Chapter 8: Releasing the Bonds
Ronin looked up at the tall, pale shinigami that flash stepped along at his side, marveling at how he had suddenly gone from having a schoolteacher with no shinigami powers as his only relative to being the son of the noble Kuchiki clan's former leader. He had suspected upon seeing his father's zanpakutou that he hadn't always been powerless. There was even still power in the blade, although his father couldn't seem to use that power.
He wondered when his own zanpakutou would appear…
He stole another glance at his beautiful companion, admiring the fine, slender body, the black hair that ended in swirling blue strands, the very dark blue eyes and the pale skin that was like his father's. The man had a swift flash step, powerful reiatsu and a lovely dark blue zanpakutou…even the blade was a dark blue hue, with a guard on the hilt that was shaped like sakura blossom.
"I hope we get there fast enough!" Ronin said as they ran together, "Kiko is like my sister. We already lost our friend, Haru, in hollow attack this week."
"We will be in time," Kiyoshi promised, "I can sense Tsuyoshi's spiritual pressure. He is not in the area of the school. Not yet, anyway."
Ronin felt a sense of relief as the schoolhouse appeared out of the darkness in front of them. They flash stepped to the doors and found Tsuneo waiting just inside, an agitated look on his face.
"Ronin!" he said, sounding anxious and at the same time, relieved, "Where is Bya?"
"My cousin is with friends…friends who are trying to help him to regain his powers."
Tsuneo's eyes widened as he gazed at Kiyoshi, looking as though he couldn't decide if the lovely man in front of him was friend or foe. Kiyoshi smiled encouragingly and extended a hand. Tsuneo accepted it tentatively.
"So…you are…one of them? A Kuchiki?" he asked uncertainly, "But not…"
"The one who you saw try to kill my cousin, was Tsuyoshi," Kiyoshi assured him, "And although he is the leader of the family, I do not follow him. I have been banished from the family…declared an enemy by Tsuyoshi, and unable to return on pain of death. But once Byakuya has regained his powers, and he is restored to leadership, I am free to return to the family."
"I see," said Tsuneo, his heart pounding as he continued to look into the young noble's blue eyes, "I…I wasn't sure. I mean, Bya said that his cousin turned the family against him."
"He couldn't turn me against my cousin," Kiyoshi assured the vendor, "I know the full extent of his treachery and I will remain at my cousin, Byakuya's side until Tsuyoshi pays for what he has done!"
"W-well, that is good to know. I…always knew that our Bya was very special…that he used to be powerful. It is good to know he has you to help him find his strength again."
Kiyoshi smiled and Tsuneo felt his heart skip.
"Arigato. However, there wouldn't have been anyone for us to find if you had not taken him in and protected him when he was injured. For that, I am deeply grateful."
"Oh…oh it's okay," said Tsuneo, looking slightly unsteady, "B-but we'd better go an collect Kiko."
Kiyoshi nodded.
"Ronin and I will escort the two of you to safety," he said, glancing at the boy.
"Very well," said Tsuneo, leading them out of the school building and locking the door behind him.
They turned to take a small, almost hidden path back to town, but before they had taken more than a few steps, Kiyoshi stiffened and placed his hand on his sword.
"Tsuyoshi!" he hissed, "Ronin, take Tsuneo and go to Michio. He will hide you."
"I won't leave you to face him alone!" insisted Ronin, "I promised to…"
"You promised to obey me!" Kiyoshi reminded him, gently, but firmly, "Now go!"
Ronin stared for a moment longer, but Tsuneo took the boy by the arm and pulled him into the bushes as Tsuyoshi flash stepped into view in front of Kiyoshi. The vendor grabbed the boy's arm and held onto him tightly.
"Go and find Kiko," he said softly, "I will stay and help Kiyoshi. I know a few things that will be useful. Trust me."
Ronin looked back at where Kiyoshi stood with his sword drawn, watching as Tsuyoshi drew his own weapon and moved forward threateningly. His heart ached, but he remembered his promise to his father and his concern for Kiko and flash stepped away. Tsuneo knelt in the bushes, frowning as he saw again the face of the man who had tried to kill Bya. He felt a stab of worry for the young shinigami who faced him, but he had sensed that Kiyoshi had significant power.
And Tsuneo was not without his abilities, peasant abilities though they might be.
"Well, well," said Tsuyoshi, glaring at Kiyoshi and holding up Tenrai Keibatsu, "If it isn't my other traitorous cousin! I should have expected to see you here, Kiyoshi. But…you will not be here for long!"
XXXXXXXXXX
Byakuya stared past Rukia and Rikichi's tensed forms as Kisuke reached down and activated the sigils on Renji's tattooed chest. The redhead's eyes flew open and they could see immediately, the rise of the intense bloodlust. He breathed in the air and hissed with fury, sensing his six targets in the room with him.
"Hang in there, buddy," Kisuke said, backing off as Ichigo and Yoruichi raised their reiatsu and placed a confining kido around the redhead, "Orihime, you take aim on him like I showed you and reject as soon as you have an opening."
