Chapter Thirty Three: Cold Truth
So it was true, after all.
Kai leant up against the wall of the school building, closing his eyes against the pain and dizziness as he struggled to come to terms with what he had seen. Deep down inside he knew that it was far too soon for him to be running around campus, yet only that morning he had heard Retsu's assistants talking and at the sound of his cousin's name he had frozen, shamelessly eavesdropping as he sought to hear what the Healing Bay staff said.
What he had heard had sent a chill right through him, and though he had pretended to be asleep when an attendant had checked in on him, truthfully he had already been planning how to escape from the Bay undetected.
He was angry at Tomoyuki. Perhaps he hated him. He would probably not ever forgive him. But even so, he was shocked by the lengths to which the other boy had gone. And no matter what his personal feelings, he had needed to see it for himself. He had needed to use his Shihouin stealth and wits…and he had needed to see his cousin's pale, still form to confirm it to his disbelieving senses.
Getting out of the Healing Bay had been easy, for without Retsu there and with only him to look after, their attention had been somewhat lax. He had given them no reason to think he was fit enough to rise, after all – let alone in good enough health to use the window as an escape point or scale the sheer wall to the ground below without passing out. If he was honest to himself, he probably wasn't well enough. The pain and uncharacteristic weakness of his body had caused blackness to swerve in to his vision more than once during the descent, but he had gritted his teeth, resolutely clinging on until he had reached the grass below.
Infiltrating the isolation wing was far more difficult, since Kai was smart enough to know that the seniors would be on duty and slipping past them would be harder than past un-attentive healing staff bent on other errands. Yet he had drawn close enough to the outside to ascertain what he had wanted to know. And, by pulling himself up by his arms he had managed to peek in for the briefest of moments, seeing across the exercise yard through the door left open to air the room and into the chamber beyond.
So that was it then, was it? The ultimate Shihouin sacrifice. The honour and duty that his people were trained for – the dedication to act and die regardless of the consequences.
"I don't believe in letting people who can be saved die. Because if they're dead, they can't ever make amends or change things or move forward. There's no glory in dying. Just a lot of mess and red tape."
Shunsui's words suddenly echoed across his senses and he sighed, sinking down onto the ground as his legs shook and buckled beneath him. Leaning back against the cool stone as he caught his breath and fought the queasy, dizzy waves, he processed his classmate's remarks more carefully, analysing them closely for the first time.
"If you're dead, you can't change anything." He murmured, gazing up at the sky. "Generations of Shihouin have died for their honour. No one has ever questioned it. But who ever achieved anything by dying?"
He frowned, pursing his lips as he forced himself to face this unpleasant truth.
Death caused the civil rift between two sides of our family, and the more people who died, the more vengeance oaths were sworn. Blood on blood with no sign of ending until Kamuki-jisama took control. And now he…his children died, and so he forced Father into following this path – a path which might yet kill more people. Father. Niisama. Maybe even Midori-nee and I too, in the end.
His eyes narrowed.
Aitori. Megumi. And now, maybe Tomoyuki too.
He buried his head in his hands, suddenly exhausted by the weight of his emotions and the crazy scramble he had made across campus.
Kyouraku is right. The people who make changes are the ones who live, not the ones who die. Midori-neesama has gone to District Two to save our Clan. She's gone there to save people, not to kill them out of hand. If she hadn't, what would come next? Destruction and slaughter, most likely. This is the darkness in the Shihouin-ke after all, isn't it? This desperate clinging to sacrificial death instead of honourable living.
Tomoyuki's reiatsu was all but gone now. In the past, knowing his cousin's strengths and weaknesses as well as he did, he would have been able to feel the boy's presence from across the school grounds. But now it was little more than the barest flicker – the tiny sign that the boy lived, even if that was all.
This isn't life, though. This is limbo. This is reckless, foolish abandonment of your existence, without thinking of the grief it will cause and the problems it will create back home. Your mother will cry, Tomoyuki. Is that what you wanted? To see her robed and veiled in black and crying for her lost son so soon after the fall of her disgraced brother?
He frowned, tears pricking at his own eyes as he remembered the solemn procession of burial during which he had said his final goodbyes to his own strong-willed, beloved mother.
You stupid fool. When you have so much, you'll so easily throw it away. Although I know only too well that it's a path I might also have walked, had Midori-nee not become involved. Had…had I not spoken to Kyouraku. Had he and Ukitake not come to my rescue. Had a lot of things happened differently to how they did.
"What are you doing here, Shihouin Kai-kun?"
A soft voice jerked through his thoughts and he raised his head in surprise and consternation, gazing up at the concerned face of the gentle head of District Four.
"Unohana-sensei!" he gasped, and Retsu smiled, nodding her head as she reached down a hand to pull him carefully to his feet.
"I'm sure I left the instruction that you weren't to try and get up yet." She said softly. "I'm surprised to return to District One and find you here, of all places."
"I…" Kai reddened, dropping his gaze, and Retsu frowned.
"You wanted to know about your cousin." She said quietly, a note of gravity in her tones. "He lives, after all…I can feel that much. What else…I don't know. That he's still living by the time the message reached me and by the time I returned…that in itself is almost a miracle. Whether any further miracles can or will be performed is out of our hands. I am not able to cure the damage done to him."
"You came back to see him? You were sent for?" Kai stared, and Retsu nodded.
