Chapter 27: Between Twilight and Dawn
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Between twilight and dawn lies a place where all the world around becomes a playground. There are no rules here, no limitations. We set them and break them as we will. Come, dance with me in these dreams as we have crafted them. Come alive for me and show me all of your unrestrained beauty. Love me or hate me, caress me or kill me…but, my love, do not leave me. If we are parted and this is the only place left, I will still pursue you endlessly here. Welcomed dream…feared nightmare…however you perceive me, I am yours…
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Kuchiki Akane felt the deep tremors of power that seemed to take hold of her and everything around her, shaking them violently, until she thought everything must be breaking apart. Her fathers' faces flashed in her mind and something inside told her to run…and where to run…
She dashed from her room, out into the garden, along the flowered trail, through the entry, ignoring the worried voice of the housekeeper and the feeling of Rukia following. She had never been able to flash step before, but she found herself managing it now, the power rising up inside of her, driving her through the streets of the Seireitei to where the tremors had come from. She heard screams and cries coming from somewhere ahead of her and smelled brimstone. And everywhere around her, pale white ash continued to fall like snowflakes.
She reached out with her mind, trying to connect with the soft, gentle reiatsu that always wrapped around her when Daddy Bya was with her…or the strong, safe feel of Daddy Ren's that felt like a shelter against any threat. But she couldn't sense anything. It was as though the two had disappeared entirely.
She heard Rukia behind her somewhere, calling her and ignored the sound, the only thing that mattered now being not to lose her fathers, the one who looked soft and pale outside, but was stronger inside than anyone she knew…and the other loud and strong on the outside, but soft and loving at heart. She rubbed her face to clear the tears from her eyes, then ran into the smoke and haze that billowed around the place where the Kuchiki Council Hall had once stood, and now lay in burning ruins.
She slowed and stared, staying in the shadows and circling toward the ruins, her wide, gray eyes touching briefly on the Captain Commander, who sat with the healers, and stared at the smoking wreckage with worn, haunted eyes.
"Have they found anyone else," he asked the healers quietly.
"No sir, they are still searching."
Unohana taichou stepped into the clearing beside the ruins of the building and smiled sadly at the Captain Commander.
"I am glad to see you are safe, Soutaichou. Can you tell me who is left inside, so that we know who we are searching for?"
Soutaichou's eyes closed and his head bowed slightly.
"I saw Kuchiki Byakuya…Abarai Renji…Kuchiki Yoshinori…Kyoraku taichou and Ukitake taichou. I also sensed, but did not see Aizen Sousuke. Abarai Renji was near me when the blast destroyed the building. Aizen Sousuke was somewhere on the far side of the room. Kuchiki Yoshinori, Kyoraku and Ukitake were shielding Kuchiki Byakuya near the center of the room. Kuchiki Yoshinori…or rather, Aizen Sousuke, told me that the bodies of ten murdered councilors were in the chamber somewhere as well."
Unohana nodded and turned briefly to speak with the search team. She turned back to Soutaichou and dropped onto her knees, checking the status of his healing.
"I am certain that we will find everyone…and all will be well again. Rest, Soutaichou…"
The old man's eyes returned to the broken ruins of the Kuchiki Council Hall.
"I remember when that building was constructed. There was such strength in the Kuchiki clan then. Ginrei and I were more than just comrades in arms. We became close friends. I was there when Kuchiki Soujun was born…and watched him grow into his powers. I knew even then that, although he was talented, he wasn't made for battle, but I said nothing in deference to my friend. We were all amazed when Kuchiki Byakuya was born. We were greatly saddened by the loss of his mother during his birth, but he was born strong, and only ever seemed to grow stronger. He was a comfort and a blessing to Soujun after losing his wife…and he was the only true source of comfort to my friend when Soujun fell on the battlefield. I wondered many times if I had made a mistake, not arguing against making Soujun fukutaichou. His promotion went against my instincts, and I always regretted it afterward. Ginrei was never the same. He remained in the Seireitei long enough for Byakuya to reach taichou level, then after the death of Kuchiki Hisana, he turned over everything to Byakuya and left for the spirit dimension. I made it my task to continue to watch over my friend's grandson…but then…even Byakuya was gone."
He sighed softly.
"Not a day goes by that I do not regret my failure to listen to Kuchiki Byakuya's concerns. Though I know Aizen's plan was carefully crafted and that he would have made other plans to acquire Byakuya had that one not worked, it weighs on me to know that, not only did I practically hand him over to our enemy. It was my ban kai that destroyed him. I managed to shield Abarai Renji from my attack, but Byakuya's went out of control and I lost my hold on Abarai. The others reached Byakuya as he was caught between my attack and his own and they were engulfed by both as they tried to shield him. Having just destroyed his senkei, Byakuya was still defenseless. I do not know if they reached him in time to protect him…not that it matters. With the forces that collided around him, there might be nothing left…of any of them…"
"Did you see what happened to Aizen Sousuke?" Unohana asked quietly.
