Chapter Twelve: Spider's Web

"Well, Eiraki. I wait to hear your answer."

In the high-ceilinged chamber of the Endou-ke estate, Shouichi sent his only grand-daughter a piercing look, his pale eyes fixed and scrutinous as they focused themselves on the young girl's face. From his vantage point across the room, Misashi frowned, aware that to his frightened daughter, the old man probably seemed more like the hunting bird whose spirit ghosted his blade than any member of her family. Cast in shadow by the morning sun as he stood before the window, the head of the Endou Clan did indeed appear terrifying, and Misashi's frown deepened as he resisted the urge to intervene.

After all, he had pushed his luck far enough already. To even have his Father humour him to this extent was a victory – for Eiraki's own sake, he had to keep his quiet.

Even so, the subject of marriage to a fourteen year old must be a frightening prospect under any circumstances. When proposed by one like Father, and what he is asking of her to agree to…my son has already forfeited any chance of childhood because of this Clan. Am I to see my daughter's life go the same way, sold off as some bargaining chip in a marriage of convenience?


His gaze flitted to Eiraki's young face, taking in her expression carefully. She seemed composed, at first glance, but Misashi knew the girl too well and understood the fierce terror that burned just beneath the surface in those sky blue eyes. Of all of the Endou-ke, Eiraki had inherited most expressively the vivid blue eyes of her grandmother, and in that moment Misashi thought he saw a fleeting likeness – that even in Eiraki's deep terror he could find the shadow of his fearless mother.

In that case, Okaasama, if your spirit is here – I'll ask you to watch over Eiraki, since it seems there's nothing I can do to protect her from Clan politics any longer.

Eiraki was silent for some time, then she bowed her head.

"I understand, Ojiisama." She said softly. "If that is your wish, I will obey."

"Ah." Shouichi's lips twitched into a smile. "As I thought, you are a good and obedient child. It is well said, Eiraki – even for a girl of your young years."

He raised his gaze to Misashi.

"I trust, then, you have no objections now?" He asked, a faintly mocking tone in his voice, and Misashi sighed, casting his daughter a pensive look.

"Are you truly content with this, Eiraki-chan?" He questioned. "Once agreed, remember, there will be no going back. You will be bound by your word to your Lord Grandfather…his judgement will override yours and mine in all respects."

Eiraki was silent for a moment. Then she nodded her head, pain in her blue eyes.

"It is penance that I must do." She said sadly.

"Penance?" Misashi's eyes widened, and Eiraki nodded, tears glittering in her gaze as she faced her Father fully.

"There is nobody else here to do it." She whispered. "So instead, I must try."

"I don't understand what you mean." Misashi stared at his daughter in confusion. "Why would you feel that, Eiraki-chan? You've done nothing wrong. Your Grandfather thinks well of you and so do your Clan. You have nothing to be ashamed for – no reason to repent."

"Not for me." Eiraki took a deep breath, meeting her Father's gaze head on. "For Nii-sama. I have to do it…because of him."

"Hirata?" Misashi looked stricken, and Shouichi let out a low chuckle of appreciation.

"So, the younger sister has seen what the older brother cannot." He said approvingly. "Well said, Eiraki. Well said indeed."

He bowed his head mockingly at Misashi.

"Then it is decided. I have humoured you, Misashi, so you can have no further possible objection. I will begin at once in entertaining potential consorts for the hand of Eiraki-hime when she comes of age."

Once he had gone, Eiraki sank down into a seat, burying her head in her hands as sobs wracked through her tiny frame. Misashi sighed, sinking down beside her and putting an arm around her shoulders.

"You needn't have said it, Eiraki-chan. You owe nobody anything. Not for Hirata, or anyone else."