"I did, and I came as soon as I knew, but now I'm here, it's clear to me that there's little I can do." She said sadly. "The boy is sleeping. That sleep may be an eternal one, or he may rise at some point in the future. He is stable now – there is no emergency. But even had I been here…there would have been nothing more for me to do that has not already been done by others."
"Eimin-yaku." Kai murmured, and Retsu sighed.
"You know that name far too easily for my liking." She said, a faint chiding note in her tones. "One as young and untrained as you shouldn't know of such herbal compounds in any circumstances – yet it seems the Shihouin-ke not only know of them, but use them."
Kai's brows knitted together, then,
"I have it too." He admitted slowly. "In my…in the dorm. Locked away with my personal effects. We all…carry it. When we're sent…on specific missions. In case…we need to use it."
Retsu stared at him for a moment, aghast at his bald confession. Then she sighed, shaking her head as she slipped an arm around his shoulders, carefully supporting his shaking body.
"Your choice is the right one, Shihouin-kun." She said gently. "To tell me that means you have no intention of using it, and perhaps your cousin's predicament has taught you more than my words can. You are doubting your Clan at the moment, aren't you? Their ethics and standards and traditions – you doubt them fiercely and I can see it in your eyes."
"Mm. I…yes." Kai gazed at his hands. "I never have before, but right now I'm doubting them a lot. I'm angry, Unohana-sensei. And confused. And frightened for the future. For what might happen to my family."
He raised his golden eyes to hers, tears glittering on his lashes.
"Not because I'm worrying about Shihouin pride." He whispered. "But because I remember burying Mother. And I don't want to see Father and Nii-sama taken from me too, because of Uncle's foolishness and Aitori's betrayal!"
"And your cousin's attempt at ritual suicide has sparked such thoughts inside you." Retsu's tones became soothing and sympathetic, and gently she hugged him, her grasp somewhat comforting to the wrenched and wounded youngster. "You are too young to bear so many burdens. But I can tell you this small thing which may be of some comfort. My Clan have agreed to support your sister's claim to the Shihouin-ke. And my family will not seek death against your relatives. We do not believe in such punishments – and the impact they have on young ones such as you."
She smiled, holding him at arm's length as though he was a much younger boy, and he stared at her numbly, knowing that if he dared try and speak, he might lose his grip on his tears and shame himself completely. She gave him a moment, allowing him to regain his self control, and then she nodded her head decidedly.
"You should be resting." She said softly. "Genryuusai-sama has been lenient so far regarding your actions, but you should not try his patience any further."
Kai nodded his head.
"I know." He admitted, then, "But…I wondered…"
He faltered, then,
"You're going to move Tomoyuki to the Healing Bay now you're back, aren't you? And…I…if…"
"I am." Retsu agreed. "And you don't want to be there, if he is? In this state, it's too hard for you to see – is that it?"
Kai nodded.
"Y…yes."
"Then what should I do with you? You're still far too weak to be running loose around the school."
"I…" Kai faltered, then he made up his mind. "I'd like to go back to the dorm, please. I…I promise to stay there, if…if you don't think I should get up. I'll rest and I won't break any more rules or slip out of any more places, I promise. I'll do exactly as you tell me, right up to the letter. But…I…in the Healing Bay I…I'm on my own. And I…at the moment…I don't want to be."
Retsu eyed him in surprise, then her eyes softened.
"Genryuusai-sama would be heartened indeed to hear you say that." She murmured. "To hear that you have enough bonds with your classmates to seek their comfort in a difficult time."
"I…" Kai reddened, suddenly embarrassed, and Retsu patted him gently on the head.
"I will not argue with your request." She continued softly. "You may return to your dormitory, and rest there. It is, after all, simply rest that you need. Your wound is healing and your life force strong – it is only time and sleep that can heal you now. And, perhaps, the support of your classmates and friends, too. But you must keep your word. You must not slip out any more without my express permission to get up – do you understand? I will honour your request, but you must not betray that trust."
Kai eyed her solemnly for a moment, then he nodded his head.
"I swear." He said quietly. "As a Shihouin, I give my word. Whatever that means now – I won't break my promise."
"Can you walk by yourself, do you think? I'll take you to the door, as I hope you will let me take from you the Eimin-yaku now you've seen its work. If it hurts too much, I can use shunpo…?"
"I can walk." Kai said resolutely. "But…will you tell Sensei? About…that I have…what I told you?"
"If I take it, you will not have it." Retsu's eyes twinkled. "And then he will have nothing to know, will he?"
"I suppose not." Kai paused, then, "Thank you, Unohana-sensei. I…I'm grateful."
Retsu eyed him for a moment, and Kai knew that she understood his thanks were for more than the promise she had just made. She smiled.
"Then do your best to be a good and faithful student to your lessons here, and be of benefit to Soul Society." She said lightly. "A Shihouin does not have to be an assassin or cloak himself in darkness, after all. You are as much a part of making your Clan's future and outlook as anyone else. You have a voice – if you have an opinion, speak up and let it be counted."
"After all, I'm still alive to do that." Kai murmured, and Retsu nodded.
"Yes. Indeed you are."
"Unohana-sensei, do you know…when you were coming here, did you hear anything…about…about Hirata?"
"Endou Hirata-kun?" Retsu frowned, shaking her head. "I did not. Should I have done?"
"No. I suppose not." Kai sighed. "I'm sorry. It's just…right now no one knows where he is. And…I guess I'm a little worried. That's all."
