Chapter Fifty Four: Treason
In the instant that Raiden had spoken Hirata's name, time seemed to have stopped still. For Shunsui, it seemed an eternity even before the man had finished speaking, and he inwardly tensed, aware that at any moment a sword might come flying towards them. Instinctively he found himself drawing desperately on his studies in Kidou class, pulling together the release command for Shou and Byakurai and other spells that he might use in order to allow them to both escape now their cover was blown. Feverishly he tried to work out whether he had enough rough shunpo skill to fire a spell and yet still take them from this place, but even as he was putting this thought together, the second man steadied his horse, dismounting the beast and taking a step towards Hirata.
His hand did not go to his own sword, and instead Hirata gaped as, slowly and solemnly the aging, portly figure of the finely clad Clansman dropped down onto his knees, bowing his head humbly before the young Endou boy dressed in rough peasant clothing.
"Hirata-sama." He murmured, and thrown off guard, Hirata could do nothing but stare at him blankly. The next moment, Raiden too had forced his heavy form off of his mare – a fact for which Shunsui was sure the horse was grateful – lowering himself awkwardly at his friend's side and following his example.
"What on earth…" At last Shunsui found his tongue, and Hirata took a hesitant step back, his gaze flitting uncertainly from one noble to the other as if suspecting a trap. Raiden's sword clattered onto the frozen ground, however, and as both Clansmen raised their gazes, Shunsui drew breath sharply into his lungs.
The gleam in the two men's eyes was unmistakeably the glimmer of hope.
"Forgive my rudeness to your friend, Hirata-sama." Raiden spoke solemnly, his earlier hostility gone in a flash as he fixed his attention on the young boy. "We did not…I did not…it was not possible to…"
"You have come back to District Seven." Jinkei murmured. "Even though…none of us knew if you would."
"What are your motives?" At length Hirata found his voice, his tones wary as he gazed at them. "You bow before me in a land held by my cousin. I have no authority while he holds all. To even speak to me with the suffix ~sama is enough to be found guilty of treason. Explain yourselves."
Even Shunsui was startled by the sudden cold and commanding note in his friend's usually soft, hesitant tones.
Yet even though he was surprised, Shunsui understood. District Seven was not a land in which you could show weakness or mercy. One wrong move and they might both be in serious risk of their lives. Even here, alone and robed in the garb of a simple peasant, Hirata could not lose face.
But that he had him in it to act that way – I didn't know he could. Although I know he's getting stronger – has got stronger – I didn't realise by quite how much. Eiraki-hime and Juu and everything that's happened have sapped away the last of his childhood, I suppose…that is, if he was ever allowed to have one at all.
Jinkei and Raiden exchanged looks, then Jinkei sighed, lowering his head once more.
"We are as you say. Guilty of treason for even speaking your name." He murmured. "We have both seen one member of Seimaru-sama's court kicked into the ground for daring to speak your Lord Father's before the council, so we are not ignorant to the risk we both take. But we have already made our decision. We are already guilty. And a man can only die for treason once, no matter how many times he commits it."
"Treason?" Hirata whispered. "Against…my cousin?"
"Seimaru-sama is young and as yet he does not understand many things that Shouichi-sama knew by instinct." Raiden said gravely. "Now there is great unrest, especially since the disappearance of your Lady Mother and sister Eiraki-hime. Seimaru-sama has not rested but has interrogated many staff at the manor and his general behaviour has been…erratic and dangerous. At least one of the serving wenches was driven to suicide – or murdered - by his aggression, and others have been thrown in cells or dismissed from their posts with little or no warning. The whole household is on edge, not knowing who he might strike at next. Then, some days ago, it was said that he had received communication from District Eight. What was in that note I do not know…but it was enough to throw him into a fresh rage."
"Shouichi-sama was a firm and harsh leader, but he was able to hold this Clan together and he understood this land well." Jinkei added. "He was a man of war, true enough…but now not even we of the Endou council are sure of our lives or our livelihoods."
Hirata's eyes narrowed.
"This land is a wasteland." He said flatly. "My Grandfather made it so, my cousin is perpetuating it. Our peasant classes live in fear or have fled to neighbouring Districts for help. Yet only now you begin to realise that the destruction of the Clan is almost inevitable?"
"It is not inevitable." Raiden shook his head. "We had thought to act sooner – but we were persuaded not to by your own father – by Lord Misashi after Shouichi-sama's untimely death."
"Father…told you not to fight Seimaru?" Hirata was taken aback, and Jinkei nodded.
"He seemed a man resigned to his death." He agreed. "And he said that, if we rose up and created uncertainty, the Clan would surely be doomed."
"In a short time I imagine it will be doomed." Shunsui decided to add his piece at this moment. "I can't speak for certain, but I very much suspect evidence against your fearless leader is already being paraded up and down Inner Seireitei for the Council to pass judgement on. That being the case…"
"Evidence…to the Council?" Raiden paled, and Shunsui nodded.
"Courtesy of the heir to the Shihouin-ke." He said gravely.
"The Shihouin…" Jinkei whispered. "Midori-sama is finally taking her revenge for being so snubbed and treated by Seimaru-sama…"
"The Shihouin-ke are my allies. They will not move against me." Hirata said quietly. "The question is, what are both of you? You can't possibly have been seeking me, since I didn't know myself that I would find myself here this morning. Therefore…?"
"We were looking for Misashi-sama." Raiden said soberly. "Though rumours have perpetuated that he is held somewhere securely near the main house, Jinkei-dono and I think this to be a falsehood. It would be too great a risk to keep such a prisoner so close to the centre of power. Therefore…we had resolved to ride this morning. And to discover, if we could, the place that he was being kept."
"The place where…" Shunsui frowned. "Somewhere far away from here, yet secure enough that Seimaru can be certain he won't escape on his own?"
"Hokujou." Hirata breathed, and Jinkei nodded.
"That is our belief too." He agreed. "It is but a rumour, but it is said commonly around the court that, far from beng a true prisoner there, Lady Riku has a considerable amount of influence. She has not attempted to leave, yet since the arrival of her kinsman at the main estate, circumstances have changed. It seems certain that Hokujou is no longer a place of her confinement, but rather becoming her stronghold of power. And Riku-sama never did see eye to eye with your Lord Father."
His gaze flitted uncertainly towards Shunsui for a moment, then,
"Hirata-sama, I apologise for my impertinence but…who is your companion? And why is it he knows so much of our affairs?"
Shunsui slid his fingers beneath the rough fabric of the peasant robe, pulling his Clan pendant and holding it out so it glinted in the pale sunlight. At the sight of it, Raiden let out an exclamation, horror flooding his features.
