Chapter 45:

Hitsugaya led the way to Mayuri's lab where they found Akon working behind a desk, a sullen look on his face.

"About what happened…" Hitsugaya began and was cut off.

"Don't want to talk about it." Akon clearly felt inept, having become a victim as well, despite his precautions. If he hadn't before, he certainly did after Mayuri tore into him about it. Ironically, he didn't seem as angry as he was curious. The lecture was short, followed by a series of questions about what it was like being bitten. Not too many things made him uncomfortable in this line of work, but that conversation was the exception.

"We're here for the cure," said Momo.

"Figured you would be." Akon took something out of a drawer and placed it on the desk. "One injection should do it. Pick an arm."

No one stepped forward.

Akon lifted his head. "What? Figured you'd be more inclined if I were the one to give it to you."

"Where's Mayuri?" asked Hitsugaya.

Akon jerked his thumb over his shoulder. "Over there."

"I had some questions for him before we get started."

Akon, anticipating this, said, "No, he did not add anything extra to the mix. Yes, I will be more gentle than he will be when administering it. No, there are no side-effects. Yes, there are extras on hand just in case, but he only gave me four. The rest are with him being locked away in storage."

"And the materials?"

Akon opened his mouth to answer but Mayuri had already shown up, hearing the chatter.

"Regarding the fang and bone samples, they have all been locked away in a secure vault. I've also prepared extra doses of the cure for each monster we have delt with and pending ones for the creatures we have not encountered but have fossils of, just in case. Is that all?"

Hitsugaya had to be sure. "All loose ends have been tied up?"

"Yes," Mayuri said, tired of the conversation already.

"Why not simply destroy the bones to keep this from happening again?"

Mayuri scratched his forehead in annoyance. "If you eliminate such a thing and a problem arises, you're short resources and options. It's better to have this sort of thing just in case. Let's not get ahead of ourselves or be shortsighted. As long as we have the cure and data for said cure and creatures, I see no issue."

"I do," said Hitsugaya. "You have access to those things in your lap. What's stopping you from creating new monsters to study and plunge us all into chaos again?"

"Where would you get an idea like that?"

"The fact that you allowed Byakuya to roam free, knowing what was going on and refusing to stop it until you had enough data to satisfy yourself, despite the danger."

Mayuri's mouth formed a straight line on his face.

He then sighed and said, "Honestly. I get so little credit. I may have allowed things to take place, but I also helped resolve everything. Personally, I think it balances out if I am able to clean up whatever mess is left behind."

Hitsugaya folded his arms.

"I also collected all the data I need and now I'm bored. Clearly, vampires aren't as interesting as they make themselves out to be. So predictable."

Satisfied, Hitsugaya offered his arm to Mayuri. "Make it quick."

"Little Shiro," Momo hissed and pulled on his shoulder. "If you're the alpha wolf, shouldn't you wait until we do it first just in case you're needed? We don't know what will happen to us if you're cured first. You made two werewolves, after all."

"The pack leader should lead, shouldn't he? And if I did make two of the three werewolves behind me, the reversal of my transformation might cure them the same way it did the vampire minions."

"Doubtful," said Mayuri. "They were vampire minions, not actual vampires. And by that same token, if that were the case, then Ichigo should have been cured the moment Byakuya was, since he turned Ichigo. Since that didn't happen, it would stand to reason that nothing would happen here."

"You're saying I should go last?"

"No," answered Mayuri. "I'm saying that it might disrupt the order you have in the pack, in which case I say go for it. I kind of want to see what will happen if there's no leader."

Hitsugaya glared at him but trusted that not too much would change in the group. If anything did, they would all be cured within moments anyway.

The shot was painful but it didn't cause them to convulse like it did the vampires. It made them dizzy and weak for a few minutes but they recovered quickly enough. Akon kept an eye on them, looking for any abnormalities. There were none and when Hitsugaya howled, nothing happened. They tried to change into wolves and couldn't do it.

The cure was a success and the Seireitei was monster-free.

Hitsugaya could breathe easy for the first time in two weeks.

Kira was reorganizing the shelves in the library when Hisagi found him. Kira could barely meet his eyes. "Oh, hey."

"You should talk to Momo," Hisagi told him, getting right to the point.

Kira's hand paused before shoving a file into place on the shelf.

"She's worried about you," Hisagi added.

"Somehow I doubt that."

Hisagi tried to take the stack of files out of Kira's hand but he wouldn't let go. "I'm serious. You need to talk to her."

"Not right now."