"No doubt if that's the case Genryuusai-sama already has a contingency plan in place." Retsu murmured, and Kai nodded.
"I guess so." He acknowledged. "I was just thinking…based on all of this…that it would be a shame if something happened to him. Because I think…he's not like the rest of his Clan. And he might…have opinions…that should be voiced too."
"Then let him voice them." Retsu advised. "For the time being, you should focus most on recovering your own strength and resolving your own family's problems. All right?"
Kai did not answer, as his vision blurred slightly and he set his teeth, determined to make it all the way to the dormitory without help. Retsu glanced at him occasionally, but she seemed to understand his resolve, and inwardly he was grateful for her kindness and comprehension.
The Shihouin-ke often underestimates the Clan of Healers, but I never will again, that's for sure.
At that moment they reached the dorm itself, and Retsu paused, reaching up to knock on the wood panelling.
"Unohana-sensei!"
The door slid back, Shunsui staring at her in confusion and surprise, and at his reaction, Retsu smiled.
"I did not like to barge in on you all unannounced, but I've brought back something that belongs with you." She said evenly, indicating Kai who flushed awkwardly at the sudden attention.
"Kai-kun?" Shunsui looked even more startled, then he grinned. "Are you sure he's all right, Unohana-sensei? He's gone a funny colour – don't you want to keep him a while longer?"
"It seems Shihouin-kun would rather convalesce with friends than alone in the Healing Bay, and as it is I will have my hands full now I have returned to District One." Retsu said lightly. "May I come in, or are you and your companions in the middle of changing for bed?"
"We're all right. You can come in with pleasure." Shunsui's eyes twinkled and he stepped back, gesturing for them both to enter. "I thought maybe you came to glare at Juu for being irresponsible – I didn't realise Kai was well enough to come back."
"Shihouin!" Enishi's eyes widened at their entrance. "And…Unohana-sensei, why are you…"
"Ukitake-kun doesn't need me to tell him that when he pushes his physical health too far, his body protests." Retsu's gaze rested briefly on Juushirou for a moment, and Kai saw his pale-faced classmate colour scarlet from ear to ear at the glance. "As for Shihouin-kun, which is his bunk? He is not well enough to be rowdy with you all yet – but I have consented to let him rest here, since there is little that time and rest will not do to heal him now."
"Mine is over here, Unohana-sensei." Kai said soberly, padding across the room and sitting down on his empty bunk. He hesitated, then slipped his fingers down the inside of the wood finish until he found the small fabric-padded bundle. He bit his lip, pulling it into view and holding it out.
"This is what you wanted me to give you." He added apprehensively. "There is no more. I give my word."
"Then I will take this and deal with it." Retsu smiled, taking it and sliding it into the folds of her own obi. "Thank you, Shihouin-kun. Boys, I'm sorry to have disturbed you. Good night."
With that she was gone, and an awkward silence fell over the room as Kai pulled his blankets more firmly around his shoulders.
"You wanted to come back to us?" Shunsui was the first to break it, eying his classmate keenly, and Kai nodded.
"Tomoyuki is being moved to the Healing Bay. I don't want to be there when he is." He said quietly, and Ryuu snorted.
"You Shihouin develop rivalries over everything." He muttered. "The boy may be dying…"
"That's why." Kai cut across him. "I don't need to see him, Kuchiki. I don't need it at all."
"What did you just give Unohana-sensei?" Ukitake asked quietly, his voice somewhat hoarse and husky but his eyes bright with curiosity. "If you don't mind my asking – was it something important?"
"Mm." Kai hesitated, then, "It was Eimin-yaku. The same poison that…"
"That Mitsuki-chan said Onoe took." Shunsui's eyes became grave. "So you had it too, then? All the time?"
"Yes." Kai admitted. "But I never thought about using it or what it meant. Now I've seen…I don't want it. So I decided to give it to Unohana-sensei to destroy."
He sighed, sinking back against the wall, then,
"Is there any news on Hirata?"
"Are you actually worried about him, or just looking for gossip?" Ryuu demanded, and Kai frowned.
"I'm worried." He said frankly. "I've more reason to be than you, because I know more than you. No one's heard anything? Nothing at all?"
"No." Enishi shook his head. "But we…Kuchiki really…had an idea to try and help find him."
"Houjou!" Ryuu's eyes became wide with dismay and anger. "That's no business of his! Shihouin is nothing to do with any of that!"
"No. Shihouin-kun should know too." Juushirou shook his head. "After all, he's w…w…worried about H…Hirata as…as well."
"If you start coughing again I'm going to run after Unohana-sensei…shunpo after her, if I have to…and make her come take you away." Shunsui threatened. "Stop it. You're meant to rest."
"Is Ukitake sick too?" Kai looked startled, and Shunsui snorted.
"He has bruises all across his ribs." He said flatly. "Which he'd conveniently hidden and not mentioned to anyone until we made him change into fresh sleeping robes and saw them for ourselves. Souvenirs of his fight with Onoe, by the looks – probably anyone else would just be sore, but with his chest the way it is…no wonder he's been feverish and not sleeping. It must hurt like hell."
"I'm all right. I'm m…more worried about H…Hirata." Juushirou said obstinately. "And where he is."
"So are we all." Enishi reminded him. "But Edogawa said that she didn't think he was hurt. And she knew you were ill, even more than we realised."