"Nii-sama betrayed Seimaru-sama, didn't he?" Eiraki raised her head, looking dolefully at her father. "I know it's true – I've heard people talk about it. Even you and Okaasama…I know he did. I love Nii-sama, Father. But even so…he…and now…"

"The politics of this family even taint the young." Misashi agreed, hugging his daughter tightly to him. "But even so, to say it's a debt you owe…"

"Father, Seimaru-sama scares me." Eiraki admitted. "I don't know how Nii-sama defied him, but I know that if I don't do something, it will end badly. If Nii-sama ever came home, Seimaru-sama would want to kill him. And Ojiisama…maybe…Ojiisama would want to, too. But if I…please Ojiisama…then perhaps he won't. Maybe then…Nii-sama will be safe."

Misashi sighed, feeling a dull ache beginning to spread across his skull as he realised the depth of his daughter's understanding.

"You're a child now burdened with adult concerns, just as your brother is." He murmured, more than half to himself, and Eiraki raised her gaze to her father's.

"Father…do you know…why Nii-sama…what he did?"

Misashi was silent for a while. Then he shook his head.

"We mustn't talk about it." He said quietly. "I feel how you do – I miss him too. But things are this way and we cannot regret them. All we can do is move on."

Eiraki bit her lip.

"Seimaru-sama was very angry." She whispered. "When he came back here, and I thought…that we…I don't understand, Otousama. Nii-sama…what he could have done…to make things like that. I was afraid…and now…"

"A lot has happened in the past year." Misashi took Eiraki by the hand, leading her gently across to the window seat and sitting down, ushering her down beside him as he slipped a strong arm around her shoulders. "Eiraki-chan, I don't know, precisely, what your brother's aims are. All I know is that he has chosen to finish his training in District One. To do that, he has had to submit his crest and deny his Clan. So he has done and so Genryuusai-sama has advised me. As to anything else…Seimaru-sama is the heir to our family. He is your Grandfather's chosen descendent and in that matter we cannot be anything but firm. Whatever Hirata did or did not do is not our concern now. Our concern is here – in supporting our Clan leader, his chosen heir and the future of our family. So your Grandmother would have wanted it – so it must be."

"Then if Ojiisama asks me to marry, I will." Eiraki said softly. "If it makes him pleased with us, I will. He seemed pleased, didn't he? When he left, he seemed like…he was pleased with me?"

"I think he values it very much…your existence in this family." Misashi assured her. "Very much indeed. Hirata is unfortunate – being born a boy means that his position is always in jeopardy. In contrast, Eiraki, yours can help consolidate and strengthen this family for the future."

"I see you even spout your lies to your daughter, Ojisama."

Seimaru's voice sent a shock-wave through Misashi's system, and as he felt his fragile daughter's shoulders tense, he raised his head, meeting the mocking gaze of his nephew with an impassive one of his own.

"It is customary to knock before entering a Hime's chambers, Seimaru." He said quietly. "Eiraki-chan is, after all, a lady of your Clan."

"She is yours, so she is immaterial to me. Besides, it was you I came after. Not your whelp."

Seimaru cast Eiraki a disdainful glance.

"She may be useful to Grandfather in plotting a marriage match, but she is not old enough to bother me yet. Even if she does spawn children – no woman has ever inherited this Clan and nor has any son whose claim runs through the female line. If you think you can bide your time and challenge my claim that way now your son is a known traitor…you will be disappointed. Even Grandmother was not allowed to rule the Clan, despite her reputation. Your Eiraki-hime is just another family puppet – and I outrank her, so she should accommodate me and my intrusions as I wish her to."

Misashi sighed, getting to his feet.

"I suppose that my manservant told you I would be here." He said, resignation in his pale eyes. "If you have a need for me, then let us leave Eiraki to herself. She is not involved in Clan politics yet. She need not be concerned with our discussion."

"It's all right. Let the girl listen. Maybe she'll take note, too." Seimaru's eyes narrowed. "You've been spending a lot of time with Grandfather of late, and now he's bestowing honour on your daughter, too…you must think that you and your family are safe. Secure in the knowledge that Ojiisama doesn't break his political word."

