Chapter 2: The Nowhere Place
Ichigo looked on anxiously as Kisuke opened a senkaimon and guided the two levitating stretchers, carrying Byakuya and Tetsuya's resting forms, through the opening. Kisuke and Tessai walked ahead, while Ichigo and an equally spooked looking Orihime followed.
"This isn't creepy at all," Ichigo muttered, "Hey Kisuke, didn't you tell me once that the precipice world is monitored by that freak, Kurotsuchi Mayuri?"
"I did say that," Kiuske affirmed, "But in case it slipped by you, we're not in the corridors generally used by the Gotei 13. This corridor is one that I opened up and concealed years ago. I use it at times when I need to get around quietly and quickly, or when I'm working with exceptionally dangerous things, or just things I don't want Central 46 to get wind of. There are a lot of little dimensions in this corridor. I intend to use one of them to conceal Byakuya and Tetsuya. We'll get them fully healed, then get to the bottom of what's going on here. While we're in here, we're safe from anyone coming in."
"That's good," Ichigo mused, "cause I don't think Byakuya or his cousin are in any shape to fight back. They've been unconscious for a long time, considering Orihime spent so much time stabilizing Byakuya, and Tetsuya's injuries were less serious than Byakuya's."
"Well," Kisuke chuckled, "let's not forget that when Byakuya arrived, he was clinically deceased before Orhime worked her magic, Even reviving him was hard, and waking him up is going to take time. Tetsuya's better off, but we couldn't apply Orihime's stronger healing powers to his healing, since she was occupied with keeping Byakuya alive."
"Right."
"When we get where we're going, I will put Byakuya in stasis."
"What?" Ichigo gasped softly, "Kisuke, isn't that pretty desperate? I mean, it's risky just putting him in that state, and then, it could be harder to wake him up, couldn't it?"
"Yeah," the shopkeeper sighed wearily, pausing to study two corridors that extended from the main one, then choosing the right path, "it's just that even with Orihime's power, Byakuya's spirit particles have been badly shocked, and they need time to settle so that further healing attempts don't actually cause a breakdown that could just destroy his body entirely."
"Destroy his body entirely?" Ichigo repeated, his eyes widening, "I didn't know that could happen."
"Well, as much as Orihime can reject damage, the damaged spirit particles have to be manipulated carefully so that they don't just destabilize. You and Byakuya have actually been in a similar situation when Tenjiro healed you in his hot spring in the royal realm."
"Right," Ichigo said, nodding as the memory returned to him, "Tenjiro said that the ones being healed in the pool could destabilize if they weren't resilient enough. Even his attendants in the room had to wear protective clothing to prevent the collapse of their reitasu. Tenjiro, Byakuya, Rukia, Renji and I were strong enough to resist the pressure, but less powerful shinigamis couldn't tolerate being healed there."
"Yeah, sometimes the cure is as brutal as the injury," Kisuke mused, slowing as he turned a corner and came to a dead end.
"Huh, did we turn a wrong corner?" Ichigo asked.
He made a sound of surprise as Kisuke extended a hand, and a doorway appeared in front of them. The shopkeeper smiled.
"Even though it's unlikely Central 46's goons will ever find this place, you can't be too careful, right?"
"Eh, I guess you're right," Ichigo answered, following as Kisuke led them through.
They emerged into a quiet grove of oak trees that surrounded a surprisingly modern looking building.
"What the heck?" Ichigo mused.
"It's my home away from home," Kisuke chuckled, "You know, cause sometimes we just all need to get away and nerd out, right?"
"I guess," Ichigo laughed, shaking his head, "But don't you pretty much do scientific stuff all of the time?"
"Sort of," the elder man explained, "but what I do back in Karakura Town is the stuff I have to do to see to my responsibilities there. You know, healing impossible wounds, putting people back together, thinking of ways to stop an unstoppable enemy. Here, I can indulge in some creative things, even things that might raise some eyebrows, back in Soul Society."
"So, crazy experiments," Ichigo said, frowning slightly, "You don't get as freaky as Kurotsuchi, right?"
"Not usually," Kisuke said, smirking, "I only resort to that out of necessity…because, as you already know, there are battles sometimes that you just can't afford to lose, even if that means stepping outside the lines."
"Right," Ichigo agreed hesitantly, "I guess you have a point there."
Kisuke led them to the front door of the building, then he unlocked the door and led them into a large, tastefully decorated entry. Tessai gave the shopkeeper a nod, then he guided the two levitating stretchers down a long hallway that ran, off to the left of the entry, with Orihime following behind. Kisuke guided Ichigo past the entry and into a huge great room that included a large kitchen, a dining area and several sitting areas.
"You know," Ichigo chuckled, "if I were you? I wouldn't ever leave here. This place is amazing! Did you build this?"
