Being a creature if the sun I am stuck inside today because it is freezing cold out... Good and bad... any way here is the next edited chapter.. (sorry about any errors) Today's back ground noise included the movie 'Silverhawk' (in English) yes I absolutely love its campiness... and my Fav. going out playlist.. which includes N.E.R.D., Daftpunk, and finally some Cobra Starship. Bleach belongs to T Kubo not me.. I am not that creative.....

Part 7 "Obscurities and Anomalies"

Yarinju rubbed his eyes again. It was late in the evening and he was getting tired. The wooden table that he sat at in the records room afforded him little comfort. Before him sat two reports, one was the incident that had changed Raynas life. The other was evidence that had been gathered about Aizens' experiments. Pouring over the report for hours, he could not find the link. He needed evidence of what he suspected.

More than anything he wanted to send Rayna home. That was safest place for her Reiatsu. Lady Hiran had seen to that. It was also were she belonged. His heart ached with her over these last years she was such a beautiful creature she deserved more than a paupers life. Shaking his head, Yarinju had an ominous feeling were the lady was concerned. Whatever clue he was missing, he needed to find it soon.

A subtle cough caught Yarinjus' attention and he looked up to find a girl looking down at him. Nonchalantly he covered Raynas file with his arm. "Is there something that you need?" He asked the dark haired girl with glasses. "Do you have clearance for that file?" She asked pointing to the file on the former Captain Aizen.

Pulling out an empty piece of paper he wrote down a series of numbers and handed it to her. Yarinju watched as she quickly stepped away and walked to a computer monitor. The girl deftly put in the numbers and a look of shock crossed her face.

"I apologize sir," she said. The efficient woman walked back to him handing the paper back. "I am Lieutenant Nanao Ise, if there is anything you need help with just ask for me." Yarinju did not miss the look of bewilderment on her face. It had been a long time since he had seen that look.

"Could you please take care of this for me?" Yarinju asked and handed her the file on Aizen.

"Shall I take the other one too?" Nanao asked trying to keep the curiosity from her voice.

"Unfortunately, this one I must take care of." Yarinju said dryly as he closed the file and got up. Making his way slowly to a set of heavy doors in the back of the room, he felt defeated. Lady Yoruichi had told him everything that was in the files. He walked over to a panel with numbers on and quickly punched in a sequence. Nothing in these files had jumped out at him, he was still at a dead end.

The doors opened and he quickly entered the darkened room. Lights from glowing keypads lit his way as he passed numerous locked filing cabinets. The heavy doors clicked shut as he reached the end of the corridor. Stopping in front of another panel, Yarinju pressed his thumb in until he heard a beep. After entering a second set of numbers a file drawer opened from a smooth wall. Silently he quickly replaced Raynas file and taped the edge of the drawer so that it would close.

The defeated man hung his head as walked back down a narrow corridor. Entering the sequence that would open the doors, he waited lost in thought as the doors slide open. Yarinju was caught off guard by the waiting Captain Kuchiki.

Without losing his composure he quickly stepped around the man ignoring him completely. It was not a sign of disrespect but he was not about to allow the Captain intimidate him for information. As he passed him, Yarinju simply said "Captain."

"I can only assume you have clearance to access the secured files of Central 46." Byakuya said turning his head to watch the look in the expression that crossed the mans face.

"I am not permitted to say. My apologies captain," Yarinju said turning as he gave the man a short bow of respect.

"How is it that you a lowly beggar, has access to files that even captains are not given clearance to see?" A dark expression crossed Byakuya's face as he turned to address the man.

"I am sorry Captain but you must seek your answers with Head Captain Yamamoto." Steely grey eyes met dark ones unflinching.

What ever was about to be said next was interrupted by a slight wave of spiritual pressure passing through the records hall. Byakuya barely felt it, but Yarinju being in tune with it noticed it at once. Nanao did not notice at all, and kept trying to look like she wasn't interested in what was taking place between the two men.

"I am sorry captain I must cut our conversation short." Not waiting on a reply he quickly turned on his heel land left.

A second wave passed through the library. Byakuya did pause for a moment considering what he had discovered. A third wave of spiritual pressure invaded the library. It was just as faint as before, like the scent of a flower floating on the wind. Registering who was causing the waves of Reiatsu, the puzzled captain fallowed Yarinju.

Rayna sat at a table with Rangiku, Izuru, and Renji in the 10th divisions office. A cup of sake was sitting in front of her. Correction an empty cup of sake sat in front of her. How many was that? She had lost count. The fog that consumed her brain would not let her think. Suddenly a hick-up exploded from her, and so did a wave of her spiritual pressure.

Rangiku burst out laughing. "OK, that makes four, everyone takes a drink." Rangiku, Renji, and Izuru all tilted back glasses and emptied them.

"I think I am going to be…," another wave of spiritual pressure escaped from her as Rayna hick-uped again.

"Geez Ran-chan, I am with Rayna, I can't drink anymore." Izuru said leaning a blond head on one elbow.