"I have resolved the differences with Father that have divided us for such a long time." Misashi said quietly.

"I know he can't trust you. Nor can I."

"I'm not asking to be trusted. Nor to be liked." Misashi shook his head. "Father keeps me where he can see me – I know that, and knew it when I agreed to recognise you as his heir and become reconciled to his will. I have only one interest, Seimaru – protecting my family from harm. Anything else is not my concern."

"So the old bag didn't leave you with some death-bed order to raise your son as a warrior and send him to decimate your kin, then?" Seimaru's words were scornful, and Misashi snorted.

"Your Grandmother would never have spoken so foolishly, particularly not in regard to a Clan for which she gave her everything." He said coldly. "Nor would she encourage me to rise against or betray a husband whom she loved and respected right until she drew her last breath. If Father heard you speak of her thus, you would be punished."

"Will you tell him, then?" Seimaru's gaze held a challenge, and Misashi sighed.

"You know that I won't." He said heavily. "You know that I am tied by my word to my Mother as well as my word to my Father. I won't betray her wishes. She wanted me to reconcile and accept you. I have done so. The matter is ended. I will not rebel against you. Whether you believe me or not, it is still true. For the sake of this Clan's future – I have given my word. Father has accepted it. He knows that in this one thing at least, I am like him."

"And Hirata? What of him – your rogue son?" Seimaru demanded. "I am not fooled, Misashi-jisama. I know that boy is not what he seems to be. I know he summoned the Shadow Cat to face me, and lives with the Shihouin when he is not training at that accursed Academy in District One. I know that, secretly, you still harbour hopes that that old man will teach him to wield a sword so that he can face me and, perhaps, take my position by force."

"I have had no contact with Hirata. I know nothing of his current intentions, nor his future ones." Misashi said evenly, and Seimaru snorted, pacing across the room and grabbing his uncle by the collar of his robe, shoving Eiraki out of his way as he hauled the older man to his feet. Eiraki tumbled to the floor, scrambling into a sitting position as horror and fear glittered in her blue eyes, and at his daughter's fright, Misashi quelled the urge to lash out at his nephew, instead allowing himself to be dragged across the room and thrown up against the wall with a heavy thump.

"You lie." Seimaru's eyes glittered with anger and suspicion. "I know you lie, and you think that I can't touch you. Well, you're wrong, Misashi-jisama. I cannot kill you – that is all. I haven't acknowledged you as my heir, even if Grandfather and the Clan have. I haven't welcomed your reconciliation, even if they still celebrate its occurrence. I will never accept that you have any connection to me at all. Father would never have stood for it – and I won't, either. Your family will never gain power in the Endou-ke…and one day, mark my words, I will find a reason to have you killed."

"In that case, I look forward to that day with both interest and contempt." Misashi spoke softly, his own expression hardening as he met his nephew's indignant eyes with cold ones of his own. "For on the day you break my Father's vow, he will strike your head from your body for it as sure as I stand here now. And when that happens, Seimaru, who do you suppose will inherit this Clan then?"

Seimaru froze, his eyes widening as he stared at the other man with a mixture of horror and fury. Then he let out an exclamation, swinging Misashi around and throwing his unresisting body down hard against the cold stone of Eiraki's chamber floor.

"You always use such pretty words. So Grandfather always says." He said darkly, his voice shaking with anger as his fingers slipped automatically around the hilt of his sleeping zanpakutou. "Yet with me you only ever use ugly ones. I have never doubted your intent for one moment…how much I'd like to pour my curse into you and watch you die slowly and painfully."

"But even so, you won't do it." Calmly Misashi picked himself up, dusting himself down although his body ached and his muscles jarred from the sudden roughness of the assault. Eiraki was still watching, he reminded himself, staring at her father pale-faced and teary-eyed, and for that reason, he would not show his anger or his pain. "Father and I have reached an agreement that even you will not breach. To kill me will be to kill yourself. To kill me will be to make Hirata heir to this family by default. So long as he lives, you will obey Father's word. So long as Father lives, you will be kept in line. This Clan does not belong to you yet, my boy. It may be many many moons before it does. And a lot can happen in that time."