"K…K…Kyouraku-ke? God forgive me, I raised my sword to…"
"Kyouraku Shunsui, at your service." Shunsui bowed his head, a faint, humourless smile twitching at his lips at the other man's sudden panic. "I'm sure my brother would be most grateful that you decided against slitting my throat this morning, Raiden-dono."
"Y…your b…brother?" Jinkei swallowed hard, and Hirata nodded.
"Shunsui-dono is my associate and friend…the heir to our neighbours the Kyouraku." He said quietly. "He is my ally and he will not act against me - but nor will I allow him to be hurt. Not by anyone who claims any allegiance with my father or with I."
"If Seimaru-sama finds either of you, it will be death." Raiden said softly. "He hates Kyouraku just as much as he hates Hirata-sama and his kin…you would have done better not to come, Shunsui-sama."
"But Hirata is my friend, and Misashi-sama is not the only prisoner we're interested in freeing." Shunsui said frankly. "So instead of standing around here talking about nothing, we could talk about something more useful instead. Such as a good way to get to the manor, and most importantly, about Seimaru-sama's erratic behaviour."
"Further than that." Hirata said grimly, gesturing to the two aging nobles to get to their feet and they did so, some relief in their eyes at his command. "Raiden-dono, Jinkei-dono, if you truly are allies of my father and I, then I would ask you clearly the circumstances of my Grandfather's death."
"The circumstances?" Jinkei and Raiden exchanged looks, and Jinkei's lip curled slightly at the recollection.
"He appears to have fallen." He said finally. "There were no suspicious circumstances except for the fact he was dead. Every man of the Endou council was in session at the time he fell - your Lord Father and Seimaru-sama among them. Nobody is guilty. It was an accident...though perhaps a convenient one."
"What about Minazake-dono?" Shunsui asked softly, and Raiden's eyes narrowed.
"He did not arrive at court until after Seimaru-sama's inauguration." He said softly. "He had not ridden here from the North at that time."
"On the contrary, we think that he did just that." Shunsui shook his head. "There's good circumstantial evidence to suggest that Minazake Roukei may have been here a lot longer than anyone realises. In fact, there's quite convincing indications that Minazake Roukei may be an assumed name. Hirata, I think you've had your question answered. Nobody could possibly have done it - unless, of course, at that point they didn't officially exist."
"An assumed...but...that weed, in a battle of wills against Lord Shouichi?" Jinkei snorted. "Impossible. Shouichi-sama was a shinigami unequalled in District Seven. Only Lady Yayoi had a reputation of the same level - and she laid down her sword through ill health long before she passed away. There is no way..."
"Minazake Roukei is most probably an agent of my cousin." Hirata said frankly. "An illegal shinigami and more than likely, Urahara by birth. Grandfather was the most powerful Endou shinigami in some time, true enough - but we are not talking about an Endou shinigami. We're talking about an exile - a man who should not exist."
"Aizen Keitarou." Raiden looked frightened, and Shunsui eyed him in interest.
"You know his name?" He asked curiously, and Raiden nodded.
"Shouichi-sama would rage and rampage about how the man constantly eluded his attentions." He agreed, a troubled, agitated note in his cultured tones. "He took a close ally of that man, tortured and killed him and hoped to lure Aizen out, but even drawing and releasing Hijirobaya did not succeed in snaring his target. It was as though this Aizen was one step ahead...always one step ahead."
"Perhaps he was." Shunsui reflected. "The Endou-ke's inner issues are enough to give anyone a headache...if there's a rift between Misashi-sama and Shouichi-sama, and between Seimaru-dono and Hirata...it seems tragic common sense to me that there'd be one between Seimaru-dono and Shouichi-sama, too. Power is everything in this Clan, isn't it? No wonder it's in such a mess."
He sighed, shrugging his shoulders.
"But it confirms it in my mind, even if I don't have the proof here in front of me." He added grimly. "This Keitarou took Juu, and he's working for Seimaru. And that means we're heading for the manor - and probably we're going to face both problems at once."
"You intend to...confront Seimaru-sama?" Jinkei asked anxiously, and Hirata nodded his head.
"It's time I did." He said softly. "He's taken enough from me and the people here. Now he has a close friend of mine prisoner, and I've had enough. So yes. I'm going."
"Can you win?" Raiden murmured, and there was a pause.
"I don't know." Hirata admitted. "But it's no longer something I can pick or choose over. I may be exiled, and I may hate so many things that this Clan stand for, but this is my family and this is my homeland. Father expected it of me - to get to a point where I'd feel that way and try and do something about it. If I don't..."
He faltered, and Shunsui nodded his head.
"The Shihouin-ke are Hirata's formal allies." He said quietly. "But the other Clans and their actions will depend largely on what happens from this point on. If the evidence I think they now have really does single out Seimaru as being guilty of breaching Council law, then any who side with Seimaru now will fall and will face the same judgement as Kamuki of the Shihouin did for his crimes against Soul Society. My Clan are not allies of the Endou-ke. Seimaru is already guilty of murdering a young girl who I considered my friend, as well as displacing hundreds, maybe thousands of hungry, frightened refugees. My brother and I have no interest in supporting neighbours who back Seimaru and his despotic regime. However, Hirata is my friend. For that reason, my brother acknowledges him. For that reason, my brother would act, I believe, to safeguard his interests in District Seven. And not only Tokutarou-nii. Hirata has other friends too among other Clans. With my brother's aid comes the aid of the Shiba, and even the Kuchiki might reach across their border to help if Guren-sama's nephew was to put in a good word. This is the choice your Clan face now. Back the leader Seimaru and fall with him when the Council come - or back the exile Hirata and find a way to save your Clan from liquidation."
Colour had drained from the faces of both noblemen as he had been talking, and Jinkei nodded his head.
"For this reason, we sought Misashi-sama." He said quietly. "We are already Hirata-sama's allies, Shunsui-sama. We have walked too far this path. We see it too - that if we do not act, it will mean death anyway. If we do, perhaps we still die. It's uncertain, but it's the only chance."
"We are your servants, Hirata-sama." Raiden agreed. "And we will act as you see fit to command us."
Hirata eyed them for a moment, slowly nodding his head.
"Then let us ride with you to the manor, and help us to enter unseen." He said evenly. "Then you may ride to Hokujou and seek my father's holding place. But a classmate of mine is Seimaru's likely prisoner and Shunsui-kun and I will go to his aid. Even if it's dangerous - that is what we must do."
"Understood." Jinkei grabbed the reins of his horse, offering the young nobleman a faint smile. "We will do as you instruct us, Hirata-sama - and pray you have the strength to prevail."
"Juu-nii?"
The world was fuzzy and black, and a dull, heavy feeling resonated throughout his body as he tried to pinpoint the source of the noise. Had he been sleeping? Was he still? It was impossible for him to tell, yet with every passing moment he became more aware of something gripping hold of his arm, shaking him desperately and persistently as it tried to pull him from his slumber.