"I'm not ill." Juushirou said, and Kai was surprised at the faintly sullen note in his classmate's voice. "They're only bruises."
"That's a foolish thing to say, considering the opposite is plainly true." Ryuu said matter of factly. "You are feverish and talking nonsense. Kyouraku, you were right. He loses what little sense of reason he has when he has a temperature."
"Will you stop talking about me as though I'm not in the room?" Juushirou was clearly frustrated, and Shunsui chuckled.
"The more you protest, the more we'll fuss over you, because the more out of character you'll be." He advised. "Just sit back and take it like a man, all right? We're all just showing our concern. And you should have told us sooner that the fight had bruised you that badly. What he did to you I don't know – but your chest is your Achilles heel, so to speak."
"A funny looking person I'd be if my chest was on my heel." Juushirou muttered facetiously, and Kai bit his lip.
"Bruises…from your fight with Tomoyuki?" He asked softly, and Juushirou nodded.
"He pinioned me across my chest, and he's heavy." He admitted reluctantly. "I didn't realise it would leave such a mark, but…it did."
Kai eyed him for a moment, then he sighed, bowing his head slightly in his companion's direction.
"On behalf of the Shihouin-ke, I apologise for Tomoyuki's conduct." He said soberly. "Towards you on any occasion, but particularly that night."
"Shihouin-kun?!" Juushirou stared at him for a moment, the wind taken from his sails completely by this, and Kai looked rueful.
"An apology was owed." He said simply. "For injuries sustained in helping to save my life and to prevent his stupidity from going further. You said earlier that I didn't have to acknowledge you because Midori-nee had – but I intend to anyway. Tomoyuki is a Shihouin and he's shown the worst side of the Clan in his actions of late. Seeing him…seeing what he'd done to himself as well…made me realise it. What Kyouraku said about dead people being powerless is true. And also, about living ones being able to change things. So I guess I'm changing things. Midori-nee acknowledged you and so will I. But not because it's her will. Because it's mine."
Despite himself, a smile touched Juushirou's lips, and he pushed back his blankets, getting to his feet and padding tentatively across to grasp Kai's extended fingers in his.
"Then I accept your apology and we'll move on." He said, shaking the other boy's hand firmly, and as he did so, Kai was aware of the hot dryness of his classmate's skin. "Thank you, Shihouin-kun. I appreciate your sentiments – and I accept them wholeheartedly."
"This is all very touching." Ryuu said acerbically. "If a little nauseating. But you really need to be more discerning about who you befriend, Ukitake. You're like an eager mongrel puppy looking for scraps."
"I don't think it's a bad thing, if Shihouin wants to call time." Enishi reflected. "And if he's worried about Hirata, someone should fill him in on what we've been discussing, too."
"Houjou." Ryuu shot him a dark look. "Do you think that's really wise? Considering what we know about recent Shihouin activity? For all we know Kai is still some kind of spy or agent working in the shadows. His gesture proves nothing. The Shihouin speak in tongues."
"I think he was sincere." Juushirou sank back down onto his bunk. "And I know his concern for Hirata is genuine because we talked about it this morning. I think he should be told too. He's part of Class One, after all."
"Ukitake…" Ryuu sighed heavily.
"Ryuu found an old book in the library." Shunsui settled himself on his bed, loosening the tie of his obi as he did so. "We've all been studying it up here for the past hour or two, and we've about got to grips with what we're going to do."
"Kyouraku? You too?" Ryuu was aghast, and Shunsui nodded.
"Kai chose to come back here tonight. He wants to be involved." He said simply. "And I don't believe in grudges or rivalries, Kuchiki. So I'm happy to tell him about what you found. You should be proud, in any case. It's a smart idea."
"I'm listening." Kai shivered slightly, pulling his blankets tighter as he tried to make himself comfortable. "Whatever it is, I can't do anything about anyway. I'm not allowed to leave here without permission – I just didn't want to sleep in the Healing Bay any more. But if it's to help Hirata…I owe the tyke something. And that being the case…"
"Kuchiki found a spell. A Kidou spell. Something to do with sparrows." Enishi said earnestly, and Ryuu groaned, burying his head in his hands.
"Fine." He said bitterly, his voice somewhat muffled. "Lets all tell Shihouin everything. No, even better. Let's show him."
He tossed back the covers of his bed, and Kai's eyes widened as he saw the old book that had been hidden there.
"When Unohana-sensei knocked on the door, it was the quickest place to hide it." Shunsui explained casually. "It's not that we're not allowed books from the library, but Ryuu-kun only got to take that one because Nagoya-senpai was supervising the desk and he doesn't question his own kin."
"It's a book of spells. Bakudou spells." Juushirou added. "And there's one that apparently helps to track people – by looking for their reiatsu."
Kai's eyes narrowed.
"Kakushitsuijaku." He murmured, and Shunsui nodded.
"You know it?"
"Somewhat." Kai agreed. "I've never cast it, but I've seen it used quite a lot back home."
"Is it accurate?" Enishi asked, and Kai shrugged.
"I guess that depends on who's doing it." He responded evenly. "None of us have learnt any Bakudou yet, so God knows."
He glanced at Juushirou.
"So you decided not to take my advice? Somehow I'm not surprised."
"I can't just sit back and ignore it." Juushirou shook his head. "Even if it's dangerous. That's how it is. Hirata might have things to prove for himself, and I don't want to override that. But he might be in trouble. So I don't want to abandon him either."