"A lot can happen indeed."

Slowly and with conscious effort, Seimaru released his hold on Yojinmozu's hilt, casting his uncle the most unpleasant look he could muster. "Grandfather might not see it, but I do. I know exactly what you are and I won't overlook it. Besides, like Grandmother, Grandfather is old. Even a strong Shinigami cannot fight old age forever. You shouldn't be so smug, Ojisama. Your time may yet come – and when it does, I will take great pleasure in severing your pathetic life."

With which parting statement he turned on his heel and, with a sweep of his dark red cape, he was gone, banging the door shut hard behind him.

Once they were alone, Misashi let out a heavy sigh, and Eiraki hurried towards him, grasping his hands in anxiety.

"Otousama? Otousama, are you hurt?"

"No more than usual." Misashi managed a smile, reaching across to wipe the tears from her lashes. "Don't cry, Eiraki. This body is strong – its survived far worse over the years."

"But…Seimaru-sama…"

"Seimaru knows that so long as we don't upset Father, he can't hurt us." Misashi said quietly. "Don't worry. Everything will be just fine. Seimaru is spoiled and angry and greedy for power – but even he knows he can't cross Father and get away with it. All we have to do is wait, and stay as strong as we can. Right now, there is no way to act – but I have faith, Eiraki-chan, that one day there will be. And when it comes…then…all will finally be as your Grandmother wanted it in the Endou Clan."

Another battle lost.

Keitarou pulled his hood more carefully over his face, disguising his features in shadow as he stood on the embankment, gazing down impassively onto the execution ground below. Moments earlier, screams and pleas for mercy had filled the air, but now all was silent, and as he stood there, Keitarou found his thoughts flitting back to that day so many years ago when he had felt his father die.

So, Shouichi's campaign against the Urahara in District Seven had continued to gather speed.

His eyes narrowed as his gaze flitted across the ground, taking in the features of the executioners one by one. He did not need to commit their faces to memory, nor did he need to know their names. They were marked by him now – and he would ensure that the balance was evened out.

They were arrogant, he reflected bitterly, believing that in the courtyard of the Endou estate they were under the Lord's protection. They had not even made to cover their faces as was customary among executioners charged with carrying out Endou justice. As he saw their blood-spattered features and heard them laugh and joke among themselves whilst they hauled the blood-soaked corpses of their prey into a heap for burning, he felt cold anger surge inside of his heart.

The Endou who were once our allies even now have turned on us. Will Seimaru also turn on me, before I have a chance to utilise my connection to him?

Keitarou sighed, slipping his fingers into the fold of his obi and pulling out the small, insignificant looking tantou knife. For a moment he glanced at it, taking in the faint, delicate design of a spider weaving its web across the silver blade. To anyone who didn't know, it was barely more than a science tool – an implement with which he divided samples for testing and nothing more. Yet to Keitarou, whose bitterness had wrapped itself lovingly around his spiritual potential even from that day in his childhood, it was something much more.

It was his revenge. And as he had done before, he would use it again.

"Ore, Chudokuga." He whispered, feeling the weapon hum and vibrate softly beneath his touch as the blade glittered and glimmered with a faint silverish light. As the metal parted and weaved out into strands of almost invisible fibres, he narrowed his gaze, flicking the fingers of his left hand out towards the guardsmen that stood below.

It was only the faintest of gestures, his weapon more than hidden from sight by the heavy folds of his unremarkable peasant's cloak. Yet at that tiny flick of his finger, eight long, web-like threads shot out across the landscape, glinting only briefly in the sun as they made a beeline for the three unfortunate Endou retainers.

