You getting spoilllleeeeddd today.

Today is a double update-which yes, means there are four chapters! ;)

Enjoy!


Chapter 28

(Byakuya)

Her eyes fluttered open and, after a moment of recollection, she was on her feet. She looked down at the restraints that bound her wrists together before looking around the cell. Her eyes finally settled on me, narrowing.

"Byakuya—why am I here?" She walked up to the bars. There was barely a foot between us, separated by the iron bars of the cell.

"Your mother brought you here after you encountered the Ryoka," She opened her mouth to interrupt but I spoke over her, "You're not in trouble but that will change fairly fast if you try to escape."

"I'm not in trouble but I'm locked up and restrained?" She raised an eyebrow. Her blazing eyes and clenched jaw were enough to point towards the fact that she was very close to losing her temper.

"You're under temporary confinement. As is Lieutenant Abarai."

She did a doubletake, blinking a couple times while she processed what I said. Her surprise was evident, but it quickly gave way to disgust when she looked through her bars and to the neighboring cage. Renji was fast asleep, barely breathing, and looking pitiful. It was quite clear through the worried look she gave him that Shizuko thought the same.

"Why? What happened to him?"

"He went off to find Ichigo Kurosaki—"

"Byakuya, you and I both know that my mother influenced him! She was fighting Ichigo and I…" She trailed off, looking away from me and then back at Renji, "She did this."

"You did this when you interrupted your mother's fight with the Ryoka. If anyone should be under arrest, it's you," Her lips parted but I had lost my patience, "You need to hold your tongue. Think about the implications of your words before you say them."

She bowed her head and took a deep breath. I could see her struggling to keep herself together, and whatever had her rattled up was eating her alive. Still, I agreed with her being kept in here. Kumiko had passed on everything she knew about the Ryoka and Kisuke having some hand in it, though she refused to tell why until she was sure.

"Keep her safe from Gin Ichimaru," She murmured, staring out at the Seireitei, like she was expecting a monster to come out and swallow us whole, "And…don't write Rukia off just yet. I think there's something bigger at play here."

I didn't know what she had meant and I didn't care much. If the Ryoka died, they died. If Rukia was executed…then she died too.

"I'm indulging your mother's request. But if she does anything to alter Rukia's fate, I will deal her the same blow of justice I intend to blow on the Ryoka and anyone who defends them. The same applies to you and my lieutenant."

"Does it ever get exhausting being so self-righteous?"

I didn't bother looking at her. She would have the same disappointment in her eyes as she always did whenever she looked at me. It was quite sad, to think that there was a point when I was one of her most trusted friends, and second in her affections save for Kumiko. I think I had even been held in higher regards than the grandmother.

But now that wasn't the case. And I was fine with that. There had been a time where I had hoped that Shizuko would see the situation for what it was—and stand up and accept her responsibilities to the Kuchiki Clan. That time had long passed and those hopes that proven to be groundless.

"I could ask you the same question, Shizuko," she seemed surprised when I answered, listening closely so she could save it later for ammunition, "Do you like judging the choices your mother made? Have you finally decided that you're much better than her too?"

"You're full of it," she hissed, "How dare you stand there and—"

"Your mother is a stupid, irrational woman. She used to pull my hair because I would be too loud if my brother was sleeping. She's the most barbaric woman I've ever known, but she loves fiercely. And whatever she loves—whoever she loves—will never come to harm as long as she can have a say in it."

I never would have thought that I out of everyone would stand to Kumiko's defense. This was turning out to be a strange day.

"She lost your father. The person she loved the most—she had lost him. And despite all she had done, he still got hurt."

I knew all too well how that felt.

"She lied to me," She whispered, "I can't forgive that."

"I don't believe in lying...but you fail to realize that there is always a reason a person lies. Perhaps they are too scared of the truth, or they are coerced into not telling the truth at all. Regardless, there is always a reason. Before you write your mother off, find out her reasons for lying first."

"Byakuya." The way she cried my name in her broken, sad voice almost made me bad for her. She looked up at me and I felt my heart clench, "Please…let me out. I need to find her."

"Your mother believes you're in danger. You stay in the cell."

"She's the one in danger!" Her hands wrapped around the bars, "Byakuya, I need to find her!"

I was desperate to help her. But as it always turned, my prior obligations and promises prevented me from doing so. I always felt like she placed her faith in me, and no matter how many times I failed, she would give me another chance. It was ridiculous. She was ridiculous.

I looked at her bright, hopeful eyes. It was just like looking at Rukia when she expected a praise from me. Kicked puppies. They should have learnt by now not to be so naively hopeful.

"Byakuya, please—"

I left without another word and had planned to check that my squad was in order. But I heard her cry—her scream, like her heart was being torn from her. I stopped in my tracks, back to the closed door that should have muffled out her sobbing.

It was nearly impossible to take another step forward, but I did it. And just as I was about to take another, I heard the cell door rattle. She was trying to break out, ramming her little body against the solid frame of the cage.

Whatever had gotten her riled up enough to publicly break the way she did was something worth taking note of.

She was screaming in frustration as I walked in again. Her eyes were swollen and glassy, cheeks blotched even though she hadn't been crying for long. She grew deathly quiet as I walked towards her cell.