"The longer you wait, the worse it will be."

Kira pulled on the files, trying to wrestle them away from Hisagi. "For her or for me, because I'm fine waiting."

"Then do it for her." Hisagi tugged back.

"I just can't do it right now." He pulled in the opposite direction.

"You need to address this." Hisagi pulled harder towards himself.

"If I wait long enough, the whole thing will blow over and we can forget about it."

"This isn't one of those times."

Kira and Hisagi ended up in a tug-of-war over the files. The two friends rotated in a circle, trying to pull the files out of the other's hands. It had nothing to do with the papers. Kira wanted the distraction and Hisagi wanted to take away the distraction so he'd have no excuse but to talk to Momo.

"Talk to her, Kira."

"I've done enough talking, don't you think?"

"Not for what really matters."

"I said horrible things to her and I don't know why. I probably set back her recovery even more with the whole Aizen thing. Momo's very fragile."

"All the more reason why you should address this and not-"

"I can't right now. I wouldn't know what to say."

"Then practice on me."

"That would be too awkward."

"Why?"

"Because I did things to you, too. Not as bad as what I said and did to her, but still."

"Kira, talk to her."

"I can't! I've done enough damage."

Hisagi pulled the files out of Kira's hands, placed them on the shelves and took Kira by the shoulders. "You'll do more damage by not talking to her about this."

"I don't even know why I did that!" Kira said with an anxious look on his face. "I don't understand what came over me. I can't tell her that because she'll think I'm making excuses, but I don't know what else to say."

"How about 'sorry'? That's a good start."

Kira sighed and looked at Hisagi's chest. "It's a start, but… It's not enough. She'll want to know why and… I just can't."

Hisagi had known Kira for a long time and they were both sensitive men who both cared for Momo like a little sister. Kira beat himself over the last time he crossed blades with her to defend Gin in the past but this was different. Last time, he felt obligated by a sense of duty. This time, he didn't understand what made him move. Both times he regretted his actions, but this time brought on a new kind of guilt. Not knowing why he did what he did was part of the problem.

"You were a different man when you did that this time. She'll take that into consideration."

Kira brushed Hisagi's hands away. "This just feels different. Even last time wasn't excusable. Defending my Captain. I felt terrible. This time I wasn't doing that. I was… I don't know what I was doing or why. I don't know what I was thinking."

"Byakuya was a vampire and he was manipulating you," said Hisagi. "You remember that, right?"

Kira looked at him and then at the floor. "I do. I remember him biting me. I remember seeing him do things only a vampire could do. And the Stealth Force…"

"They rebelled against their own Captain after being bitten, proving it wasn't your fault. That's just what happens when vampires…"

"Level with me," said Kira. "Was Byakuya a real vampire? Like a real vampire? Not something that's like a vampire but isn't?"

"He was a real vampire, for real."

"And he made me do those things?"

"His bite makes you loyal to him and messes with your head. And yes, he can make people do whatever he wants. Vampires are masters at manipulation. There was nothing you could do."

Kira rubbed his arms, still not meeting Hisagi's eyes.

"Momo was a werewolf. And she knew Byakuya was a vampire and saw what he could do. She'll understand." Hisagi put a hand on Kira's shoulder. "She wants to make sure you're still friends. Get through this together."

Kira finally met his eyes then looked away, thinking about what he said. "Alright, I'll talk to her."

"Just to make sure you're ok, ok?"

"Ok."

"Ok." Hisagi patted him on the shoulder and picked up the files Kira had been sorting. "And while you're doing that, I'll see to these."

Kira looked at him and cracked a smile. "No waiting, huh?"

"Move your ass, you idiot."

Shinji peered into the different rooms he passed by with a grin on his face. He saw Momo and Kira chatting in his office and saw her smile. He found Renji taking the makeshift curtains off the windows to let light in so he could see what he was doing. He looked at Shinji then quickly looked away, embarrassed. Renji didn't want to address what took place and Shinji refused to tease him about it.

The blood supply had returned to a normal count and Rangiku and Yumichika were discharged from the sickbay two hours ago. Shinji noticed that Rangiku wasn't getting as much attention as she was before and as far as the men were concerned, they had simply lost interest. Too bad one man's girlfriend didn't take him at his word and clubbed him over the head with her report after witnessing her man ogling Rangiku for the past few days.

When Shinji passed Yumichika on the street, Yumichika gave him a foul look and rolled up his sleeve to show off his arm again. "Tell Hisagi I'm still feather-free. Next time I'll spread a nasty rumor about him and see how he likes it. The Squad hasn't stopped calling me 'pretty bird' all day."