"Juu-nii! Juu-nii, wake up! Wake up!"
There was fear in the voice now, he realised, and despite the lethargy that had engulfed him, Juushirou found himself trying to reach out to the speaker, struggling to move and reassure her that he was all right.
At first, all he could do was flex his fingers a very tiny bit, but he persevered, and little by little he forced himself to consciousness, opening bleary eyes and blinking as he tried to bring his surroundings into focus.
A fuzzy blob hovered over him, with each passing moment becoming more vividly recogniseable and Juushirou could see the tears glittering in the young girl's aqua eyes.
What had happened? Was he hurt? She was clinging to him so desperately - why did she look as though she was ready to cry?
"Juu-nii!" As she met his gaze, the young girl let out an exclamation, flinging herself on him and hugging him tightly. The sudden addition of the child's weight against his body sent shock waves of pain through his tender rib cage and he coughed, pushing back against her as he struggled to haul himself into a sitting position. Shikiki eyed him anxiously, and he closed his eyes briefly as the world swam and twisted around him. His chest hurt, he realised belatedly, moving his left hand absently to rub it against his body. Had he had an attack? Was he fevered? What had make this child so frightened?
"Juu-nii, are you all right?" She spoke softly now, genuine concern in her gaze, and Juushirou wetted his lips, slowly nodding his head.
"Shikiki." He murmured, then, "I think...I think so. What happened? I feel...strange."
"Kei-nii put a spell on you." Shikiki's expression became troubled. "He said it was to make sure you stayed here - that he didn't want to risk you going outside because he thought you'd get hurt. But it was a powerful spell, Juu-nii. You fell right over and I...I was afraid. Kei-nii told me to look after you...so I...I am."
Juushirou digested this carefully, fragments of his own memory slipping back into place at her words.
Keitarou had released his sword. He had said something...a word Juushirou had never heard anyone use to command their blade before. Had he imagined it? He wasn't sure. Everything was still blurry, but surely he hadn't...surely somewhere in that moment he had heard the word 'Bankai'.
The next moment he had been engulfed by what had seemed like a thousand tiny fibres, each one yearning to slip inside of his body and stifle his breath. He had fought against them, but they had been relentless in their attempt to overwhelm him, and little by little he had lost the ability to move, his consciousness seeping out of him as though he was falling into a deep, deep sleep.
He glanced at Shikiki.
Had she healed him, then? Had she used her unusual barrier power to protect and heal him from the effects of Keitarou's attack? Could a child so small hold that power? Or was it simply that Keitarou's attack had been weak in the first place?
Keitarou-san was so certain that his sword's attacks wouldn't work on me. I guess that he was right, in the end. Perhaps even this 'Bankai' thing lacks strength if you haven't properly trained to use it as a shinigami. Keitarou-san is an illegal shinigami...perhaps it matters after all.
He flexed and unflexed his hand cautiously, finding that it did exactly what he had asked of it.
I can move now. There's nothing stopping me. I was caught in a web, before...perhaps that was just how it felt. But whatever it is...it isn't there now. Maybe Shikiki did do something...
A shiver ran through his body at that moment and he coughed, putting his hand to his mouth. As he drew his fingers away, he was aware of specks of blood against his pale skin, and he frowned.
Or perhaps Keitarou-san felt he could only render me weak enough to be unable to escape here. Perhaps that's why...because in the end, his sword is also weak and he didn't want to have to use it.
Out loud he said,
"Where is Keitarou-san now?"
"He left." Shikiki said dolefully. "He said he was going to find Seimaru-sama and stop him from killing people. He said I should look after you, and that I shouldn't be scared. He said that you weren't dead, so...I did."
"I'm not dead." Juushirou assured her, rubbing his aching chest a second time. "I'm not sure what he did to me, but it's starting to wear off. I feel heavy and knocked about, but that's about all. I suppose he didn't really want to hurt me."
"He wants you to stay here. He said it was important." Shikiki settled herself at his side once more. "He said that there were people above ground who would hurt you, and he didn't want that to happen. I don't think he wanted to put the spell on you, Juu-nii. But he didn't know how to keep you away from the people who might attack you. People with shinigami swords, perhaps...he said that he thought they would come to District Seven. And...and he wanted to find your friend. Hirata-sama. He wanted to find him and stop Seimaru-sama from killing him."
"I wonder why he bothers, since he doesn't think that Hirata's coming here." Juushirou muttered, and Shikiki shook her head, agitation in her eyes.
"He told you a lie." She whispered. "He said so to me, when he told me why you had to stay here. He said that he knew Hirata-sama and another had come here, because of the fact they broke through the wall of the Senkaimon when he blocked the exit and escaped it somewhere in the wilds of District Seven. That's what he said. Only he knew you'd worry, if he told you. So he didn't. He told you nobody was here."
"What?" Juushirou's eyes widened, and Shikiki bit her lip.
"He told me not to tell you. That it was a secret." She whispered. "But Hirata-sama is Juu-nii's friend, and...and I...I thought about Dai-nii. Kei-nii never told me where he was going to find Dai-nii, and then he could only tell me Dai-nii was dead. He was sure he'd bring him back alive, but in the end he couldn't. I loved Dai-nii, Juu-nii. I loved him and I loved his family. I played with his children and now they might be dead too - he won't tell me anything about them, even though they were important to me. I...I think I wanted to know...what really happened and if I could have saved Dai-nii by going to find him too. So I wanted to tell you, Juu-nii. I didn't want to lie to you. If Hirata-sama is your friend...Juu-nii?"
For Juushirou had pulled himself to his feet, his gaze roving around the chamber for his discarded sword.
"Where's Sougyo no Kotowari, Shikiki?" He demanded, and Shikiki's eyes became big with alarm.
"Juu-nii, you aren't going to...?"
"I'm going to find Hirata. Obviously." Juushirou said flatly. "Keitarou-san may or may not have good reasons for keeping me here, but if Hirata's come, it's because of me. If he dies, it'll be because of me. I can't stay here and ignore that fact - you understand, don't you, Shikiki? You just said that, if you could've helped Daisuke-san, you would have wanted to. As far as I know, Hirata's still alive. I have to make sure it stays that way...so I'm going to go and find him."
Shikiki bit her lip.
"Kei-nii said it was dangerous." She whispered. "To go outside where people might want to kill you. He said you'd get hurt...that you wouldn't be able to take it back, if you tried to leave. I think he was worried about you, Juu-nii. He doesn't want bad things to happen to you because he likes you."
"I don't know about that." Juushirou replied. "We don't have the same kind of trust between us that you have with him. My life is different, Shiki-chan. My world is different. This isn't a place that I belong. You might be all right, living here...but I'm not. And if I stay here and let my friends be killed, then it's as though I killed them. I can't have that."