"Ginchusou." He murmured, and the threads parted, the ends sharp as needle-point barbs as they burrowed mercilessly through the soldiers' livery and deep into the flesh and tissue below. With exclamations of surprise and pain, the three men turned, just in time to see the cold outline of the cloaked silhouette watching them from atop his mound. But it was no more than a glimpse of the one who would kill them, as Keitarou spread the fingers of his left hand, and the three men collapsed to the ground, twitching and struggling against the web-like tendrils that had burrowed deeper and deeper into their bodies.

For a moment Keitarou hesitated, as he weighed up whether or not these men could be of any further use to him. Then, with a cold smile, he slowly closed his fist.

The screams of the dying soldiers more than made up for the shrieks of his murdered kinsmen, and as the sounds pierced the air, Keitarou took a moment to soak in the empty victory of his revenge.

These men were weak, and they were of no use to him in any way or form. But killing them also achieved nothing so long as their master still ordered their comrades to go out and hunt down more Urahara refugees.

He sighed, twitching the hilt of the knife in his right hand as the blood-soaked threads reeled themselves back in, forming into a flat silver blade once more. The surface was mottled with blood and fragments of internal organs, and he frowned, pulling a cloth from his obi and wiping it clean.

I have better blood to stain this weapon than the blood of common soldiers, after all.

He slid the knife back into its secure hiding place, turning his back on the slaughter ground and slipping into shunpo, re-materialising within the basement laboratory that had once more become his home from home.

Still, it grows ever more dangerous. Shouichi is ruthless in his carrying out of that old, dead woman's wishes…and I cannot guarantee even my own safety if it goes on like this. Daisuke and the girl are at risk, also – maybe it is time I brought both of them here where they will at least be under some feeble protection. I know that Shouichi seeks me, after all…but if I brought Daisuke and Shikiki to this place, would that simply make me easier to find?

"Aizen!"

Seimaru's voice pierced through his thoughts and he swung around, taking in the expression of his benefactor with a cool smile of his own.

"Seimaru-sama. What do you do here? And so noisy, when we are so close to the estate above?"

"Grandfather is not here. He has gone to meet with a kinsman some twenty minutes ago and has ridden out towards the border with Sixth District." Seimaru was clearly in a bad temper, for his aura prickled with angry energy and Keitarou frowned, taking in the young man's demeanour as he did so.

You are ill-tempered because you did not get your way today, I imagine. I am ill-tempered because I saw kin of mine being treated like animals and then slain while their executioners laughed and the man who ordered it entertained his own whims elsewhere. I wonder, then, which of us has more justification for our anger? Sometimes I think you don't understand anything at all – but at the moment I need you, so for now, I will bend to your will.

"I see." He said softly, bowing his head slightly in submission. "I am sorry, then, for my words."

"More than that, what have you been doing all morning? I came looking for you before and you weren't here." Seimaru glared at him, and Keitarou shrugged his shoulders.

"I was gathering important resources for my work." He lied glibly. "Collecting data and material that I need to progress to the next stage."

"I see." Seimaru's eyes narrowed, then, "Aizen, listen to me. You may be ex-Clan and your bloodline and spiritual power may be considerably higher than most of your test subjects. But you are not trained or experienced in any demon arts, nor proficient with a weapon. This District becomes more dangerous for you day by day. I would sooner you stayed here as much as possible – any supplies or resources I can easily arrange to bring you, after all."

Well. Was the whelp worried for his safety? Or simply for the safety of the experiment? Keitarou smiled ironically, slowly nodding his head.

"Your concern flatters me, Seimaru-sama. I understand your worries and I am sorry to have caused you such inconvenience." He said mildly. "I will do my best to remember that in future."

He pushed back the hood of his cloak, revealing the muddy brownish hair that fell haphazardly in a tail over his shoulders.

"Even though I don't have the classic Urahara appearance, I suppose that I might still be set upon." He added. "Even with the protection your patronage provides – these are dangerous times."