"I am going to be in so much trouble. I was supposed to watch the woman." Renji said, "Ran-chan you are a bad influence.

"We are watching her." Rangiku replied, "we are watching her drink Sake." The buxom redhead let out a squeal of laughter as another wave of Raynas spiritual pressure escaped her. Smiling, she filled the empty glasses at the table with the last of the sake.

"I…. be…..oooo…. Yarinju… hyup…big trouble…" Rayna interjected. Things were getting more blurred as time progressed. She wanted to go to sleep but her hick-ups kept her awake. Looking down, she wondered at the mystery of the now full glass.

Rangiku laughed again as another wave passed over her. Looking at the auburn haired woman sitting next to her she considered what to do with her next.

Rangiku was bored earlier when Renji had shown up her in office with the woman. The lieutenant of squad six informed her he was supposed to 'watch' the girl. After introducing them he plopped down on the couch and said, "I have to play watchdog today." Rangiku knew that he would want be out fighting rather than, keeping track of the poor creature that had just been dragged into her office.

"She looks like a boy." Rangiku said walking over to Rayna and snatching off the green cap. "Oh, that's definitely a girl. Renji what have you done to the poor thing. Couldn't you find her some more appropriate clothing?" Powder blue eyes looked at Rayna with sympathy.

"That's the ones the Captain gave her." Renji said not understanding her meaning.

Rayna was still upset over wearing the dark haired captains old clothes. "All my things were taken away." Smiling at Rangiku she added, "I don't suppose you have some old things I could borrow for a day or two?"

"Of course, I bet we are very close in size." Rangiku shooed Rayna off to her quarters. Projects like this were a perfect excuse to get away from paper work. The auburn haired girl stopped with trepidation. "Aw, no backing out now. Do you want out of those boy clothes or not?" Rayna was overwhelmed by the blondes free spirit. All she could do was let herself be dragged away by Rangiku.

"Bring her back to when you get done." Renji yelled after them.

Rangiku came running back into the room pulled out several bottle of sake and set them on the table. "Wait here," she said leaving him with a smile.

Looking at her handy work Rangiku was impressed. The woman actually looked like a woman. Rayna was wearing one of many Shihakushou that the lieutenant owned. The girl could almost fill it out too. The figure that was hidden under the boys clothes was a well kept secret. The chest was a little loose for her but only by about two sizes. It all had worked out in the end because Rayna had insisted on modesty. So, the extra fabric in the Kosode covered her in a respectable manner. Trying to coax the girl into a lower cut was impossible. Although, Rangiku was willing to bet that Rayna did not realize how form fitting her clothes were.

Rangiku did not stop at the clothes. Per her insistence, Rayna had finally succumbed and allowed her to put some mascara and lipstick on her. The glorious auburn and gold hair had been loosed in cascading curls all around her. The ribbons in her hair added the right amount of color to her ensamble. It was a good thing Rangiku was not the jealous type, the woman was absolutely stunning. Combine that with the beautiful spiritual pressure she had and the every male Shinigami of the soul society would soon be tripping over themselves to meet her.

Clouded hazel eyes met Rangikus' stare. "I think…" she waivered, "I like seka." This was fallowed by yet another hick-up and wave of Reaitsu.

"Sake, it's sake," the blue eyed woman corrected. "I know, this is the stuff that gets me through my day."

"We are going to have to do something with her. If Captain Kuchiki finds out we will all be dead Shinigami," Renji said.

"I was not going to tell him. Just take her back put her in bed and hope that her hick-ups come to an end." To Rangiku, it was as simple as that.

"I don't know Ran-chan, maybe you better be the one to do the tucking in?" Kira said taking an appraising look at Rayna.

Renji slammed his fist into the top of Izurus' head. "Idiot! I am supposed to report back with her. Besides the obvious change in clothes they are bound to notice the fact that she is stinking drunk." As he said this, Rayna tilted back another glass of sake.

Rayna suddenly burst out laughing. "Hiup… you mean?..." she trailed off. "Ouch, that is a not good look… Hiup." The fog in Raynas' brain would not even let her form a complete sentence. The others got the point though because they now all turned to look in the direction she pointed. No one moved even as Rayna laughed so hard she fell out of her chair. The faces on the two men just struck her as funny. It didn't occur to her she was the only one laughing.

Just inside the doorway stood a seething Yarinju, and a very menacing looking Captain Kuchiki. They watched as a very drunk auburn haired woman struggled to get up off the floor and back into the chair she had vacated. Yarinju's booming voice finally got her attention. "I am sure there is an explanation for this." Yarinju said looking at Rayna. "Right now I don't want to hear it. Will you never stop getting into trouble girl?"

Rayna did sober a bit at his tone. "I just drank a little saka. No harm done….Hyup." The wave of spiritual pressure that came bursting out did not help her make her case. The slurred speech she used didn't either. Unaware of her disheveled stated she did manage to sit back in her chair and smile at them.

"I would expect no less from street trash," Captain Kuchiki said cooly.