Shikiki eyed him for a moment, then she let out a heavy sigh.
"Sougyo no Kotowari is in Kei-nii's office." She said softly. "Locked in one of the cabinets there. He told me that it was best if it was locked away...but I know which one. I don't have a key, Juu-nii, but..."
Juushirou frowned, his fingers glittering briefly with white light.
"I have one." He said grimly. "Show me which cabinet, Shiki-chan. Then I'll take my sword and I'll go. You're safer staying here - if he comes back and asks where I am, tell him you couldn't stop me. All right?"
"Uh-uh." Shikiki shook her head emphatically. "If Juu-nii is going, Shikiki is going too. I promised Kei-nii to look after you, Juu-nii. And I'm not being left behind again. If Juu-nii is going to help his friend, Shikiki is going too!"
"Shikiki..." Juushirou faltered, words dying on his lips as he saw the resolution in her aqua eyes and he sighed, reaching across to pat her on the head.
"I understand." He murmured. "You were left behind before, and you don't want it to happen again. All right. But if we run into danger, you must hide. Understand? Your barriers are strong and one day they'll be even stronger. But right now I don't think they're a match for someone like Seimaru. And I don't want you hurt any more than you want Keitarou-san or I to be."
"All right." Shikiki was reluctant, but she nodded her head. "I'll do as you say, Juu-nii."
As they stepped into the office, Juushirou reached out his senses, trying to locate the reiatsu of his sword. Before he could, however, Shikiki had darted in front of him, resting her hand against one of the wooden divides.
"This one, Juu-nii. Sougyo no Kotowari is in here." She said firmly, and Juushirou nodded, summoning his reiryoku as he muttered the words to the Byakurai spell.
As the kidou lashed out across the chamber, he felt a matching surge of pain and uncertainty inside his raw chest, and he swallowed hard, hoping he wasn't going to have a full blown coughing fit in front of the young girl.
I'm not one hundred percent, but I can breathe and I can walk. Being down here has taken its toll - I was feeling funny before all of this - and whatever Keitarou-san did to me, I doubt Shikiki is powerful enough to have reversed it completely. She might have managed to wake me up, but I can't burden her with any more than that. She's just a child. And I'll just have to manage.
The door of the cabinet splintered as the spell hit it, fragmenting into a shower of wooden pieces that scattered across the stone floor and Juushirou hurried forward, closing his fingers around the hilt of his sword.
"Juu-nii." Shikiki's eyes were huge as she registered the mess, and Juushirou cast her a rueful glance.
"I'll clear it up later." He told her. "We don't have time now."
He put his fingers against Sougyo no Kotowari's bare blade, feeling a sudden, unfamiliar edge to his sword's power that he had not felt before.
So you hear the call to arms too, do you? You want to release and fight and make sure everyone is safe just as I do?
He frowned, waiting to hear the voices of his fish or feel the soft sensation of their fins against his thoughts, but there was no conscious reaction from his zanpakutou's spirits, just a dull humming of impatience from the blade itself. He sighed, taking a deep breath into his aching lungs and walking purposely towards the section of stone which was least affected by the aura of the Sekkiseki. This was how Keitarou slipped in and out, bypassing the barrier of the draining stone. Therefore this must be their way out too, even though he did not have shunpo.
"Nami kotogotoku, wa ga tate to nare." He murmured the release softly, relieved to feel his sword respond to him without even the faintest of hesitations. "Ikazuchi kotogotoku, wa ga yaiba to nare. Sougyo no Kotowari!"
The blade glimmered with golden light, separating into its two distinct blades, and as a prickle of energy trickled down the connecting cord, he turned to glance at his young companion.
"Shiki-chan, this might be a bit reckless, but I want your help." He said quietly. "I want you to form a barrier and fire it at my sword as though you were trying to block me."
"A...barrier?" Shikiki was confused, and Juushirou nodded.
"Please." He agreed. "Against this blade...fire a barrier."
"I don't understand."
"You will when you do it. Please, Shiki-chan. If we're going to get out of here, I need you to do this."
"All right." Shikiki was surprised, but she nodded, spreading her hands until a glimmer of pink light shone out between them. Her brow creased in concentration, and she pushed her small, fat fingers forwards, thrusting the divide towards her companion.
As she did so, Juushirou lowered his weapon deliberately to meet it, positioning his second blade so as its flat surface was directly opposite what he thought was the weakest section of the wall.
As the two made contact, Juushirou found it impossible not to draw breath suddenly, for the clash of Shikiki's barrier reiryoku against his own raw power caused fresh spasms of pain to ripple through his injured lungs. Still, he gritted his teeth, forcing himself to bear it as he felt the wave of power run through his first blade, morphing and changing along the cord and then, at the last minute, he thrust the second blade forward. A beam of strong, pinkish light burst forth from the tip, illuminating the whole chamber in its glow, and there was a huge crash as it made contact with the wall, driving through the stone with force and determination. A cloud of dust rose up around them, and Shikiki shrieked, darting behind Juushirou as a second barrier suddenly flared up between them and the growing pile of rubble.
Juushirou coughed, casting her a grateful look as he sealed his weapon once more.
Kyouki-sama was right. There is the power in this blade to kill someone, even if I don't mean it to happen.
As the dust cleared, he squinted towards the wall, gauging the opening he had made. It was not huge, but substantial enough for them to creep through, and he thanked his lucky stars that he did not have Enishi's broad frame to squeeze through such a tight space. Clean air drifted in from beyond, and Juushirou took a tentative step forward, unsure as to where the pathway would come out.
But we must follow it. I don't know why, but I'm certain that we must. This is where we go from here, Shiki-chan. To find Hirata and to make sure nobody gets hurt.
Out loud he said,
"Stay close to me, all right? If we're doing this, we're doing it together."
So Raiko's son was missing.
As he left the Council Chamber, Guren pursed his lips, his expression troubled as he reflected on this fact.
How Genryuusai-sama knew anything of it is beyond me. The Kuchiki-ke's influence is far reaching, and my Father worked exceptionally hard to keep it quiet. Yet he too has connections and I suppose words pass from person to person even despite the best attempts of a Great Lord. Even so, though, it should be left well alone. Raiko is long dead. There's no sense in unsettling the distant past.
"Guren-sama?"
As he made his way down the corridors towards the chamber given over to the current Head of the Council for his personal use, a voice stopped him and he turned, a quizzical look glittering in his grey eyes as he met the identical slate gaze of his second in command officer. Robed in the black and white of a squad shinigami, the flower of the Kuchiki adorning his arm, Shirogane looked the part of a proper adjutant, smart and standing to attention, his sword sheathed quietly at his side. Yet it was the consternation he saw in the young man's gaze that made Guren look again, letting out a heavy sigh.
