Megumi-san's been buried and the case is not going to be taken any further…"

"Yama-jii trusts Aitori, so that's probably the case." Shunsui said slowly. "Mitsuki-chan, how confident are you in your senses?"

"I'm sorry?" Mitsuki looked startled.

"The weapon that killed Megumi probably has traces of her spirit aura left clinging to it." Shunsui murmured. "Do you think you'd be able to tell, if you saw that blade again?"

"I suppose so." Mitsuki agreed. "If I did see it. And was able to get close enough to it…yes."

She shivered.

"I'll never forget that girl's pain." She added. "I want to help, if I can."

"Then we need to find out if Aitori does have the sword – or more, whether or not it is his sword." Shunsui said evenly.

"You do suspect Aitori!" Sora's eyes widened, and Shunsui shook his head.

"Not of murder. But of something, maybe." He replied. "Can you girls find that out? Aitori hates Juu and doesn't like me that much. But even though there's rivalry with the Shihouin and the Kuchiki, he seems to like both Mitsuki and Ryuu-kun enough. And he doesn't hate you either, Sora-chan. You'd be a lot less suspicious to him – especially Mitsuki-chan."

"Then we'll do it." Sora nodded. "Count on us, Shunsui. We'll find out if Aitori has that sword, and if he does, whether it belongs to him or not!"