"Nah," the shopkeeper admitted, looking amused, "I just kinda confused the senses of some workmen I hired, and they built it for me. They never knew that they left the living world."
"Pretty crafty," Ichigo said, shaking his head in appreciation.
He sighed softly, looking in the direction that Tessai had gone.
"I just wish we were here to actually relax and enjoy the place. Kisuke, even when Byakuya and Tetsuya are healed, what're we going to do exactly? How do we know when it's okay to go back?"
"Oh," Kisuke said, giving him a sly smile, "I have my ways."
"Huh," Ichigo huffed, giving him a knowing look, "You have a way of being in touch with Yoruichi, even from here."
"Man, nothing gets past you, does it?" Kisuke chuckled.
The two men paused as Tessai returned to the room.
"Everything okay?" Kisuke asked.
"As well as it can be," Tessai reported, "Kuchiki taicho seems to have fully stabilized, so I don't think we'll have to resort to putting him in stasis."
"Well, that's good," Kisuke replied, "I'm not sure he would've handled being put into that state so well. If he's stable enough, let's give his body a chance to respond to the treatment without stasis."
"Orihime has been able to work on waking Kuchiki Tetsuya," Tessai added, "He is still groggy, but he is responding."
"Good," Kisuke said, nodding, "I'll go and check up on him. Why don't you get started on dinner? I'm pretty sure Ichigo's hungry and once Tetsuya-san wakes up, he's going to need to recharge."
"I'm on it, Boss," Tessai said, heading for the kitchen.
"I think I'll go and sit with Byakuya until the food's ready," Ichigo said, following Kisuke out of the great room and into the hallway.
Kisuke stopped by a door, halfway down the hall and pointed to the door at the end.
"Byakuya's in there."
"Thanks."
Ichigo walked to the end of the hall, pausing outside the door for a moment before he took hold of the handle and turned it, then swung the door open. Byakuya laid in the bed in front of him, his face still horribly pale, but his expression much more relaxed than the tormented one he had been wearing upon his arrival at Urahara's shop. Ichigo moved forward and sat down at his side, watching quietly as Byakuya's chest rose and fell at a slow, steady rate.
"You're looking better," Ichigo sighed, "although, it's only better than you were looking before, which was pretty awful, to be honest. What the heck happened to you? Tetsuya told us that the guy who did this said he was your son. Did he mean that you and Hisana had a son that we didn't know about? Or…"
He colored at the more invasive question he had almost spoken aloud.
Could Byakuya have a child with someone else? I mean, he's mourned his wife for over fifty years, and, according to Rukia, he hasn't had another relationship since. And this son is grown, so it would have to have happened a long time ago. Was there someone before Hisana?
Ichigo's thoughts were suddenly interrupted as the door to the bedroom opened and, to his surprise, Rukia and Renji stepped in to join him.
"Rukia! Renji! How did you guys get here? Did Yoruichi bring you in?"
"Yeah," Renji answered, his face falling as he took in the sight of Byakuya's deathly pale face, " Damn…Kisuke said it was bad, but I had no idea."
"Renji and I were with our divisions when we heard," Rukia added, her sad eyes focusing on her brother's troubled sleeping face, "We were worried that a shakeup in the Kuchiki family could affect us, even though I married out of the family when I married Renji, and we weren't living at Kuchiki Manor."
"Yoruichi found us," Renji explained, "and she warned us that if Kuchiki taicho was directly attacked, the two of us should leave quietly. She said that she's already seen Kyoraku sotaicho, and he authorized leave for us, so that we could come here. We met Uryu on the way, and he came to help out too."
"Heh, I guess we know why he really wanted to tag along, though," Rukia laughed, "He figured out Orihime'd gone off with Kisuke and wanted to come along to make sure she stayed out of trouble."
"What a nice guy," Ichigo chuckled, giving his friends an amused look.
Their smiles faded quickly.
"There is real trouble in the Kuchiki family," Rukia said sadly.
"Yeah," Ichigo agreed, "Did you know that Tetsuya told us that the person who did this to them claimed that he is Byakuya's son?"
"What?" Renji said, giving him a shocked look.
"We just got here, and we hadn't spoken to Kisuke yet," Rukia explained, "What do you mean, Ichigo? What exactly did Tetsuya tell you?"
"Ah, he didn't say much, because he was in such bad shape, and he didn't stay conscious for very long. All he really said was that the guy claimed to be Byakuya's son. He didn't give any other details. He just attacked them."
"And from the looks of things," Renji said darkly, "I'd say, whoever he is, he's powerful enough that he could be telling us the truth."
"But, if he is Nii-sama's son, then Nii-sama obviously knew nothing about him," Rukia surmised.
"I guess what it boils down to is who this guy's mother is," Ichigo reasoned, "Tetsuya didn't give a description, but I think we can assume this was an adult."