"Yes, Shirogane? What is it?"
"I apologise for disturbing you. I simply wondered if you had orders for me to take back to Sixth." Shirogane bowed his head politely, but Guren did not miss the implication in the other's words.
"Orders?" He murmured, and Shirogane raised his gaze.
"I assume that you are taking a journey, Guren-sama." He said gravely. "It is not my place to observe it, but I know that a meeting of this nature is usually...followed by an investigation and, ultimately, arrests."
"You're a quick-witted boy, and you are not wrong." Guren admitted. "But I cannot divulge such things to you, not yet. All you need know is that I will be away a few days. You are in control of the squad in my absence - my brother will guide my son in any decisions relating to the Clan and you should consult them on any drastic decisions impacting on the Kuchiki-ke's well-being. Otherwise I entrust our shinigami duty to you, Shirogane - it will be your first test of true leadership since your graduation."
"I will not fail you, sir." Shirogane said simply. "You need not worry. All will be well when you return."
"I trust so." Guren managed a faint smile. "You are dismissed."
"Yes, sir." Shirogane bowed his head, turning to leave, but Guren faltered, holding up his hand.
"Wait. One moment." He called, and Shirogane gazed back at him, a question in his gaze.
"You trained Ukitake Juushirou." He said softly. "Without asking me any questions, I wish to know your honest opinion. What kind of a boy is it that you taught to raise his sword?"
Surprise flooded Shirogane's handsome features, and he sighed, spreading his hands.
"What kind of a boy indeed." he murmured. "A boy with no appreciation for status or wealth, Guren-sama. A boy who has his beliefs and stands by them as though the world will crumble if he lets them go. A boy who does not believe in 'impossible' and will not stop at 'no'."
"I see." Guren's eyes narrowed. "And in him, do you see...the blood of the Kuchiki?"
Shirogane pursed his lips, then, slowly, he nodded his head.
"I have heard he has distant blood that links him to our Clan. So Ryuu has said, and others too." He agreed. "He has not the appearance of it - I don't see him as a Kuchiki when he looks at me with those defiant, peasant's eyes. But in his spirit, in his fighting..."
He paused, then,
"He has pride, Guren-sama." He acknowledged at length. "A pride that, despite his low birth, is not unlike the pride by which our Clan live and die."
Guren considered this for a moment. Then he smiled.
"Thank you." He said simply. "That is all. You are dismissed."
"Yes, sir." Curiosity blazed in Shirogane's clever gaze, but he did not ask any questions, merely bowing his head and withdrawing to carry out his orders. For a moment Guren remained where he was, running his nephew's words over in his head as he did so.
A pride that reminded him of our Clan. A boy who doesn't believe anything is impossible. Raiko, your son indeed.
A faint, bittersweet smile touched his lips as for a brief instant the image of a ten year old girl flashed before his gaze, her clothes dishevilled and her fists raised, her cheeks smudged with dirt and her thick dark hair loose and tousled over her shoulders as defiance glittered in her grey eyes.
Well, we will do our best, Raiko-neesama. We will go and we will try - to find your son and patch up the pieces of a collapsing Clan. You would be proud too, I think, to see him in the way he is now. When I saw him stand before the Council, I knew that he was yours. When I heard his name, I knew. Now his life is in the balance - we'll do what we can to bring him back."
"Guren-sama?" Retsu's voice made him turn, sending her a quizzical look as she bowed her head.
"You seem most lost in thought." She murmured. "I am sorry - I just wondered if you were ready to depart? Genryuusai-sama and Nagesu-sama have returned to District Eight with Kyouki-sama and Midori-sama to investigate and stabilise this Senkaimon that Kyouki-sama is so sure is at the heart of all of this. We should move also - Tokutarou-sama is already waiting for us, and Genryuusai-sama will meet up with us when we reach the other side."
"Yes, you're right." Guren nodded. "I was just giving my Vice Captain instructions for my absence. I'm coming now, Retsu-sama."
He fell into step with the healer, and they walked for a while in silence towards the main entrance of the Council building, following the path that led to the crossroad of gateways that divided the openings to each District.
As they stepped into the open air, however, Retsu paused, eying him keenly.
"Ukitake Juushirou is a very special young boy." She said quietly. "You see it too, I think, Guren-sama?"
Guren did not answer, and Retsu smiled.
"For a Kuchiki to notice the potential of such an unusual District boy is something exceptional." She murmured. "He must indeed have made a great impression on you."
Guren's gaze flitted to his companion, and as he met her eyes, he understood the things that she had not said aloud. He sighed, shrugging his shoulders.
"We must do our duty as Council members." He said evenly. "And bring back all three boys however we can."
"I agree." Retsu said comfortably. "They are all known to me, and I am worried for them all. But also...I find it heartening that they can take such serious decisions and forge such strong bonds with one another. The Seireitei of the future is sure to be in safe hands, given that fact...don't you think so?"
"Perhaps." Guren acknowledged. "Though it will take a lot longer to forge stronger bonds between the Clans."
"I suppose we will see." Retsu looked thoughtful, then, "I will not ask you about Raiko-sama, though I have heard Genryuusai-sama speak of her and I know her to be Ukitake-kun's mother. It is no business of mine to pay any mind to an illegitimate daughter of a Kuchiki Clansman or the manner in which her secret and her origin were carefully concealed."
Guren stopped dead, staring at Retsu in alarm, and Retsu smiled.
"My mother was present when your uncle's mistress was delivered of her child." She said softly. "She was there when the baby took her first breath, and was blessed into the world. It is not uncommon for the Unohana to be involved in such things - or for us to conceal the secret births of noble families who have not sealed themselves in the bond of marriage before bringing life. We do not judge, Guren-sama. All life is precious to us - all children as equal and whole as each other. However, I had not realised that you were so conscious of this child's existence. That Raiko-sama was in fact someone known to you."
"It is something my Clan doesn't speak of." Guren said quietly. "Her mother died quickly after the birth, and my Uncle tried to acknowledge her, but she was badly treated by the other Clansfolk and my Father's will over the matter prevailed. He forced my Uncle to send the girl away, and so she was hidden and hushed up, given over to a manservant who was paid well to raise her and take her from our sight. Until I was six years old, Retsu-sama, Raiko was my cousin and I saw her every day. And then...in a flash...she was gone."
"I see." Retsu became thoughtful. "And now her son is in danger..."