"Hai," the girl said, nodding and standing ready.
"Brace yourselves, everyone. The Assassin's circle will make him even stronger and more dangerous than he already is. Mind your step…"
He broke off as Renji gave an enraged snarl and tore free of the bonds holding him down. He leapt to his feet and instantly shot in Byakuya's direction. Ichigo flash stepped forward and raised a protective wall of reiatsu, but gave a gasp of dismay as Renji shattered it a moment later and bore down on the powerless noble.
"Damn it!" yelled Ichigo, "It's like he knows Byakuya has no powers!"
"I think he can sense it," Kisuke said warningly, stepping in front of Byakuya and forcing Renji back with a hard blast of kido, "and darn it, if he isn't even stronger than he was last time. I'm thinking now that he gains power the more targets that gather around him."
"Well, that was good timing!" snapped Ichigo, absorbing a scathing blast of kido from the redhead's extended hands.
Orihime shifted and repositioned herself, then tensed her body and focused on one of the sigils on Renji's heaving chest.
"I reject!" she cried.
Golden light flared from her hands and shot towards Renji, wrapping around him and firing itself into one of the sigils. Kisuke made a sound of approval as Renji screamed and placed a hand on his chest and the cat disappeared. The redhead staggered back, staring down at the sigils then lifted his head and loosed a howl of fury. He launched himself at Orihime, knocking Rikichi and Ichigo sprawling and bearing down on her as her eyes went wide with fright.
"Orihime!" yelled Ichigo.
At the last moment, a triangular golden shield rose up in front of the girl. She took aim at the oncoming captain, raising her hands and preparing to fire another blast. As she fired the reject spell, Renji seemed to realize what was happening, and he flash stepped away. He fired himself at a hapless Rikichi, who was just getting back to his feet and tackled the former vice captain, knocking him onto the floor and tearing at him with his bare hands. The next thing anyone knew, a pale body had attached itself to Renji's back and struck him with several solid blows. On any other day, the strikes would have stunned or incapacitated the redhead, but they only seemed to infuriate him. He tore Byakuya off of his back and wrapped his hand around his former captain and lover's throat, his red-brown eyes going more red as he sensed the impending death of one of his targets.
"R-renji!" gasped the noble, placing his hands on Renji's and trying to loosen them.
Three kido spells struck the redhead simultaneously sending him crashing to the floor. He lost his grip on Byakuya and Rikichi dragged the dazed noble away, raising his hands as Renji bore down on them.
"Hado #33. Soukatsui!"
The blast took Renji off his feet and threw him to the floor, stunning him. Orihime ran forward and quickly locked onto another sigil.
"I reject!" she cried.
Renji screamed in pain and writhed fitfully on the floor of the reiatsu cage as the sun sigil slowly faded and Orihime shifted and sought to take aim again. Crawling ropes shot from the hands of Yoruichi, Ichigo, Rikichi and Rukia, wrapping around his wrists and ankles.
"Bakudo #61, Rikujoukorou!" cried Kisuke.
Renji erupted into piercing, shattering cries and strained against the kido holding him in place. Byakuya's face paled at the rising swell of reiatsu around the redhead.
"Hurry, Orihime!" he hissed as the girl stood over Renji and focused on the sigils.
"I reject!" she cried.
Renji's bonds shattered and he surged to his feet as Byakuya grabbed Orihime and dragged her back. He fired a kido blast that sent the noble and the human girl crashing to the floor under a pile of debris. Kisuke and Yoruichi flash stepped in front of him and struck with a volley of kido spells, forcing him back. He dived then, in Rukia's direction. Ichigo flash stepped into his path and the two forced him back as the others regrouped and tried to corral him for the next 'reject' spell.
"Is it just me or does it seem like Renji gets more powerful as each sigil is rejected?" asked Kisuke.
"That doesn't bode well for us, if it's true," Yoruichi called back to him.
"What do we do?" yelled Ichigo, "He just getting stronger and stronger!"
"We have to give Orihime a wide enough opening to let her reject them together," suggested Byakuya.
He thought for a moment and lowered his voice.
"Ichigo," he said softly," I will draw him to me, and all of the rest of you need to hold him back for Orihime.
"That sounds good," said the substitute shinigami, "if he doesn't catch you. You don't have your flash step. You're going to have to be really careful."
Byakuya frowned at him, but nodded. He waited until Renji was directed away from him then moved out into the open and backed towards the far side of the cage. Ichigo fired a kido blast that made the redhead turn slightly to avoid it. Renji's glazed eyes found Byakuya and he flash stepped towards him. Byakuya backed away as Renji closed in on him.
"Renji," he called, looking into his former lover's enraged eyes, "Renji, please…we're trying to help you."
Renji moved closer, cutting the noble off from the others and cornering him.
"Renji…Renji, my love, don't do this! Renji…"
He reached Byakuya and gazed down into his eyes, then placed a hand over the noble's breast, over his heart. Byakuya's eyes widened as reiatsu flared around his hand as he prepared to hit the noble point blank with a kido spell.