"And that means that this could have been a child he fathered, either before or just after my sister's death," Rukia said, tapping her chin with a fingertip.
"Y-you don't think he…" Renji began.
"No!" Rukia snapped emphatically, "I know my brother, and I know exactly how much he loved my sister. There is no way that Nii-sama would ever be unfaithful to her."
"Okay, so this kid was born awhile back," Ichigo said, "but where has he been all of this time? And why did he come forward now? Why did he attack Byakuya and Tetsuya? Has anything been said publicly?"
"Not yet," Rukia said, frowning, "The family will keep quiet until the elders have met and agreed upon a formal statement. Yoruichi's going back to monitor things, so we'll get the news from her as soon as there's anything announced."
"Until then, we wait," Ichigo sighed, looking down at Byakuya's drawn face again.
"There's nothing else we can do," Rukia said sadly.
XXXXXXXXXX
Kisuke stepped into Tetsuya's room and smiled as Orihime looked up at him with a weary, but pleased expression.
"Tetsu-chan's doing much better," she said approvingly, "He's still very groggy and he keeps dozing off…"
"But, that's for the best, since he really needs the rest," Kisuke finished, "Tessai's making a mountain of food. Why don't you go on out and grab a bite? I'm going to have another look at Tetsuya, then I'll come and join you. We've all been burning the candle at both ends lately. We could use a little down time."
Orihime rose and stretched.
"Did Tetsuya say any more about what happened at Kuchiki Manor?" Kisuke asked.
"No," Orihime replied, "but he is really quiet. He knows me because he's been on duty at Kuchiki Manor while we were there, but I don't think he feels comfortable confiding just yet."
"Right, well, go on and get something to eat. I've got this."
"Thanks!" Orihime said, smiling as she headed out the door.
Kisuke turned back to Tetsuya, to find the younger man's hazy blue eyes open and looking up at him.
"Welcome back, Tetsuya-san," the shopkeeper greeted him cheerfully, "Thanks a lot for not dying on us."
"Byakuya-sama?" Tetsuya inquired softly.
"He's fully stabilized," Kisuke said reassuringly, "and I don't know if you've sensed it, but we've left the living world and gone somewhere safer. I thought it was best, especially once your relative, Nori came and gave us a warning."
"Nori-dono came to you?" Tetsuya asked, looking alarmed, "Why would he take such a chance? He is an ally on our council, and a close, personal friend, but with Byakuya-sama's leadership being challenged..."
"It's okay," Kisuke assured him, laying a calming hand on Tetsuya's arm, "He didn't say anything incriminating. He knows that he's got to be careful."
Tetsuya shivered and blushed, looking back at him with a flustered expression.
"Yes, of course he does," he agreed, "I apologize for my reaction."
"Don't worry about it," Kisuke said amiably, "After what you've been through, it's understandable…although, you didn't really give us the whole story before you passed out, and Nori couldn't give specifics. So, what do you say? You mind giving us a little more information? I know you and I have just met…"
"But, Byakuya-sama trusts you," Tetsuya affirmed.
"Well, I don't know if he trusts me very much, but he knows I'll help him out if he needs it," Kisuke chuckled.
Tetsuya let out a shaky breath.
"He needs your help now, Urahara-san."
"Call me Kisuke," the shopkeeper invited him.
"Oh," Tetsuya said, the flush on his cheeks darkening, "but we barely know each other."
"We're not so formal here, in my little precipice dimension. See, since I claimed this world upon finding it, I'm kind of this world's leader. If I tell you to call me Kisuke, then you really should," Kisuke teased him.
"V-very well, Kisuke," Tetsuya answered, his blush deepening further, earning an affectionate look from the charmed shopkeeper, "Byakuya-sama and I do need your help quite badly."
Kisuke nodded.
"What can you tell me about what happened?" Kisuke inquired, "Was this a formal challenge or an attack out of the blue?"
"Well, it was a surprise," Tetsuya explained, "Byakuya-sama and I were called to a special meeting of the council, so we went to the council hall together. The meeting was called to order, and my cousin, Orochi's father, Isas, issued a challenge to Byakuya's leadership on behalf of a previously unidentified main family heir."
"This person who claims to be Byakuya's son?"
"Yes," Tetsuya affirmed, "Of course, Byakuya-sama opposed the challenge and demanded proof that the young man was, in fact, his son."
"And I'm sure, knowing Isas and company as I do, that they had some proof?"
Tetsuya nodded.
"The boy was confirmed to be Byakuya-sama's and Hisana-sama's son!"
"What?"
"We thought it had to have been faked," Tetsuya said, shaking his head, "but the elders employed a method that put all doubt to rest. The man who challenged Byakuya-sama, is his own son!"