"Pretty sure that's not his fault," commented Shinji as they passed each other.

Hitsugaya and Shinji met outside the sickbay to do one final check on the former vampires.

"Byakuya?"

"Heard Rukia say he went home last night and has been doing well."

"No residual effects for Rangiku, either," said Hitsugaya. "And Yumichika seems to be doing well."

"Yup. Of course, he now has a new nickname, according to what I've been told."

Hitsugaya looked down the hall. "And Ichigo?"

"They kept him overnight and are supposed to release him today. A nurse told me that he has quite an appetite, which she takes as a good sign. Something in his stomach besides blood."

"I suppose that is a good thing. We should still check on him anyway."

As they made their way to the room Ichigo was being kept in, Shinji asked, "You trust Mayuri won't do anything with that stuff? I've heard the rumors about him and he does creep me out, but you've known him longer than I have. What's your opinion?"

"You're good at reading people. You tell me."

"You first."

Hitsugaya sighed. "I trust him enough to keep his word on this."

"A man's word does have to mean something, but… This man?"

"The thing about Mayuri is that he's passionate about his work, but he loses interest after a while. When he loses interest, he hangs up the work and doesn't look at it again unless there's reason to. Once he grows bored of something, he usually won't do anything with it."

"And this is one of those times?"

"Based on his reaction and his words, I believe so. He collected enough data, did what he set out to do and now he's done. If he can't do any more with it and has no interest in trying, he won't apply himself to do it. Sees it as a waste of time."

"Well, when people lack passion, it usually shows."

"Mayuri won't force himself to get interested in something. He just can't do it. Either he has an interest or he doesn't. And I get that."

"Me, too." Shinji glanced over at a gurney and pulled the white sheet off it.

"What are you doing?" Hitsugaya asked when he saw him.

Shinji wrapped the sheet around his body and lifted his arm up to his face, hiding everything below his eyes. Hitsugaya recognized the pose and complained.

"What?" asked Shinji. "I just want to tease him one last time before he goes home."

"Must you?"

"After what we've been through, I'm entitled to a little laugh. It's not like it's hurting him."

Hitsugaya didn't say another word about it. He believed being a werewolf had highlighted Shinji's playful side but Shinji was always a bit childish. Hitsugaya chose to tolerate it because Shinji knew when to be serious.

They entered the room and walked over to Ichigo's bed. He was the only one left in this wing, every other bed being freshly made and ready for the next person. Shinji carefully walked down the aisle so he wouldn't trip on the hem of the sheet and assumed the vampire pose once more.

"Look into my eyes, Ichigo. Your vampire master commands you." He started snickering at his own joke. "Don't you look tasty, Ichi…"

Shinji lowered his arm, no longer laughing.

Hitsugaya's eyes widened in horror.

Ichigo was in bed, attacking his food with his hands and face. He gobbled up everything and knocked the tray aside to get at the food remnants on the sheets from a crouched position. A tail wagged from side to side behind him.

"Ichigo."

He sniffed for more food but couldn't find any more. He circled his bed on all fours and looked in their direction. "You wouldn't happen to have any meat on you, would you?" Ichigo asked with fangs in his mouth. "A cutlet sandwich sounds good right about now. Or ham. Oh, chicken! Juicy dark meat off the bone." He started bouncing on the mattress with excitement. "Hamburger steak would be amazing right about now." Ichigo licked his lips, slobbering on himself and the bed.

When Ichigo was beating Shinji yesterday, his hand must have slipped and scrapped against Shinji's teeth, qualifying as a bite. Shinji was still a werewolf at the time.

"Oops."

"Shinji!" Hitsugaya snapped at him. "You idiot!"

"Oh, so this is my fault?" Shinji asked, pointing to himself. "Who told him to go for my face?"

"If you hadn't teased him…"

"He didn't have to take a swing at me. Over and over again. With my mouth open, since I was laughing. He could have broken my jaw. Where's my sympathy?"

Hitsugaya shouted at Shinji at the same time Ichigo chose to howl, drowning him out.

"Mayuri!" Hitsugaya shouted, knowing Mayuri couldn't hear him from the sickbay. "We need another one of those werewolf cures, stat!"

Shinji offered his hand to Ichigo who sniffed at him curiously. "Wanna see him really freak out? Bite me and see what happens."

Hitsugaya pointed at Shinji with fury in his eyes. "Don't even!"

The end!

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