"No," admitted the Captain Commander, "My attack was already released and between that and Byakuya's release, I could see and sense nothing of Aizen's fate."
They turned their heads to look as cries went up from the searchers and Abarai Renji was pulled from the wreckage.
"If you will excuse me," said Unohana softly, "I will see to Abarai fukutaichou."
Akane sobbed softly and moved closer, careful to stay out of sight. She saw Rukia run into the clearing and heard her crying and calling Renji's name, then for 'Nii-sama,' which Akane knew was what she called Daddy Bya.
"Stay back," the healers told Rukia as Renji was set down.
She knelt near Renji, but out of the way, and Akane could see that she was crying harder. Unohana taichou knelt next to her and put an arm around her as they watched the healers set up a healing field around Renji, then green light flared as the healing began.
"Do not worry, Kuchiki Rukia," Unohana taichou said reassuringly, "his reiatsu is strong. He will require surgery, but he will survive."
Rukia nodded, but tears still streamed down her face.
"But Nii-sama," she sobbed, "and I don't know where Akane went! She ran this way as the building exploded. I can't find her!"
Akane felt an urge to run to her right then, but she couldn't stop thinking about her father, who was still in the burning ruins of the building. She moved away from the healers and around to an area darkened by the foliage, then along the back of the ruins. She saw an opening in the wreckage that looked big enough for her to slip inside. Covering her mouth, she crawled inside, placing her body carefully to avoid being burned as she moved among the smoldering pieces of debris. She thought she heard someone cough somewhere ahead of her, then ducked into a corner as one man crawled past without seeing her, dragging another behind him.
"We're almost out, Juushiro," the first man said.
"Shunsui," said the other, coughing heavily, "Did you see Byakuya?"
"No," said the other, "I felt him being thrown away from us when everything exploded. I looked for him, but I couldn't find him. His cousin is looking…and I'll come back once you are safe."
"Don't worry about me!" Ukitake said firmly, "I'll be fine…but Byakuya…"
"Don't start with me. I'm getting you out of here…"
Their voices faded away and Akane moved forward again, working her way in the direction they had come from. She thought she heard more coughing somewhere ahead of her and heard a deep, male voice calling Byakuya's name. Her face felt flaming hot and she stopped and swept her long red hair back. She lowered herself closer to the ground to find the fresher air. She thought she might have seen someone crawl by near her, but she couldn't be sure. She lifted herself again and pressed forward, blinking the ash out of her eyes as she went. She crawled carefully over a fallen beam, then heard a low sound of pain and turned her head to look beneath it.
"Daddy Bya!"
He was lying on his stomach with his face rested on his curled arms. Jagged, broken beams crisscrossed above and on top of him, hiding his lower body from her view. She moved quickly to his side, screaming for help. She thought she might have heard someone call back, then knelt next to him, lifting the hair away from his face and calling to him urgently.
"Daddy Bya…Daddy Bya, please wake up!"
It was too dark to see if he was breathing, so she rested her body against his side for a moment and was relieved to feel the motion as he drew and released breath. He moaned softly, and she moved back to his head, kissing his face and rubbing his hands.
"Daddy Bya!"
The beams around Byakuya groaned and cracked, then shifted, making him cry out. Akane bent over him, sliding her hands down his back until they found the splintered wood that held him down. Byakuya groaned and shivered under her hands, but his eyes remained closed and he said nothing she could understand.
Akane remembered seeing the healers leaned over Daddy Ren…and the green light that flowed out of their hands as they worked. She knew from having been able to flash step that she was beginning to have shinigami powers and wondered if she could help that way. She called out for help several more times, and this time heard someone call back and the sound of searchers moving in their direction. She breathed in as deeply as she could, without choking on the smoke and slid her hands down on his back again to where she had sensed his pain. Akane closed her eyes and tried to see the green, healing power in her mind. She breathed slowly, in and out, matching her breathing to his, then feeling the weak brush of his reiatsu as hers began to flow into his body. She opened her eyes and caught her breath at the glow of green light that surrounded them.
She heard a sound of surprise behind her, and then Kuchiki Yoshinori was next to her, gazing down at Byakuya, then back at her.
"Child, what in kami's name are you doing here?" he gasped.
She turned her head slightly and saw then that there was blood on his face and chest, and he held one arm close to his body, as though it might be broken.