"Yes. They are." Seimaru's expression darkened. "So long as that uncle of mine and his wretched son live, there is no way of changing them either. Keep your head down and do as I say, Aizen. I am serious. Grandfather knows you by name and by appearance – he will remember and he is looking for you specifically. He seeks the secrets of your work and he has already interrogated my uncle about you. Your strange appearance does not make you safe – and if you were caught now, everything would be for nothing."

"I suppose so." Keitarou bowed his head once more. "But I have no intention of being caught, Seimaru-sama. I have it very clearly in my mind what you expect from me – and what I expect from myself. You can be well assured…I will not let either of us down."

At least it was another bright, clear day.

As Juushirou and Hirata made their way towards the banks of the fast-flowing river, Juushirou allowed himself a rueful smile as he thought about their first night fending for themselves out in the open.

It had been an interesting one, he reflected, and with night-watch duty divided between them, he had had more than enough chance to study the sky and the glittering stars that lit the night in District One. Although they had been quite exposed in the woodland, somehow he had not felt afraid. Even though they had faced a dummy Hollow only the day before, Juushirou had found the experience of camping out more relaxing than anything else they had done so far.

Perhaps because I had a chance to be alone with my thoughts a little…and to put things fully into perspective.

He had divided Toutai's members once they had eaten what scraps they had left for breakfast. Aware that their base camp was still very open and unsuitable if it came to rain, he had instructed Ryuu to take Mitsuki and Kamitani to search for firewood and other suitable supplies in order to build some kind of makeshift cover among the trees. He had told Kira, Aki and Chiyoko to remain behind, Kira to rest his leg and write the squad log up to date, and the other two to help put together the basic shelter that he hoped would be enough to at least keep them free of rain. There was not much natural cover in this part of the safe zone, but, he reasoned now to himself, they would manage the best that they could.

In the meantime, he had decided to play both scouter and food gatherer, and Hirata had quickly volunteered to come with him, eager to do his bit to help his squad.

Well, I suppose that even if Hirata is stronger than he was, lugging stuff around probably still doesn't suit him. Collecting food will be easier…so that's that, in the end.

"Saitani-san said there was plenty of fish in the river, didn't she?"

Hirata's voice broke through his musings at that moment, and he shot the younger boy a grin.

"She did, but I've never fished before. I was hoping maybe you had, since you've been living with the Shihouin-ke."

"Once or twice." Hirata reddened sheepishly. "But I'm not all that good at it. Still, I know what you're supposed to do. Maybe if I can remember that, and you try it too – we'll manage somehow."

"I wonder if they swim too fast for us to simply use the asauchi and pick them up that way." Juushirou reflected. "We don't have any proper equipment for this, and I'd rather not go into the river itself if we can avoid it. The current seems to be quite quick, from what Saitani-san was saying. I'm not confident of holding my footing."

"Me either." Hirata admitted. "So if we can find another way, so much to the good I suppose."

He pushed his spectacles further up his nose, then,

"How long do you suppose Sensei will keep us out here like this?"

"I'm not sure." Juushirou admitted. "It sounded like he'd planned for us to manage for about a week, just from what he said. But I suppose…it might not be as long as that."

"A week, huh." Hirata pursed his lips. "I see."

"Don't you think it's even a little bit exciting, though?" Juushirou questioned, pushing back branches as they approached the river bank itself. "Being out here like this and making all our own decisions? Toutai have a pretty good working chemistry, so everyone's doing their bit to help. I think it's sort of fun – even if we are being punished, I quite like it."

"Well, so long as it doesn't rain." Hirata's gaze drifted up to the skies. "Or we don't start finding snakes in the river reeds."

"You really don't like them, do you?" Juushirou questioned, and Hirata shook his head.

"Not at all." He said emphatically. "Even though Kai-kun said most of the river snakes aren't poisonous – they're slippery and they come out of nowhere and make me jump."