"You may tend to Renji and my other subordinates," My words brought the fire back in her eyes, and I felt my chest hitch again, "You will not leave Squad Six. You will not attempt to escape or coerce any of my men. You will heal and mend, am I clear?"

"Yes," she gasped, running towards me as I opened the cell door. She held her arms up as I undid her shackles, and whispered softly, "I…I'm sorry…"

"I don't believe you are," I set the shackles down and stepped out of the cell. She only stood with her head bowed, and I added, "But if you leave without my permission, you will be."

"Yes, sir," She muttered, stepping towards Renji's cell. She looked over him with concern, staring at his injuries like she was choking on something.

Her lips moved and seemed to test how his name sounded from her mouth. The way she looked at him reminded me of how she had looked at him the first time they had met—years ago, when she was a geisha. That awe and charm had never quite left her gaze, as if she had never quite let go of the school-girl crush she had on him.

She still hadn't noticed me, watching me watch him. I turned and left before she could finally turn around and see me.


(Kumiko)

That dumbass Renji had tried killing Ichigo. And then to top it all, he ended up getting his ass handed to him. I'd feel sorry for him but couldn't quite muster it up after I specifically said to keep him alive.

Now, what I feared most had happened. Zaraki had found the little mango mouse and had handed his ass to him. I was worried for my captain too, since I couldn't quite sense his presence anymore. But the priority was finding Ichigo—I wanted to know what he knew about Gin Ichimaru and Sosuke Aizen.

Shortly after I left Shizuko with Byakuya, I headed back to Squad Eleven. I peeled through all my files and notes and looked for anymore connections Gin had to the people I was ordered to execute, and the crime against the captains and lieutenants.

His name was written all over the damn thing. It wasn't obvious unless you knew what you were looking for, and in this case, it was Gin's killing style. Central Forty-Six had informed there was another executioner to help me with clean-up, but I had never known who it had been until now. I would never forget the day that miniature psychopath had entered the Seireitei, automatically earning an officer placement because he was ruthless.

Kiganjo and I had been interested in taking him into Squad Eleven, because I had heard of the prodigy he was at the Academy. But when I had gone to the academy to evaluate him, I chose not to fight for him as hard as Squad Five had. After spending years in the Rukongai, you grew a sixth-sense about some people—and if you had any sense, you would stay clear of the ones that reminded you of the nightmares you listened to before bedtime.

But as I had discovered, Squad Five had fought the hardest for Gin Ichimaru. And when I looked through Gin's transfer orders from the Shinō Academy to Squad Nine, I saw that it hadn't been Shinji Hirako's doing. His lieutenant at the time, Sosuke Aizen, had been the one who persisted.

Good, innocent Sosuke. I hadn't ever thought of the man save for the times we had crossed paths at meetings and such. He wasn't very noteworthy. The only thing that was notable was that Kisuke would never stop complaining about how Captain Hirako would never stop complaining about Sosuke. So naturally, I avoided and hated the guy. He ruined my pillow talk time.

I would have glanced over the transfer orders without a second thought had it not been for one of the most important clues. Nari's last words. She had told me about Hisoka, and she had told me about Aizen—"Ai" had been one of her final words. Kisuke's final words to me were the beginning of Sosuke. I felt like bashing my head against a wall for being so stupid, but that could wait until later.

Ichigo was lying, unconscious. His spiritual pressure was fading fast, and I suspected that he was dying. His gaze was pointed up, directed at me but blank. Just hours ago he had been alive and cocky.

"Mama Urahara," He almost chuckled.

I knelt down and placed my hand over his Soul Chain. It was intact. I could save him but it would take a lot out of me to do it. The question was if this kid was worth the gamble—save him and see if he had the answers I needed, or risk not having enough power for the upcoming battle. Because there was going to be one—be it against the Ryoka or Aizen.

"What do you know about the Hogyoku, Ichigo?" When I asked, he only looked confused. "Did Kisuke tell you what happened to him? Why he became exiled?"

He coughed up a laugh, "Old Hat and Clogs told me shit…too busy…swinging a sword at me."

I moved my hand away. He knew nothing.

"I'm sorry," I pressed my thumb against the guard of my sword. The familiar sound of my blade slide from its sheath was a thousand times louder as I stared down at the young boy.

I was committed. Nobody would show the boy mercy if he was caught now. I began to stand up and draw my sword—

It felt like a bee had stung my nose.

My heart jumped and I threw myself into the shadows. I couldn't believe what I felt and I still couldn't believe my eyes as Yoruichi Shihōin approached Ichigo. She hopped on top of his chest and stared down at him.

"No worries," She murmured, a blinding aura growing around her, "We'll get you fixed up in no time."

Limbs elongated and fur receded, and soon I was staring at the woman I had despised. She lifted Ichigo up into her arms and disappeared.

Yoruichi wasn't stupid. She would never risk anyone seeing her the way she was now. She was the woman who broke the Seireitei's renowned murderers, Kisuke Urahara and Tessai Tsukabishi, out and escaped with them. The Soul Society had come to an agreement with Kisuke, but that hadn't extended to Yoruichi. She had a target pinned on her head—a shoot-to-kill order.

Which meant that I knew exactly where she was taking dear Ichigo.