"Kuchiki's going to do the spell, since Juu doesn't want me to and he's too sick to do it himself." Shunsui added. "We've spent time reading over it and discussing it so as we do it right – because we don't want to get into trouble unless we're going to find something out."
Kai smiled wryly.
"Who'd have thought that so many people would worry so hard over such a quiet kid." He reflected. "Is that your doing too, Ukitake?"
"It's odd without him here. You notice it." Enishi said ruefully. "It's not just Ukitake. We all feel that way."
Kai glanced at his hands.
"Hirata himself would probably be the best one at casting this kind of spell." He said softly. "After all, he's the only one of us who can use Bakudou already."
"You think so too?" Enishi stared at him, and Kai shrugged.
"He never said so to me." He responded. "But my people live in shadows. Concealment arts are a big part of what our Clan do. He's used kyakkou several times since term began, I'm pretty certain. He's quite good at it, too, and he's as good as any Shihouin I know at concealing traces of his own reiatsu from outside attention. Combine the two and it makes him pretty much untraceable."
He smiled.
"But I got to know the pattern of it. His reiatsu flares slightly just before he casts the spell, even when he's suppressing it – so even when he was using it, I could generally tell where he was."
"That's obviously how you knew where and when to corner him, to pressure him with whatever intimidation techniques you thought necessary." Ryuu said disdainfully, and Kai frowned, too tired and sore to rise to the bait.
"Something like that." He agreed wearily. "But that's past too, now. Hirata and I have talked. We've cleared the air. And we know we're on the same side. Far more so than anyone else, Hirata is my ally."
He sighed.
"I don't know where the kid is, but I'm pretty sure he's hidden himself." He added. "I think you'll be wasting time if you cast the spell – none of you are good enough with Bakudou to break through his Bakudou and find his suppressed reiatsu. Hirata's probably been doing it since he was a small boy – judging by how naturally he uses it. Someone trying kakushitsuijaku without any training won't be able to pinpoint anything."
"Really?" Shunsui looked disappointed, and Kai nodded, inwardly making a decision as he saw the resolution and anxiety in the gazes of his companions.
"But there is something else you might want to try." He continued slowly. "It's dangerous, and it's stupid, and it goes against everything that makes sense. But you're none of you going to just take that and run with it. I can tell. No matter what it means...you intend to find him, don't you?"
"I know you warned me about getting involved." Juushirou agreed slowly, and Kai shrugged.
"What I said then still stands. Nothing has changed." He said matter-of-factly. "But if it's like that, then I'll not be the one getting in the way. I might be able to help, after all. What I know is far more wide-ranging than what any of you know. And like I said, more than anyone, Hirata is owed a debt by my Clan. He's my ally. I can't ignore it either - no matter how much I try to."
His lips thinned, Onoe's pale, still form flitting through his head once more.
"Seeing Tomoyuki like that told me that I really don't like death much." He added off-handedly. "I've never really accepted it...I've never wanted to kill anyone, even though I've been trained to do it if the need arises or the order comes. But seeing him made it sink in properly. What you said was right in the end, Kyouraku. I guess I've been reflecting on it a whole lot."
"I'm sure I never meant you to agonise over anything I might have said." Shunsui sounded surprised, and Kai grinned at him sheepishly.
"You do and say a lot of stupid things, but sometimes, what you say is more true than anything else." He murmured. "I've come to realise that, even as a Shihouin, I don't believe in pointless death. So even if it's reckless, stupid and dangerous, I'll help you out. I'll tell you something that I think might help."
He glanced at Ryuu, who stared back a him impassively.
"Kuchiki, you're familiar, I think, with Endou Seimaru?"
"Seimaru-dono?" Ryuu pulled a face. "Sadly, yes. He's one who I even consider beneath you on the ethical ladder."
"Then use your spell and find him instead." Kai suggested. "If you know his reiatsu so well, you should be able to manage that – shouldn't you?"
"Endou Seimaru-dono?" Enishi frowned. "Then…?"
"I already told Ukitake this, and obviously he's not told any of you." Kai pursed his lips. "But I'll tell you now, on the understanding it goes no further. Seimaru took Hirata from here. That's beyond doubt. Neither have been seen since. But if Hirata isn't dead…and is concealing himself with kyakkou…it means that Seimaru is also somewhere nearby."
"And if we find Seimaru, we'll find Hirata?" Shunsui frowned, shaking his head. "I don't like that reasoning. Hirata isn't the type to collude with someone like Seimaru."
"No." Kai agreed. "I don't think that either. But I know – because Hirata said so himself – that he wasn't going to let harm come to the Academy. So if he is still alive – and if you're all convinced that he is – then there's a reason he's staying away. And a reason Seimaru's done nothing else, yet."
Juushirou's brows knitted together.
"Seimaru's given an order and Hirata is defying it." He murmured. "But Seimaru expects him to carry it out, and is waiting…for him to report back?"
"Exactly." Kai nodded.
"And that order…?" Ryuu's eyes narrowed.
"To kill Sensei, most likely."
"To do what?" Enishi's eyes almost fell out of his head, and Kai nodded.
"There's no physical evidence against Seimaru. Nothing but Shihouin testimony which means nothing at all at present, and suspicions which mean even less." He said gravely. "But from the start that's been the Endou-ke's plan. Seimaru's plan. To bring down the Academy by assassinating Genryuusai-sensei."