"I had to help Daddy Bya!" she exclaimed softly.
Yoshinori's eyes became gentle and he nodded.
"That sounds just like what he would have done," he said, watching as Akane continued to heal her father, "He too, was very determined…always very protective. It was as though he knew that he would someday be responsible for the well-being of our family, and he always looked out for the rest of us…"
He studied the zigzag of broken beams around his cousin and shook his head.
"Like a house of cards," he muttered disapprovingly.
He tried to push carefully past where Byakuya's body lay to free him, but found the space too small. He moved around to the other side and found the same. He caught his breath softly, noting that the flames were moving closer and the air was getting harder to breathe.
"Kuchiki Akane," he said sternly, "you must go and find help. I cannot lift the beams enough to free him, with my arm being broken as it is."
"I can't leave him," the girl objected, "He is hurt really badly…"
"And he needs a trained healer. You have kept him alive, but you are not yet strong enough to save his life. Every minute counts…"
The beams groaned again and Byakuya recoiled and loosed a sharp cry.
"Daddy Bya!"
The dark eyes opened and met hers wearily. He blinked in surprise.
"A-a…kane," he gasped.
"I'm here, Daddy," she said, pulling her hands away and lowering herself down next to him, so that their faces were close together.
"You m-must…listen to…Yoshinori. Go…and find help. G-go Akane!"
"Byakuya-sama," Yoshinori said, meeting his cousin's eyes worriedly, "What can I do?"
"N-nothing," Byakuya managed in a trembling voice, "Go with Akane. Make certain…she is…safe."
"We're not leaving you, Daddy Bya," Akane said in a shaking voice, "We're going to save you."
"Akane…"
Yoshinori looked again at the beams that rested on top of Byakuya, then at the small girl. His brow furrowed slightly and his eyes grew intense.
"Kuchiki Akane, stand here and when I tell you to, push up on this beam as hard as you can. Put your body under it, like this…and push hard."
Akane moved into the small space and set her body against the beam.
"Now, I'm going to send my reiatsu into you to give you added strength. Push as hard as you can. Now!"
Akane felt the rush of power move through her and lifted with all of that strength. The beam moved slightly and Byakuya gave a hard scream of pain. Yoshinori gripped him by the shoulders and pulled him free.
"You did it!" Yoshinori said, wrapping an arm around her, "Now, we have to get out quickly. He's lost consciousness, likely from the shock of being freed. We need to reach the healers quickly."
Akane moved out ahead of the noble as he dragged Byakuya along and followed after. But the way ahead of them was thick with smoke and they felt the air growing hotter. All at once, the debris ahead of them shifted and dropped, blocking their path.
"This way!" Akane called, turning.
She led Yoshinori carefully between the fallen beams and broken furniture, around the blockages. She turned her head slightly and caught sight of something reflecting the fire. She squealed in fear and shrank back against Yoshinori.
"It's…it's…his!" she exclaimed softly.
Yoshinori looked down at the shattered remains of the sword.
"It is Kyouka Suigetsu," he said softly, "but it's been shattered. Come…I don't see him here. He was hit directly, Akane. He is dead. Come."
Turning her head away from the broken remains of Aizen Sousuke's zanpakutou, Akane moved forward. She felt the cool brush of the breeze and turned toward it, slowly leading Yoshinori out of the building. They stopped as they broke free and Yoshinori called loudly for the healers. This time, they heard and came running. They lifted Byakuya carefully onto a stretcher and carried him away. A female healer, lifted Akane into her arms and carried her back to Rukia, while a male healer led Yoshinori after them.
"Akane!" cried Rukia, throwing her arms around the girl, "Akane, are you all right?"
"She has only cuts and some minor burns," the healer assured Rukia, "She will be all right."
Rukia trembled with relief and she hugged the girl tightly.
"Thank you," she whispered in Akane's ear, "Thank you for saving Nii-sama."
She set Akane down and watched as the healer cared for her cuts.
"But what were you thinking?" Rukia said, her voice reproving, "You could have been killed going in there! You know better than to go into a burning building…"
"I know," the girl said in a small voice, "but something told me that I had to…"
Rukia's lips thinned into a tight line.
"Well, you were very brave, Akane, but next time, you let the search teams do the searching!"
"I will, Aunt Rukia," Akane promised, wrapping her arms tightly around Rukia.
They turned their heads, watching as the healers set Byakuya down and raised a healing field around him. Nearby, Soutaichou lifted his eyes and stared.
"He still lives…" he whispered.
"And I will see to it personally that he remains alive," promised Unohana taichou, rising and making her way to the noble's side.
"If living is possible after what he's endured," the Captain Commander sighed, letting his eyes drift shut again.