"I do not know this son." Guren shook his head. "He is without the degrees of Clan, as is his mother. When I became Head of the Kuchiki, I did not try to intervene. She was married to someone she grew up with in the common society and I learnt he was someone she had become close to. Her guardian thought it better she married than was trained, in case her true roots ever surfaced, for Uncle had forced Father to let her keep the Kuchiki name in return for her being so exiled from our Clan heartland. I hoped she was happy, and so I left it alone. She birthed her son, and then she died. We did not speak again, after Raiko was sent away. Whether she remembered or not, I do not know. But I remember. I don't suppose that will ever change."
Retsu smiled.
"I am sure she would not forget such warmth of emotion." She said sincerely. "And that being the case, let us go and find her son. Even if you cannot tell him - even if he never knows who his mother was or where she first came from. Even if your Clan responsibilities forbid you from doing that, Guren-sama - at least let us go save the boy's life. She would ask it of you - to protect the son who she could not protect herself."
"Indeed." Guren nodded his head. "Well, then. If the Endou-ke falls, then it does. Whatever occurs - it is time to save those children and bring justice to District Seven."
It had been less difficult than Juushirou had expected to follow the winding tunnels up towards the light.
As he stepped out into the cold wintery air, he stifled a shiver, turning to help Shikiki manage the last few steps up into the snowy clearing.
With nothing to guide him but his own desperate instincts, he had expected to take wrong turnings and find dead ends, but each crossroads he had come to had seemed to be charmed, guiding him in the right direction and taking them closer and closer to the surface world. The tunnels were old and had probably not been used in more than a year, for the floor had been thick with dust and there had been no sign of footsteps. But even despite this neglect, Juushirou had somehow seemed to know where he was going.
"We made it." He murmured, a faint feeling of unease settling in his stomach as he gazed across towards the abandoned village where he and Keitarou had first arrived in District Seven. At night, it had been less easy to see, but now, even covered by a light blanket of white, he could see the desolation and emptiness of this forbidden world. The people who had lived here had lived in fear, dependent on a despotic Clan for their only protection as they sold their knowledge and worked to the bone to ensure they kept their lives.
Keitarou had been right, in the end. This District was an empty shell of a place, but even so, faint flickers of trace reiatsu lingered on the wind, making it seem as though the souls of those oppressed Urahara had not fully left the place where they had lived in virtual slavery.
Juushirou did not like how that felt. His mind flitted to his own family, safe along the coast of District Six, and inwardly he gave thanks that he and they had been born under the auspices of the Kuchiki, not the Endou.
"Juu-nii?" Shikiki's voice brought him back to the present, and he turned, casting her an apologetic glance.
"I'm sorry. I was spacing out." He acknowledged. "I just...I realised something, standing here. This is like your village, isn't it? Poor and empty...and with people ready to destroy it and drive you out at a moment's notice. Even though Keitarou-san said this was where his people lived - your village was the same, wasn't it?"
"My village was set on fire." Shikiki said softly. "And everything was burned to ash."
"Ash, huh." Juushirou's brows knitted together, and Shikiki nodded.
"I didn't like it." She whispered. "Dai-nii was taken and I was left all alone. If Kei-nii hadn't come back to find me...if he hadn't..."
"But he did." Juushirou slipped his hand gently through hers, offering her a faint smile. "And even if I'm not sure what to make of him, it seems that where you're concerned, he's done nothing I can fault him for. I think probably he was worried about you, Shiki-chan. And so he went to find you."
"Yes." Shikiki agreed. "And he'll be worried again. Those tunnels..."
She turned, glancing at the hidden opening in the hillside that they had just stepped out of, then, "How did you know they were there, Juu-nii? I never saw them before, but you seemed to know..."
"Lucky guessing, that's all." Juushirou shrugged his shoulders. "I just felt...that we were going the right way. I can't explain it any other way - it's like some part of me knew something I didn't."
He grinned ruefully.
"That doesn't make sense." He acknowledged. "But we shouldn't waste time wondering on it. We found our way out, and that's what's important. Now we're free, we can try our best to find Hirata and then, hopefully, get away from this place for good."
"Away...from it?" Shikiki was startled. "But...Juu-nii, you told Kei-nii that you would come back. If you left, you said...you would come back."
"I did." Juushirou admitted. "But I was lying, Shiki-chan. Just like he lied to me about Hirata...I was lying to him, too. I can't go back. I can't stay here. So long as I do...people will put themselves in danger to find me. And if that's the case, it would bring Keitarou-san into danger too."
"Are you...trying to help Kei-nii?" Shikiki stared at him. "Are you trying to protect him?"
"I don't know, yet, whose side he's on. If it's mine, or Seimaru's, or his own." Juushirou ran his fingers through his uneven white hair. "But what I do know is that he hasn't hurt me in the time I've been held here. He's not someone I trust, Shiki-chan, but he's also not someone I want to hurt, either. It's hard to explain...but...that's how I feel."
His gaze flitted back to the hidden path.
"He has secrets." He added. "And some of the truths he tells are unpleasant to the ears. But I've no doubt that he protected us from Seimaru. And...and he probably did the same for Hirata's sister and mother, helping them to escape this land so that they weren't wrapped up in whatever was to happen next. I...I'm starting to think you're right. He talks about killing people for Seimaru's benefit, but..."
He sighed, burying his head in his hands as a dull ache began to spread across his skull.
"I'm confused by him." He admitted. "In District Eight, I was angry because he'd manipulated a young girl to hurt her brother. But now...now I don't know...if he meant that at all. If he just made it seem that way...so that I would come to him and so that he could take me to District Seven without having to use force or hurt me. And because of that, it makes...everything that happened to Eiraki-hime my fault. All the fear and apprehension Hirata suffered is also my fault. If it was really me Keitarou-san was trying to find all the time...I'm to blame in this too."
"Do you think the shinigami will come?" Shikiki asked apprehensively, and Juushirou nodded.
"Seimaru said the Counci had been summoned without him." He agreed. "The last time that happened was when Kamuki-sama of the Shihouin was arrested. I think they will come - some of them, anyway. And if Seimaru has reidoku..."
He paused, tensing suddenly as he heard the sound of hoofbeats and he muttered a curse, grabbing Shikiki and pulling her with him into the sparse cover of the nearest abandoned shack. It smelt inside of musty neglect and damp, the floor patched with snow where the ceiling had given way, yet the walls still held firm against the elements, and Juushirou peered cautiously out into the snowy world beyond, trying to work out where the sound had come from.
If we're found, what Keitarou-san said will come true. Shikiki and I both have spirit power, so even if they didn't know who we were, they'd still take us as prisoners or kill us on the spot. I might be able to fight my way out of it, but it depends on how many of them there are. Suppressing my reiatsu is taking a lot more energy than usual, and Shikiki...
He glanced at the youngster, who stared up at him in fright.
She's just a child. What are you doing, Juushirou, bringing her out into this world that she fears so much on a selfish whim of your own? You should have made her stay behind, no matter how much she begged you! You should have...