"Nobody in their right mind would stand a chance of killing Genryuusai-sensei." Ryuu said derisively. "Not Seimaru and definitely not Hirata."
"I'm not sure 'right mind' should be used when talking about Seimaru." Shunsui muttered. "Megumi would definitely beg to differ on that score."
"Besides, the Endou-ke have a solution to that problem." Kai said bitterly. "The Shihouin-ke got dragged into it as well, and even I don't know all the details. But they have something which could…probably would…hurt Genryuusai-sensei."
"But…" Enishi stared at him in horror, and Kai bit his lip.
"Neesama found out." He continued slowly. "While she was in District Seven, somehow, she found it all out. And that Aitori had betrayed us in Seimaru's favour, too. So she came here, killed Aitori and spoke to Sensei directly to warn him that something was afoot. In return Sensei gave her time to rescue the Clan before releasing his evidence to the Council investigators. I'm out of reach. Tomoyuki's out of reach. Originally Seimaru wanted to frame a Shihouin, but neither one of us were going to play ball. So in the end, he's resorted to someone else. His own kin. Hirata."
"But Hirata's refused." Shunsui said softly. "And hasn't come back here."
"Or has been hurt because he refused." Juushirou bit his lip. Kai shook his head.
"Seimaru hasn't acted." He responded. "He's waiting for something. That means Hirata's still alive, I think. And that he's waiting for Hirata's obedience. There's probably a deadline involved. So I think if you locate Seimaru, you'll soon enough locate Hirata."
"Seimaru is a dangerous proposition." Shunsui remarked. "I'm pretty sure he has a zanpakutou."
"He does." Kai agreed. "And that's why I advised Ukitake to keep away from it and him. But if that's not going to work, I'll at least tell you what I do know about him instead. He's not particularly good at Kidou. If he was, he'd have sussed out Hirata's kyakkou and realised the kid isn't useless after all. But he hasn't. He's a ruthless and strong sword fighter, but that's about all. Zanjutsu is the only discipline he's ever cared to study to its limits, and he only learnt enough of other disciplines to allow him to reach the level needed to summon his zanpakutou."
He sighed.
"More to the point, his reiatsu control is pretty basic - his ego is too big and he's nowhere near as good as Hirata is at suppressing where he is. So he wouldn't be able to shield against someone using kakushitsuijaku. He probably wouldn't even know they were targeting him with it. Not even if they were using it for the first time."
He shifted slightly, wincing as he jarred his injured abdomen.
"The logical thing would be for me to go meet with him, except I'm not able to leave here." He added. "Even if I broke my word to Unohana-sensei, I still probably wouldn't make it as far as the town right now without coming over faint. But either way, I think you'll have better luck acting that way than looking for Hirata. I've come to realise myself recently – he may be shy and quiet but his spirit power shouldn't be underestimated."
He grinned wryly.
"Aitori liked him because he grasped so quickly all the implications of light and speed in Hohou theory - and applied them without too much extra instruction. Well, it's logical that he would do. After all, Kyakkou is a Bakudou involving light manipulation." He added simply. "In the end it's all really just common sense."
"I don't think common sense is a phrase that applies to any part of this plan." Ryuu rubbed his temples, eying Kai doubtfully. "And all of this you are telling us, why? Even before me, who you despise?"
"Hirata's my ally." Kai said simply. "That's all. He's an Endou. I'm a Shihouin. He put faith in my sister. I'll put faith in him."
"Then tomorrow, that's what we should do." Shunsui said decidedly. "Track down Seimaru. We don't have to go after him exactly, after all. Just hover and wait for Hirata to appear. Right? Nobody's going to take on a madman with a zanpakutou - but if we can grab Hirata, we can maybe do something about Seimaru with Sensei and put a stop to this once and for all."
---------------------------------
Once more at the border.
Hirata gripped more tightly onto the reins of his horse, gazing out across the hills and valleys of District One as it lay out before him. Around him, Shihouin retainers still wearing the colours of Kamuki's administration gathered, shouting orders and instructions as they cleared the wooden divides and allowed the three travellers through. He was not a confident rider, nor had he ever before been forced to travel at a gallop through unfamiliar countryside, grabbing hold of two thin strips of leather that were the only thing stopping him from going flying under the hooves of the creature behind. Yet he had somehow swallowed his panic once more, casting a glance across at his companions as he did so.
Midori-sama was with him. Etsuo-san too. And he was no longer alone in this battle against his cousin's ambition.
Since his arrival in District Two, everything had been a blur. Midori had insisted on him cleaning off the debris of his desperate flight to find her, and consequently he felt much better than he had on his arrival, his dark hair washed clean of the mud and leaf litter it had acquired during his journey and, for once, flowing loose around his shoulders instead of confined back in a long, lacklustre tail.
I'm not used to it unfettered like this. But Midori-sama said it made me look older – and besides, I'm sure she's wise enough to know it. Endou-ke nobles in proper regalia wear hair-clasps engraved with the family's emblem, not simple ties that servants or students might consider acceptable. It's her way of respecting the traditions of my family – better it flies loose than be confined in a manner that goes against the Endou-ke's way.
