15. The Attack
"Unohana-taicho, are you still listening?"
Startled Unohana Retsu refocused her gaze and looked to the source of the voice addressing her. Apparently it was Yamamoto Shigekuni's voice which called her to attention. And as always it sounded not amused.
"Unohana-taicho, would you please share with me and the other taichos here at this meeting, why you are not paying any attention to what has been said about the increased hollow attacks? Is that of no importance to you? Or is there a more urgent matter that requires your attention right now?"
"Hai, Yamamoto-Genryusai. I apologize for my inattentiveness. And of course the increased hollow activities are of concern for me because it also means more possible work for my squad" , Unohana said calmly while slightly lowering her head for a moment. She then elaborated.
"There is also another matter that requires my attention. My fuku-taicho has become very sick four days ago and I have not been able to determine the cause for it."
"What?" The terror was evident on several taicho's faces but it was Hitsugaya-taicho who had managed to ask this simple question. Looking straight into his face, Seireitei's head healer continued to explain.
"Kotetsu Isane showed signs of extreme fatigue, including fever and a significant drop in her reiatsu levels. Though I did every test I could think of and checked the results twice, I could not find any evidence for a new illness or poison or any other possible cause. The only good thing is, that bed rest seemed to do the trick because her condition has improved constantly over the past days. I am planning to release her for the weekend into her own quarters."
"You will do no such thing!"
"Yamamoto-Genryusai?"
"You, the best healer here in Seireitei, could not determine the cause for this illness. Thus it may be a new kind of illness that lies dormant for a short while before it breaks out again and infects new shinigami. Kotetsu Isane will remain in your direct care and will not be released until you have found the cause for her illness. Have I made myself clear?"
Looking into the determined eyes of her superior Unohana bowed deeply to him. It would not make any sense to argue with him in front of all the other taichos. Besides, it drove her mad and crazy herself that the cause for Isane's illness had not been determined yet, meaning she could not help one of the most important people in her life. A situation, which was frustrating and almost unbearable for Unohana Retsu. And now she had another problem to deal with - how to tell her "always energetic and ready to work some more" Isane to stay in bed?
"No way! You can't be serious! I am not staying any longer in bed! I am fine!"
Kotetsu-fuku-taicho's shouts were hearable within the whole squad. It made every shinigami jump or drop whatever they have been holding. All except for one. Unohana Retsu was standing calmly in front of Isane's bed, as patient as ever and smiling kindly. As expected her assistant hadn't taken the news very well.
Isane was furious. What had she done now to deserve such a punishment? Yes, she had been sick for the past days. But not anymore and she was ready to work, no matter what task Unohana-taicho would assign her now. Isane would do anything - even cleaning the sewers. Instead, her taicho is forcing her to stay in bed for no good reason. This situation really stunk - all the fuku-taicho wanted, was to have a purpose and an aim again, preferably being some kind of help to her Unohana-sama.
"Taicho-sama. I feel fine. Why do I have to stay longer in your care and thus prevent you from working on patients who really do need your attention?"
It was very saddening for Unohana Retsu to see her fuku-taicho so unhappy because of an order she had to give. Here she was, standing in front of Isane's bed, while her fuku-taicho was sitting there with a lowered head, staring at her hands which held her blanket in a death grip. Unohana was sure that Isane was close to tears. It was admirable, how much her fuku-taicho wanted to be of help for this squad even though she sometimes crossed the line and risked her own health for it. Taking a deep breath, Unohana walked around the bed to sit at her fuku-taicho's site. She then lifted her chin so that they could see each other's faces before putting her hand on Isane's shoulder.
"Isane, I know you want to be released as soon as possible and return to work. And I am very glad that you feel so much better now than the past couple of days. Yet still, I have to find out why you became so sick in order to prevent that from happening again. I never want to see you in such a condition again Isane. Please, bear with me a couple more days and hopefully I have figured out until then what has ailed you. Alright?"
Hearing and seeing the worry in her taicho's voice and face, Isane nodded her head sadly in agreement.
"But what am I supposed to do all day?"
"Well, if you like and only if you promise me to stop as soon as you get tired or feel sick again, I can order Hanataro-kun to bring you some paperwork as well as some new cases I had while you were teaching at the academy. Would you like to work through them?"
At these words Isane couldn't stop herself and jumped at her taicho, hugging her like there would be no tomorrow. For the first time in weeks she could finally work again directly for her taicho, relieve her of some workload. It was great. It was such an overwhelming feeling that single tears were now rolling down her cheeks.