"Juushirou!"
A voice pierced the winter air, and in an instant all of Juushirou's reservations and self-admonishment flew away as he recognised the familiar turn of the speaker's voice.
"Shunsui?" He whispered, half-sure he had imagined it, but the next moment the fabric divide that had once served as the shack's door was ripped back, and Juushirou found himself standing face to face with his Academy classmate, robed in the garb of a rough District peasant, yet unmistakeably the son of the Kyouraku Clan.
"I knew it." As Juushirou found himself struggling to form words, Shunsui grabbed him by the shoulders, giving him a rough shake. "I knew it was your reiatsu. Faint and stifled, but yours all the same. You idiot...what are you doing, playing hide and seek in the snow and making so many people worry about you?"
"I...I..." Juushirou stuttered, unable to find a coherent response, and Shunsui sighed.
"You look half-frozen and blue with cold." He said frankly. "You're an idiot, but at least you're still an alive idiot, and that in itself will do for now."
He grabbed Juushirou by the arm, yanking him out into the snow beyond, and as he did so, Juushirou heard another exclamation of disbelief.
"Ukitake-kun!"
"H...Hirata?" Juushirou found his voice at last, gazing at the young Endou heir in consternation. "Then...you did...you have...come here...after all?"
"Of course, you moron." It was Shunsui who spoke again, shaking his head impatiently. "What do you expect? You disappeared in the middle of the night. Of course we were going to come to find you. What else did you think?"
"But...it's dangerous." Juushirou's eyes widened, and he darted forward, grabbing Hirata by the folds of his peasant cloak and gazing at him urgently. "Hirata, it's dangerous. You mustn't be here. You can't be. If you are..."
"Take your hands from Hirata-sama, peasant boy." A sword suddenly glittered between them, forcing Juushirou to loose his hold, and he took a step back, staring up uncertainly at the man on horseback who glowered down at him.
"It's all right, Raiden-dono." Hirata raised a hand, shaking his head. "This boy is my classmate and my friend. He's the one I thought Seimaru had prisoner - but it seems not."
"But...I don't..what....?" Juushirou swallowed hard, trying to piece together what was happening, and Shunsui grinned.
"These are Clansmen. Endou-ke who've seen the sense in defecting when the Council are about to trample down Seimaru's door." He said pragmatically, as Raiden reluctantly resheathed his sword. "They were bringing us to the manor, but since you're here, we don't need to go further. We've found it, haven't we? The thing we were looking for."
He reached over to pat Juushirou's cheek, then,
"And in one piece, if a little rough around the edges. You need to get your hair cut by a professional, Juu-kun - that look really doesn't do much for you."
"Hirata-sama, what would you have us do?" Jinkei asked softly. "Time is pressing - if the Council really does come..."
"Mm." Hirata's brows creased and he nodded, turning to face the noble with a look of decision on his young features. "Then ride to Hokujou, as you first intended. Ride there and if you can, find my Father's holding place. Don't stop or turn back, no matter what...that is what I want you to do. To go to Hokujou and seek my Father."
"Yes, sir." Raiden inclined his head slightly, reining in his horse as he turned it about. "You heard him, Jinkei-dono. We have an important errand to complete - we must ride like the wind to reach Hokujou before this place plunges into chaos."
"Agreed." Jinkei also bowed his head towards Hirata. "We will ride as you command us, Hirata-sama. The Gods preserve you and keep you safe."
With that he pressed his feet against the beast's flanks, urging him into a canter and as Raiden followed suit, Juushirou stared after them in non-plussed silence.
"Not everyone in District Seven supports Seimaru." Hirata said softly. "Oh, but Ukitake-kun...I was so worried you were hurt. That Seimaru had taken you...and done horrible things to you."
"Seimaru hasn't touched me." Juushirou gathered his wits hurriedly, shaking his head. "But you shouldn't...coming so far was foolhardy at best! Even if you were worried about me, why do such a stupid thing? Hirata, you especially - don't you realise this is what Seimaru wants? He seeks to kill you!"
"I know." Hirata agreed. "But the options have gotten a little limited, now."
He sighed, looking suddenly weary, and guilt flickered across Juushirou's heart.
"I'm sorry." He murmured. "To have frightened you both so badly."
"We worked out that if you left, you did it for a reason." Shunsui shook his head. "It was Eiraki-hime you were protecting, wasn't it? That was the reason you left. Because something had happened to her, and it was the only way to stop it."
Juushirou nodded.
"If I hadn't, she would've died." He said sadly. "But even so, I didn't mean to cause all of this..."
"You didn't. You're just the catalyst." Hirata shook his head.
"Juu-nii?" At that moment Shikiki poked her head out from the shack, fear in her eyes as she gazed at the two unfamiliar faces. "Juu-nii, what's happening? Who are these people?"
"Shiki-chan!" Juushirou bit his lip, and Shunsui cast him a confused glance.
"Juu, did you adopt some random stray children on your journey here?" He asked quizzically, and Juushirou shook his head.
"No." He responded, holding his hand out to beckon Shikiki too him. "Shikiki was kept in the same place I was. She wanted to come with me to help me, so I said she could."
He offered her a smile.
"It's all right, Shiki-chan. These are my friends. They're not people who'll hurt you. This is Hirata, who we were looking for, and my other friend, Shunsui."
"Hirata-sama?" Shikiki gazed at Hirata for a moment, then her eyes widened and she took a step back. "You...you look like...Seimaru-sama."
"Yes. He's my cousin." Hirata nodded. "But that's where the similarities end. I'm not his ally, Shikiki. On the contrary, I came here to stop him."
"So did Kei-nii." Relief flickered in the young girl's eyes. "Kei-nii said he was going to help Hirata-sama and stop Seimaru-sama...so that means you're on our side too."
"Kei-nii?" Shunsui shot Juushirou a sharp look, and Juushirou nodded.
"Urahara Keitarou." He said gravely, and Shunsui's eyes widened in alarm.
"Juu! You've met that man? Do you understand what he is? What he's capable of? How many people are looking for him?"
"Yes." Juushirou nodded. "I know, Shunsui. He told me himself. Everything...probably more than you even know. I know who he is. What he is. Why people want to find him."
"Then you need to tell us where he is." Hirata said softly. "Because he's probably the one who killed my grandfather, and..."
"He told me that, too." Juushirou agreed. "Because Shouichi-sama killed his kinsman."
"Because Seimaru told him to." Shunsui shook his head, and irritation crossed Juushirou's gaze.
"Stop looking at it so black and white." he said flatly. "You don't know his reasons and you've never even met him. You have no idea whether he's acting on Seimaru's orders or not."
"Juu..." Shunsui stared at his friend, and Juushirou opened his lips to continue, but at that moment a spasm wracked through his chest and he coughed, stumbling as he put a hand to his mouth, blood spilling onto the snow below.