Although I wouldn't have minded if that had been the case. Shouichi-jiisama might have had violent objections to the kind of uniform the Academy selected for its students, but I don't mind at all not standing out in a crowd. Still, if she's right…if it doesn't make me look like a wimp in the shadows, all to the good. I'm trying to be brave, after all. I'm trying my best, Otousama, to remember what you said about the Endou-ke. I'm doing this for you and for my friends at school – I hope it's what you'd want from me. I think that it is. And either way, it's too late to back out now. I've made my choices, after all.
While he had been bathed and robed by the Shihouin's own retainers, he remembered, she had set to making arrangements for the coming of the investigators, laying all the foundations necessary by which her family would meet the oncoming threat. She was worried about it, that Hirata knew. Yet when he had asked her again, she had firmly told him that her duty to her allies was paramount, even in times of crisis.
Hirata knew that she was right, despite whatever private misgivings she might have about leaving her land so soon after claiming it. Without allies, the Shihouin-ke would surely flounder – Midori was looking ahead, and trusting that in the short term her gamble would be the right one.
He glanced down at the unfamiliar clothing, frowning slightly as he took in the fine fabrics.
It had been some time since he had worn anything that wasn't the school hakama, yet although it had been the Shihouin who had robed him, the attire was little different from the kind of clothing he had worn back home in Seventh District. The sensation made him both anxious and homesick at once, and he ran the edge of his palm against the obi pensively, feeling the rich gold and brown silk beneath his touch.
Without his glasses it was hard to make out clearly the patterning, but Midori had assured him that what he wore did not bear the Shihouin crest, and Hirata's own Endou pendant hung at his throat, a heavy sign of his blood ties and also a proud statement of his alliance with the assassin Clan.
Brown and red are the Endou-ke colours. Black and gold Shihouin. By dressing this way it's clear to anyone where my loyalties are – and this time, I'm not backing away from them.
The decisions were made now and there would be no going back.
"It's drawing towards the evening." As she caught his gaze, Midori offered him a smile. "The sun might set in a couple of hours. That's what Seimaru said to you, isn't it? By sundown on the second day. I think we'll make it in good time – good enough to see him off in any case."
"Mm." Hirata frowned, pursing his lips as he did so. "Do you think so? Are we going to ride as fast as we did to get here? Because…"
"You're afraid you might fall off?" Midori raised an eyebrow, shaking her head in amusement. "Come on, Hirata, you can do better than that. A noble son of a powerful Clan house? You'd look a pitiful sight if you had to ride with a woman as lead, don't you think?"
Hirata flushed red at this, looking embarrassed.
"I'll manage." He said resolutely, tightening his grasp once again as his knuckles went white under the pressure of his grip. "After all, I came to ask you to help me as my ally. Not because I want to hide."
"Exactly." Midori looked approving. "You came to me as an ally comes to an ally and I chose to honour that request. I'm glad you see it that way too, Hirata-kun. And we'll make it in time, don't you worry. If Seimaru said he'd meet you there at sundown, there's no sense in being too early. We don't want to give away our presence too quickly, after all…it's better if we manage to take him by surprise."
She glanced across at Saku, who had been riding in silence at her mistress's left hand.
"Saku, are you all right if we gallop? You've said nothing about it so far."
"I am not as familiar with horses as you are, Midori-sama, but I can manage." Saku offered a faint smile. "Please, don't worry about me."
"Then we'll pick up the pace and take the shortest route down towards the township near the school." Midori decided. "Hirata, I want you to listen to me carefully, because I won't repeat this again. When we draw nearer, you are to take Saku into the forest and use your Kidou to conceal the both of you from sight as well as you can. Understood? Seimaru's spiritual senses may be pathetic, but his eyes work just fine...and if he happens to see you nearby, he might come after you. And Saku is not to be put in harm's way either, even though she has chosen to travel at my side. I will be relying on you to protect her – while I will deal with Seimaru and the unfortunate complication of my betrothal agreement."
Hirata swallowed hard, then nodded his head.
"I understand." He said quietly. "I'll do as you say, Midori-sama. I've never used kyakkou to shield more than myself before – but I don't see why I shouldn't be able to do it. Seimaru's bad at Kidou, in any case. He never really understood the point of it, so he focused his attention on summoning his sword."
"He doesn't know, then, about your little trick?"
"No." Hirata shook his head. "Father taught it to me for my own protection. He taught it to Eiraki-chan, too. But Seimaru probably doesn't know it. And he certainly wouldn't think I could do anything he couldn't…he doesn't think I'm capable of anything much at all."
"He's going to get a surprise then, isn't he." Midori murmured. "Even as a boy of sixteen, Hirata, you have wits about you that that one never will. You are an interesting Endou, but you give me hope for this alliance Uncle bound us into and I'll nurture that hope for the time being. I still owe Misashi-sama a debt, after all – this seems the best way to repay it."
Hirata offered a faint smile.
"Father would be glad, I think, to hear you say that." He murmured. "But I…I'm not sixteen, Midori-sama. Not yet. Not until the end of the autumn. I'm still only fifteen now."
"Fifteen?" Midori looked startled, casting him a sidelong glance, then grinning. "Well, then you're all the more impressive if that's the case. Maybe it's the influence of the Academy, or maybe it's living with the Endou-ke for so long, but you have the sense and perception of an adult even now. You'll go far, I think, Hirata-kun. I understand why your Father has hopes of you. I think you'll make a fine Shinigami, once you've outgrown your teenage nerves."