"Well, there are quite a few reed clumps around the edges of the water." Juushirou approached the water's edge cautiously, gazing down into the ripples below. "It's hard to see what's below there, even if the water is quite clean. At this angle, the sun is glinting off the water too much to be clear. We're going to have to go into the river to have any chance, aren't we?"

"Mm. Maybe not." Hirata glanced around him, shaking his head as he gestured to an old willow tree hanging heavily over the rushing water. "If I was to climb up there, Ukitake-k…taichou, I might be able to see what's swimming in the water more clearly and then I could tell you what I saw."

"You climb trees now?" Juushirou looked startled. "And it's all right, Hirata. When we're alone, you don't have to call me Taichou."

"Oh. Okay." Hirata smiled. "Just Kuchiki-kun is so strict about it, I suppose I'm trying to remember. But if you say so, then it's all right. And as for the tree…"

He glanced up at it, then,

"I wouldn't have been able to, a year ago." He admitted. "But living with the Shihouin has taught me a few things. One of those is how to get up a tree at speed to avoid a snake…and since there might be snakes in the reeds…I'd rather try the tree."

"Well, if you're sure you can manage." Juushirou looked doubtful, and Hirata nodded, resolution in his pale eyes.

"If I'm Toutai's third seat, I have to be useful somehow." He said firmly. "And I can do it, Ukitake-kun. I'm sure of that. The branches are quite easy for even me to reach – and I don't weigh all that much, so I should be able to get to quite a good position."

He grinned sheepishly.

"Even though I'm scared of a lot of things…it turns out that I'm not afraid of climbing."

"In that case, I guess it's our best plan." Juushirou returned the grin, nodding his head. "You play scouter and I'll see if I can catch anything. The asauchi isn't so very long, but if I stay close to the edge and act when you tell me, maybe we'll have some better luck."

"Kai-kun would probably be building a net or something else with sticks and bits of vine." Hirata reflected ruefully. "But I don't know how to do those things, so I suppose this is the best we can do."

He placed his hands cautiously against the trunk of the tree, then nodded. "It's all right. It isn't slippery, either. I can climb up here, Ukitake-kun. It should be fine."

With that he pulled himself cautiously into the branches, and Juushirou watched him, acknowledging the change between the young boy who had been frightened to climb down from the dormitory window in their first term and the determined classmate who was now, by his own volition, scaling a tree to help catch fish.

Living with the Shihouin has made a difference to him, that's for sure. And perhaps, all the things back home, too. Even if there are still things that he's afraid of – he's not the same child now that he was that first time I spoke to him. He's found his voice and his place and he's fighting as hard as any of us now for what he believes in.

"All right, Ukitake-kun! I'm ready!" A call from the branches brought Juushirou back to himself and he nodded, slipping carefully into position and pulling his asauchi from its sheath at his side.

Well, even if we're amateurish and unprepared, we're still doing things for ourselves. And we're still working as a team – so in that vein, I don't suppose Sensei can fail us.

Almost as soon as the thought had crossed his mind, however, there was a loud and ominous creak from the tree above his head and he glanced up, fear piercing through him as he realised a crack had begun to rent its way through the large supporting branch. With a jolt he recognised the fading colours of the leaves and registered that the bough, though outwardly broad and sturdy, was probably hollow and dead inside.

"Hirata! You're too far forward! You'll put too much weight on it if you stay there!" He exclaimed, and Hirata frowned.

"Pardon? I can't hear you, Ukitake-kun. The river's racing too fast and I don't know what you said."

"Move back! Back on the branch!" Juushirou waved his hands, and Hirata's eyes widened as there was a second cracking sound and the branch began to judder slightly. Realising the danger, the young boy began to scramble back, but it was too late, and as his weight shifted across the decaying limb of the tree, it gave way completely, tumbling pell-mell into the racing water below. Hirata tried desperately to grab hold of the remaining stub of the branch, but it too splintered under the sudden pressure, and as the young boy fell, he collided head-first with the broken shaft of wood, knocking him clean out as he plummeted like a stone towards the speeding current below.