As his words set in, anger changed Raynas demeanor once again. Standing, everyone in the room watched as she took on a commanding presence. The spiritual pressure from Rayna also began to increase. "Rayna, my name is Rraayynnaa… I am certain that an educated nobleman such as yourself could manage to roll it off of your aristocratic tongue." Only slightly slurring, Rayna narrowed her eyes on the captain. Pride would not let her take another one of his insults. She looked at him with a dead calm. Despite being completely intoxicated by the sake, her anger gave her full use of her mental faculties.

Rangiku, Renji, and Izuru all stood up from the table and backed away in unison. They did not want to get caught in a crossfire. "You speak as if you are my equal," Byakuya said

"Or your better," Rayna countered cutting him off. Again her Reiatsu rose. It flooded the room with pure beguiling power.

Yarinju was behind her in a second and wrapped on arm around her waist and used his other hand to cover her mouth. "I apologize Captain. I can promise that she has never had Sake before and does not know what she says." In her ear he whispered "Girl get it under control."

The Reiatsu she was emitting soon faded. Except for the small waves that came out when she hick-upped. Luckily the girl knew when to listen to him and didn't struggle against his hold.

Thankfully, she was drunk, because his actions had distracted her from her anger. Looking up at him innocently, Rayna succumbed momentarily. Yarinju thought he might be smothering when she began muttering into the hand that covered her mouth. Carefully he lifted it away to allow her to talk. Rayna looked up at him with a half smile and said, "thank you for washing your hands. That could have been really gross." Gracefully she reached up and put his hand back over her own mouth. Any other time he would have cracked a smile. In fact the others in the room were snickering, but he still had to deal with the captain.

Another hic-up fallowed by yet another wave of spiritual pressure. "My apologies Captain Kuchiki, I was the one lapse on my duties. Rayna has a knack for trouble. But, I assure you that she will be punished for this incident and her disrespect." Rayna started to struggle against him in earnest. Yarinju would not use the Sekki-sekki but using the subtle threat was the only way he could think to make sure she maintained control.

Byakuya carefully studied the two in front of him. The white haired man had a look that could not be read. Rayna, suddenly, had a look of absolute terror. "Lieutenant Abarai, take the others and go finish your forays somewhere else. If a word of this incident is uttered I will not only see you in prison, but I will see your commissions come to an end." There was absolute silence as the Lieutenants abandoned the room.

Turning his attention back to Rayna and her companion, Byakuya made his decision. "I will be taking Rayna with me." Not knowing what he intended, only that he wanted to be alone with the woman. Gaining her trust must be the key. Clearly she had the answers he sought and they would not come if any of her protectors were around. There were other reasons he wanted to be around her but he did not allow himself to dwell on them.

Yarinju had no choice but to relinquish Rayna. If he intended to punish Rayna he would not have ordered the others to silence The punishment he could enforce for her disrespect could be far worse than her ending up in his care. Looking down at Rayna, he could not see the harm in it she was close to passing out on her feet. The only thing keeping her awake was the occasional hick-up that came from her. "I suggest a barrier," he offered to the captain as he looked up at him.

Making his way over to the two, Byakuya deftly picked up Rayna. Looking down for the barest of glances, he noted that her eyes were closed. She must have thought he was her protector because she relaxed into him. "I don't like sake," she said as one last hick-up fallowed by a wave of pressure escaped from her.

Byakuya was walking toward the 6th division. A very drunk Rayna was cradled against him. A familiar feeling was spreading through him. The spiritual pressure of the woman he carried was now wrapped around him and he could not help but bask in its luster as he carried her.

"Captain Kuchiki, if you have a moment." A familiar voice interrupted his thoughts. Lieutenant Matsumoto had come out of the shadows to stand beside him. "Lieutenant?" without stopping he allowed her to fall into step beside him.

"I apologize Captain, but there is something I thought you should be aware of in case you decided to punish Rayna." The strawberry blond stopped in front of him forcing him to stop. "It was our fault, the sake that is. Rayna should not be punished for our indiscretions."

"I understand Lieutenant, but I have no use for disgraceful behavior." Byakuya said trying to step forward.

"Sir," persisting Rangiku put out a hand to stop him. "There is something else. I think you should know." Carefully so as to not rouse the sleeping woman she reached in and plucked a gold ribbon from her hair. "I am not sure what you intend as far as punishments are concerned but…" Not sure how to say what she needed to say respectfully she decided to just say it. "I know you come from an honorable house, but this," pulling at the gold ribbon showing him the symbol on it. "This is the Kings seal."

The meaning was not lost on Byakuya. As head of a noble clan, even one as honorable as the Kuchiki clan. He did not have the authority to punish the girl.

"Lieutenant, be certain." The stoic captain said without the surprise he felt showing.

"I am certain sir. Some of the female Shinigami were sent on a mission and I will not forget the seal or the spiritual pressure. They are the same, there is no doubt" Rangiku had said what she needed to say and decided that this was the best time to let the captain pass.

Pausing he looked at the deceptively intelligent Lieutenant. "I trust that this secret stays with you." With the implied order he changed direction and headed to his manor.