"I guess we'll see." Hirata said simply. "At the moment I'm clinging onto a horse when I've barely ridden before – I can't see anything ahead of me clearer than the reins in my hands, and I've no idea what's going to happen when we get to where we're going. To tell you the truth, I want to start crying. But…if I do that…"
He frowned, shaking his head as if to clear it.
"If I do that, I won't be able to see anything at all." He said firmly. "And if I do that, I won't be of any use to you either, Midori-sama. I won't be able to protect Etsuo-san and I won't be able to help stop Seimaru in any way. So I'm really trying not to. Ukitake-kun isn't here to protect me this time – I want to do it myself so that he doesn't get hurt."
"There's that flicker of Endou spirit again." Midori said lightly, casting him a grin. "You look the part at the moment, you know. Your glasses are too big for you, and they make you look younger and more feeble than I think you are. Like that, robed properly in noble clothing, you look a lot more imposing than I ever thought you could."
"But I can't see clearly, so I need my glasses all the same." Hirata sighed. "My vision really isn't good enough without them – though maybe right now that'll be a good thing."
Midori was silent for a moment, then,
"You trust me, don't you, Hirata-chan?"
"Yes." Hirata coloured. "I trust you. I gave you my word and I trust you."
"Yes. I thought so." Midori grinned. "Because you're a lot more chatty than I had you pegged to be the first time we met. It's as though you've dropped your guard and let me in a little – and I like to know what the people around me are thinking. Your friend Ukitake isn't shy about sharing his opinions – you should try sharing yours a little more often, too. Follow his example. After all, your personality isn't warped, ugly or twisted. You should have confidence in yourself."
Hirata reddened further, and Midori laughed.
"Ah well. Shyness in a teenage boy is to be expected when he gets complimented by a beautiful woman." She said resignedly. "In the meantime, we should ride. Get ready, both of you – it's time to pick up the pace and make sure we don't miss our rendezvous."
She dug her heels into her horse's flanks, a slight twitch of the reins urging him into a quicker pace, and Hirata swallowed his misgivings, as his and Saku's horses followed suit, not wanting to be left behind by their companion. For a while they rode in silence, then,
"Midori-sama, are you going to fight Seimaru?" Hirata asked hesitantly. Midori frowned, nodding her head.
"It may well come to that, though if I can avoid killing him then I will." She said frankly. "I intend to keep my word as long as I can, both to Genryuusai-sama and to you and Ukitake."
Hirata frowned.
"Ridding the Endou-ke of Seimaru's influence is my duty. It's what Father sent me away to learn to do." He said uneasily. "But I can't…not yet. I'm not strong enough to do it yet. The longer it takes me, the more people get hurt. And I don't like that at all."
"Are you saying you want me to kill him?" Midori looked startled, and Hirata shook his head.
"N…no. It's my duty, so I'm not asking that." He said bravely. "But…if it happened…I wouldn't be upset. And if…if it did happen…Father wouldn't either. The Endou-ke would find a way to shield you, if it did. I know that. Even behind Grandfather's back."
"Well, let's see what arises." Midori's lips thinned. "My zanpakutou is not a fighting sword, it's a killing sword. Once released, its battle options are to kill and destroy. I don't want to use Akekage, but I suspect I'm going to have to. Seimaru won't balk at drawing his weapon on a woman who jilted him, I'm sure."
"No. Probably not." Hirata chewed on his lip for a moment, then, "Then there's one other thing I want to tell you, Midori-sama. Something that I have…hidden away back at school. Something that only Ukitake-kun has seen, and something about which I've spoken to Shihouin-kun on one brief occasion. Something I took from Aitori-sensei's house, after he was killed."
"After I killed him." Midori corrected, and Hirata reddened, nodding his head.
"Ye…yes."
"I thought as much. It was your reiatsu I felt then, coming close to the scene of the crime." Midori eyed him pensively. "I knew it was familiar, but I couldn't place why. You're an Endou and your reiatsu resembles theirs because of it. You found Aitori's body, then? I'm sorry for that. It can't have been a nice scene for you to walk into."
"It wasn't." Hirata shook his head. "And I didn't come because of you, specifically. I came to speak to Aitori-sensei about something and felt the flare of your zanpakutou. When I saw Aitori-sensei dead I…"
He faltered, then,
"I found a letter from Seimaru to Aitori-sensei, detailing certain things." He said quietly. "It's an incriminating letter. It could destroy Seimaru. But it could also destroy my Clan completely…so I took it and I hid it away. I think any other correspondence Aitori-sensei must have burned – since Minabe-sensei took the place to pieces but didn't find anything except proof of his work for the Shihouin."
"Which I had hoped I'd destroyed, but clearly not." Midori sighed. "And this letter is in your possession?"
"Not right now, it isn't. But it is at the school. Nobody but me knows where it's hidden…only Ukitake-kun has seen the contents of it and he understands why it has to be kept secret."
"But it implicates Seimaru?"
"Yes."
"I see." Midori's eyes narrowed. "That's something worth knowing. Even if it's not in my possession – even if I don't wish to bring Misashi-sama into trouble because of my actions – it's still worth knowing."
"I'm not going to surrender it to the Shihouin-ke, or the Endou-ke, or Sensei." Hirata said quietly. "But I thought if you knew it existed…"
"It's all right, Hirata-kun." Midori flashed him a smile. "I understand your motives and your caution does you credit. I'll keep it well in mind, don't worry. Even without seeing this letter…I'm pretty sure that I can use what you've just told me to help turn the tide where Seimaru's concerned."