"You are stronger than this," Byakuya breathed, "I know you are. Fight, Renji. Help us to free you."
For just a moment, the hazed eyes sparked with recognition, then he started to fire the spell. Crawling ropes fired from all directions and brought the redhead down again, leaving Byakuya unharmed, but leaned against the wall and panting heavily. Orihime ran forward.
"I reject!" she cried, watching as the snowflake sigil faded, "I reject!"
The pawn slowly disappeared.
"Orihime, LOOK OUT!" cried Ichigo, flash stepping forward and grabbing the girl as Renji broke free again and rose up, screeching like a demon. His face a blinding mask of fury, he loosed a huge blast that sent Ichigo and Orihime tumbling away and crashing into the wall.
"Damn it!" yelled Kisuke, "He's too strong now! Yoruichi, we have to knock him out!"
The two swept towards Renji and were nearly enveloped by a second, stronger kido blast that sent them flying backwards and dropped a heap of debris on top of them. Rukia screamed and Rikichi fired a volley of kido spells, flash stepping forward and throwing himself on the senseless shinigami. Renji tore him off of his back and threw him down. Rukia drew her sword and she and Byakuya backed away as Renji closed in and cornered them.
"Renji, I saw your eyes change before," Byakuya said, his voice trembling, "You are stronger than this. I know it is difficult, but you can overcome this. You are…so very strong! You worked so hard…to get that way, so that you could be a captain. You wanted to reach the moon and you did that! You soared beyond. I was so proud to be your captain…felt so fortunate…to have your love. Renji…"
The redhead stopped and looked into Byakuya's eyes, groaning softly and hesitating.
"Renji, you have to get past this. All you have to do is let Orihime take away the last two sigils. We'll be okay. We'll have each other again…and…"
"B-bya…kuya…" Renji gasped, his eyes clearing slightly.
The noble stepped away from Rukia as Ichigo dug Orihime out of the rubble and tried to revive her.
"I'm here. I'll stay with you. Just…stay still, Renji. Stay still."
He moved closer and reached out to take the redhead's hand.
"Aishiteru yo, Renji," Byakuya said softly, curling slowly into his former lover's arms.
He carefully held himself to the side as Orihime staggered to her feet and stumbled towards them.
Renji remained frozen, his last victim tantalizingly close, but shaking all over as he held himself back from hurting the man in his arms. Kisuke and Yoruichi helped each other out from under the rubble and moved to join the others. Orihime moved cautiously into position and took aim at the sakura sigil.
"You're going to be okay, Renji," Byakuya whispered, "Easy now."
"I reject!" cried Orihime.
The last of the 'victim' sigils disappeared, leaving only the snake sigil. Renji sighed and his legs shook unsteadily. He dropped to his knees, moaning.
"Orihime, the last sigil," Byakuya said quickly.
Renji's body seized suddenly and the redhead gave a hard cry of dismay. His hands clenched and seemed to move of their own accord, reaching up and tearing at his own throat.
"Renji, NO!" screamed Byakuya, taking hold of one strong arm and pulling it away from the redhead's bleeding flesh.
The others converged on the fallen shinigami, grabbing onto his hands and holding them back as a sobbing Orihime launched the last reject spell, then immediately raised a healing shield over him.
"Oh my kami," Byakuya gasped, "Renji!"
"What happened?" asked Ichigo, white-faced, "Why did he…do that?"
"The last sigil," Kisuke said in a low voice, "It was there to make Renji kill himself after the assassinations were completed."
He put a hand on Byakuya's quivering shoulder.
"He'll be okay. Orihime's healing spell will restore him now."
Byakuya nodded wordlessly, kneeling at Renji's side and holding one limp, blood-covered hand in his.
"That was close," Yoruichi said, looking around at the destroyed room and the battered group that inhabited it."
"Too close," Kisuke agreed, "But the sigils are gone. And as soon as Renji can be moved, we're going back to Karakura Town."
"What about Tsuyoshi?" asked Yoruichi, "Won't he just come after Byakuya again?"
"Yeah," said Kisuke, "But Byakuya and Renji will be in hiding…until I figure out how to get Byakuya's powers back."
"We aren't going to just go after Tsuyoshi, now that Renji's free of the Assassin's Circle?" asked Ichigo.
"No," said Kisuke, "Byakuya has to be the one to kill Tsuyoshi."
"What? Why?" asked the youth.
"Because," said Yoruichi, "When Tenrai Keibatsu devoured Byakuya's powers, they were transferred to Tsuyoshi. He has been made the leader of the Kuchiki clan. And before Byakuya can regain his place as leader, he must defeat Tsuyoshi and claim the power of that divine sword. The Kuchiki clan will only accept him as their leader if he does this."
"And he will," said Kisuke, gazing down at where Byakuya knelt, holding Renji's hand, "We'll make sure of it. That bastard is going to pay for what he did! To Byakuya, to Renji…to all of us…"