"I take that as a yes", Unohana said laughing while wiggling her way out of the tight embrace. Doing so she could see her fuku-taicho's face again and was stunned to see the stray tears on it.
"Why are you crying? Are you in pain again?"
"No, Unohana-taicho. I am alright. I am just so happy that you let me work for you again. It almost feels like I am your fuku-taicho again."
"You have always been my fuku-taicho, Isane. Even while doing an excellent job at the academy as an instructor. Now, I let Hanataro-kun bring you some paperwork. Do you promise me to stop working as soon as you feel tired or sick again?"
"Yes, taicho-sama. I promise."
Satisfied with that answer, Unohana left the room and resumed her daily work at the squad. Even though Isane would now take over the paperwork there still had to be a lot done on a regular basis in her squad. And of top of it, the mystery around Isane's illness had to be resolved. In other words, for the first times in month Unohana Retsu would go to the library to do some research in the evening.
And so Unohana Retsu continued to work, treating patients with major and minor wounds, while Kotetsu Isane was sitting in her bed, happily working through reports and case files. Everything seemed fine until ..
"Alarm! Alarm! Help!" A screaming voice ran through the entire squad. Everyone turned their head into its direction, but all they could see was the back of a shinigami's black robe, because its owner was running at high speed until he bumped into Unohana-taicho, who had stepped out of her office as soon as she had heard the yelling.
"Alarm! Hel.. OUch!"
"I am sorry. Did you get hurt?" Unohana asked the young shinigami, who wore the robes of an academy student.
"No, I am alright", the young man answered before looking up and realizing whom he ran into. Getting to his feet in a flash, he immediately bowed to the fourth squad taicho apologizing.
"I am sorry taicho for running into you. I really am. Please, I had no intention of ..."
"It is alright. Now please calm down and tell me why you raised such an alarm", Unohana interrupted him trying to get to the bottom of the matter as soon as possible.
Suddenly remembering why he was here in the first place the young shinigami started to yell again.
"Alarm! Hollows from everywhere are attacking the academy. Teachers are already defeated. There is blood everywhere. Help or we are all going to die!"
Hearing this Unohana reached out to this panic stricken student, grabbing his arm to prevent him running away from her and trying to calm him down at the same time. He however, yelped in pain. Taking a closer look at him, the healer saw that his robes had been cut several times and it looked like he had matching bleeding wounds to these cuts on his skin. He needed immediate medical attention. Looking around the taicho's gaze fell on Isane, who had followed the screams and was now standing right in front of them.
"Isane, please take care of this man, while I contact the other squads and find out, what exactly is going on. As soon as you are done, please join me."
The fuku-taicho brought the slightly confused shinigami into the next treatment room and took care of his rather deep cuts and bruises. Meanwhile Unohana headed to the academy with several of her officers in tow to get a clearer picture of the situation at hand. On her way there a hell butterfly was crossing her way, transmitting its message and filling her in on the situation. Five dozens of hollows and 15 menos grande had suddenly appeared near the academy grounds and had started to wreak havoc.
Arriving at the academy Unohana took a moment to observe the whole situation. So far shinigami from squads eleven, ten, seven, six and thirteen had come to assist the academy staff in their attempt to regain control of the situation again. The five taichos were fighting with the menos grande while the lower ranks were trying to decrease the numbers of hollows. So far they had not been able to achieve much and Unohana could see several teachers, lots of students and shinigami being injured. Some of them couldn't even continue to fight and were laying on the ground, unable to get out of harm's way.
"Alright, seated officers of rang 10 and higher set up a first treatment place with ten shinigami to assist you over there by the woods. Lower officers start to rescue the injured out of the danger zone with the rest of the squad. Send the fuku-taicho to me as soon as she arrives. I will see to the other taichos' wounds while they remain in battle. Proceed."
As soon as these words were spoken everyone got busy following their respective duties. Unohana had to stop several severe bleedings that would otherwise have been fatal in the long run but apart from that the taichos were fairly able to stay alive and unharmed during battle. So Unohana Retsu began to help protecting and healing the injured shinigami on the ground by placing them into Minazuki's mouth and flying them to the now builded treatment place. She had just finished her first round when Isane arrived with the rest of her squad.
"Unohana-taicho!"
"Kotetsu-fuku-taicho, please assist me in rescuing the severely injured from the battle field. The other shinigami ought to help at the treatment site. There are already four times more injured than healers and no end in sight yet."