"Ukitake-kun!" Hirata exclaimed, even as Shunsui reached out to steady the other boy's trembling body.
"You're probably starting a fever, which is why you're talking nonsense." He said bluntly. "And no wonder - it's freezing cold here and you're barely wearing anything to combat the weather. I wish I'd brought my Clan cloak with me - but for the time being, you'll have to make do with this."
He pulled the misshapen grey-brown cloak from his shoulders, winding it forcibly around Juushirou's shoulders. "Now stop getting wound up and arguing and concentrate on not coughing, all right? You're frightening the chibi, and debates on Urahara Keitarou can wait till later. Much later. Right now the priority is getting you out of the firing line."
"No." Juushirou pushed Shunsui's hand back, shaking his head. "I...have to find Seimaru. I need to...stop Seimaru. I have to...else..."
"You're not going anywhere near Seimaru." Shunsui said firmly. "No matter how much you cry, kick or scream. He's not the kind of opponent you should be looking for. Stand down and realise it, all right? You can't always save the world - and it's much harder to do anything if you're dead."
"But he has...reidoku." Desperation rippled through Juushirou's body. "He has...he could...he has to be stopped. Keitarou-san gave it to him so he wouldn't k...kill Shikiki or I, but...he has it and he could hurt someone. And..."
"He might hurt Kei-nii! Kei-nii went to stop him!" Fear flooded Shikiki's gaze, and Juushirou bit his lip.
"We have to stop him." He whispered. "Whether the Council are coming or not, I don't know. Seimaru thought they were, and he was resolved to find Hirata and kill him before taking on the Council in some way. Keitarou-san tried to talk him out of that - but he wasn't having any of it. Shikiki's right - he might kill anyone in the mood he was in when we saw him earlier."
"You really believe this Keitarou is an ally, don't you?" Shunsui realised and Juushirou faltered, realising how like that his words had sounded. He sighed, shrugging his shoulders.
"I don't know." He admitted. "I don't believe everything he says, and I don't know whether his motives are good or bad. But...he did stop Seimaru from hurting Shikiki and I. And...and he's done that since I came here. Protected us from Seimaru. He...he may not be our ally. But I don't think...he's really Seimaru's, either. Not deep down. Not with the things he's said about the Endou-ke and what they did...to..h...his f...family."
A fresh spasm of coughing hit him at that moment, and Hirata sighed, slowly shaking his head.
"Then there's only one line of action we can take." He said softly. "Shunsui-kun, Ukitake-kun's in no state to do anything. He needs to be got to safety - and so does the child. This isn't your fight and if you get killed, Tokutarou-sama will probably declare outright war on District Seven. So you...you should take him and try...to find shelter. Until the Council come...and put things right. If Ukitake-kun thinks they are coming, it means that Kai-kun took the letter and showed it to them. And that means...they will act."
"The letter?" Juushirou murmured, and Hirata nodded.
"I know I can stand being around reidoku, because I've carried it before."He continued slowly. "So I don't think being in proximity to Seimaru and his will do me any harm. And perhaps he would attack me - I don't know. But...but I'm also the only one who can probably...stall him. Because of that letter...I think...I can."
"That's a hell of a risk." Shunsui looked disapproving, and Hirata grimaced.
"I know. But so long as he thinks he can get the wherabouts of it out of me, he won't kill me straight away." He said evenly, his voice trembling very slightly as he spoke. "So it might be enough...time to distract him until the Council come. I'm sure they will come...they must come. And so...that's...the only thing we can do. If Raiden-dono and Jinkei-dono ride to Hokujou and find my Father alive, then there is still an Endou with a claim to the manor. If I am killed...then..."
"You being killed isn't an option, I told you that." Shunsui shook his head.
"Maybe not. It's not my ideal ending, either." Hirata said darkly. "But if we all stay here and Seimaru finds us, we'll all be in danger and the situation will be far worse. Please, Shunsui-kun. You can use shunpo. You can get Ukitake-kun and the child away from here and find shelter. I promise not to do anything more than I have to, and to do my best to simply stall him till the Council arrive. But in the worst case...in the worst case...one casualty is better than four. This is my homeland. If I die here...it won't cause a war with a neighbouring Clan. If you do..."
He trailed off, and Juushirou felt a cold sense of unease rising in his stomach.
"Hirata..." He whispered, but Shunsui sighed, closing his eyes briefly.
"The kid is right, just as he so often is." He said reluctantly. "I don't like it either, Juu, but Hirata is right. We're out of other options and you're not in any state to be near Seimaru. Even if he appeared now, with the reidoku in his possession and with a fire curse that burns you from the inside...with your dodgy chest you're the most vulnerable one of all of us. And we didn't come here to let you get killed."
"I didn't...come...to...let Hirata...either." Juushirou protested weakly, and Shunsui patted him gently on the shoulder.
"Hirata came to stop Seimaru." He said simply. "He came to find you too, and so did I. But Hirata knew...we both knew...that was the real reason why he came. You don't like it. I don't like it. But this is something Hirata has to do. Making it harder on him is just unfair. Understand, Juu...this is Hirata's family. He wants to do something to help them, if he can."
Juushirou swallowed hard, but did not reply, and Shunsui reached over to take the young girl gently by the hand.
"We're going for a little trip." He said softly. "Hold on tight to me, and try not to scream. I don't know how well I'll manage it with three people, but I'm going to give it a go. I'll need you to help me look after Juushirou - will you come with me and help me do that?"
"Kei-nii told me to do the same." Shikiki nodded her head. "I want to help Juu-nii."
"Then it's settled." Shunsui cast Juushirou a resigned smile, though it did not fully reach his dark eyes. "Let's go."
Author's Note: Raiko
So I decided to reveal Raiko's past after all.
For some reason I have this image of a six year old Guren trailing around in Raiko's shadow, and Raiko fighting all comers who dared to give her hassle about her roots. It stands to reason that the Unohana would be aware of things like that. Obviously the man who raised her and who she called 'Father' was the guardian picked out by her real father, and although doubtless Raiko understood who and what she was, she probably did not ever speak of it to Hidenobu or the Ukitake family she married into.
I envisage that she probably met Hidenobu not long after she was sent to live with the manservant - and from that point they became friends and allies. The kidou spells Raiko taught Hidenobu would have been things she learnt while living with the Kuchiki-ke, although Hidenobu's spirit power was not of a level to properly learn shinigami skills.
Probably Genryuusai went looking for her to train her - perhaps he was even told about her by Raiko's birth father, but those plans were thwarted by her marriage to Hidenobu.
Also, I wanted to give Shirogane another brief cameo, since a few people have asked if we'll see him again xD.