Calling forth Itegumo's Shikai, Isane jumped on Minazuki's back, ready to fight any- and everything that dared to come close to her taicho and her patients. Though the situation was really dreadful, Isane couldn't help but feel a spark of joy being right beside her beloved taicho-sama and doing what she could best.
The fight had been going on for two hours now. And to the amazement of all involved shinigami the numbers of the hollows had not decreased but grown, even though the taichos had released their bankais.
"Where the hell are they all coming from? There must be a big breach somewhere, through which they can easily enter our realm", Isane heard the ten's division taicho cursing while he fought another menos grande.
"I think so too, Hitsugaya-taicho. The twelfth squad is already searching for such a breach. I am sure they will find it soon and close it off", Isane responded while healing another wound on the young man's arm.
"What is that?" They suddenly heard a fearful cry behind them and both turned around. What they saw made their eyes widen in shock. Right in front of them appeared another spatial rift and another hollow with the size of a menos grande appeared. It was, however, not a menos. It looked rather like a giant kraken with about ten meters long tentacles armed with hundreds of pores and needle sharp spikes.
This creature was the most ugliest thing they had ever seen. They had however not much time to dwell on that thought, because it suddenly released a gassy green substance out of its pores. "Of course it cannot only impale but also spread poison", Isane thought as she saw several shinigami who had been near that creature suddenly fall unconscious.
"Fuku-taicho, Hyorinmaru and I will contain this gas while you take these men out of danger."
And with these words the young taicho was already on his way before Isane even had the slightest chance of responding. At first the plan seemed to work out, because Hitsugaya was able to draw the creatures attention on himself. But suddenly it changed its mind and aimed its tentacles towards Isane.
"Isane, watch out!"
Isane tried to react but saw that it was already too late. She could already see herself getting pierced through by one of the spikes when suddenly the tenth's devision haori blocked her sight. Within the last second Hitsugaya Toshiro had blocked the attack by literally jumping between the tentacle and Isane and slashing the creature's face with one stroke into two halves.
The fuku-taicho sighed in relieve at the sight of the dead hollow and was about to thank Hitsugaya when she heard him say:
"Damn, these spikes seems to be poisonous as wel..."
"Taicho, taicho! Isane cried out while turning the lifeless taicho around. What she saw made her own blood freeze in shock. His whole chest was covered with deep holes which had the exact same shape as the spikes. Several organs and arteries must have been hit as well, because his robes were drained in blood and Isane could feel with her hands how more of the warm liquid left his body. Concentrating some reiatsu in her hands to diagnose the precise damage she unfortunately realized that his last words were true as well. And the venom was spreading fast. If nothing was done right now he would surely die. Taking one more look around Isane saw Unohana approaching on Minazuki while the fight continued everywhere else around her.
So this was it. Exactly for such situations the instant healing kido spell must have been created. Isane concentrated all her reiatsu in her hands, manipulated it to match the young taicho's laying in front of her and started to speak out loudly the incantation:
"From fire to ice, from water to air, from heaven to earth and from life to death. I call forth the power of eternity: kido 113 - Phoenix of Hell."
"Isane, no!" came a yell from behind.
As always the kido spell worked. The wounds on Hitsugaya's body had all vanished and he had regained consciousness. He looked first up into Isane's face and then saw Unohana-taicho approaching with high speed. He was just about to ask what happened when the fuku-taicho started to feel dizzy and to sway until she lost her balance and fell right beside him on the ground.
Right that moment Unohana had finally reached them.
"Isane! Isane! Stay with me!"
Hitsugaya Toshiro was very surprised to hear Unohana literally pleading. He had never seen her so worried before - never once. As far as he could remember Unoahana had always been calm and composed. Right now she looked like her personal hell had appeared in front of her and she was suffering infinite pain.
"Unohana-taicho, what happend?"
Taking her eyes from her fuku-taicho, Unohana looked at the tenth squad leader.
"I do not have time right now to explain. Please get one of my squad here right now. Otherwise Isane will be lost forever", Unohana responded with a shaking voice.
Isane meanwhile couldn't say anything anymore. She slowly felt how darkness engulfed her. Yes, she felt her taicho was right beside her, but she seemed upset. Why? What happened? The last image she could see was her taicho's face drawn with worry, concern and pain. Had she been the cause for that? Isane wanted to help her, wanted to move and do anything to bring back that smile. But she couldn't move, nor could she speak. Why not? What happened? Everything just went black.