Chapter 9: The Gift

"I've brought your tea, Captain Kuchiki," Takeo says softly, placing the tea at my bedside.

I sit up a little higher against the pillows and pick up the mug, sipping and watching Renji's son. He looks back at me and I can see the guilt. I can see he's trying to find the right words. He knows the seriousness of what he's done.

"Takeo, please, sit down."

He takes a seat beside my bed and gazes up at me. I can see that he's scared to death, but like his father, this boy forces it down and faces the uncertainty with great strength.

"I know you and Renji had a lot to talk about. I hope that you found some peace in what he told you."

It's as though he hasn't heard me.

"Sir…I am sorry. I would never want to hurt you. I've always looked up to you. I feel horrible about this," he says.

"Renji says that Raiden lied to you about what the compound would do…"

"Yes, but I still betrayed my division, my captain, and my father…even if not for the poison. I accept that there is a price I will pay for that."

I nod. There is no point in pretending he won't face some manner of consequence at some point.

"Takeo, I won't lie to you and say that all is forgiven. But I will say that no one is perfect. I have done my share of damage and I, too have paid the cost. Renji and I will try to be a support to you whatever happens."

He looks down at his feet.

"Do you hate me for this? Do you want to kill me? I wouldn't stop you, sir."

I sigh.

"You didn't consciously choose to harm me. And I think…that enough damage has been done, Takeo. Help Renji, help me…and we'll figure out the rest as we go."

He nods.

"You may go, Takeo. Renji is making preparations for your mission. Go and check in with him."

He bows and leaves.

I rest for a time, but my body refuses to relax. Finally, I leave my bed and walk out into the garden. The peacefulness refuses to reach me. I continue out the gate and up the forest path. Halfway to the waterfall, I sense an unfamiliar reiatsu and I hear voices. I move silently closer, lowering my reiatsu so I won't be sensed. There are two unfamiliar male voices and they are, I realize, speaking about Takeo.

"Raiden said to wait here until dark and then we'll go get the kid," says one.

"Do you think he'll really get it?"

"If he doesn't, we kill him and dump him. End of story. You know there's something Raiden doesn't like about that kid anyway. It'd be just as well if we killed him, whatever. Maybe we should just kill him even if he brings it."

"Nah…not worth the effort. He's just a useless kid. But he got in here, so Raiden will want to use him for all he's worth."

"You think Kuchiki will really die?"

"Yeah, poor bastard. That shit they used on him is nasty. There isn't a cure. He's dead. I just wonder why Raiden wanted to kill him."

"Sounds personal."

"Yeah, it does."

I gather my spirit energy and move into position to attack.

"What's that?" one says, sensing the sudden increase in spirit energy.

"Hado #33 Soukatsui!"

A sudden heavy shock passes through my body and I realize that the spell has failed. Reeling, I move back and lower my reiatsu…but it is too late. They are already moving towards me. I realize the impossibility of attempting to face them with no weapon and no power. As I try to engage my flash step, it fails as well. Hands take hold of me and drag me to the ground.

"Well, look who's walking alone. Should we just kill you now or have fun first?"

I may be powerless, but I am not without strength or fighting skill. I twist free and roll to my feet, then turn to engage one of my attackers, striking him soundly in the face and sending him to the ground. The second grabs me from behind and I bring my heel down onto his foot and drive an elbow sharply into his ribs. I start to turn for the manor, but the first attacker is on his feet again and hits fires a binding spell at me. Unable to counteract it, I roll to dodge it instead and end up in the grasp of a third man I hadn't even sensed. His grip is viselike…and the reaction of the other two men is instant. They freeze, staring. It suddenly occurs to me who this man has to be. He holds me tightly against him, laughing softly.

"I wondered what you two were up to. Playing around on the job? You idiots weren't supposed to allow yourselves to be discovered. You're as useless as that boy. You on the other hand," he says in my ear, "could prove to have some value. Sorry I can't let you go back, but we can't have them finding out we're here. Judging by the fact that you haven't killed me or broken free, I'm assuming that the poison is doing its job. So the decision becomes…do I just finish you now…or is there a way to use this to my advantage?"

I sense Takeo passing through the gate.

"Captain Kuchiki, I'm a person who likes to make sure people get what they deserve. Your vice captain took something of value from me and I expect something of equal value in return."

I feel him growing closer. I think for a moment, then slowly lower my reiatsu. It is not lost on the one who holds me.

"Interesting…You could attract his attention, but you choose this instead. Why are you protecting him? Didn't you just hear them talking about him? If you know he's working for me, then why protect him? He's getting close now. Should I kill him? He's the one who poisoned you. Shouldn't you desire his death?"

I feel his spirit energy rising and Takeo stops nearby on the trail, his senses extended.

"Takeo…RUN!" I cry, struggling to break free.

The arms around me tighten and I struggle for breath. I hear Takeo edging closer.

"No!" I gasp, "Takeo, find Renji!"

That makes him pause, and in that moment, I make a final effort and pull free of the man holding me.

"Hado #33 Soukatsui!"

The blue fire flies from Takeo's extended hands and just misses the man trying to corner me again. The other two are moving towards Takeo now.

"Takeo! Run! That is an order!"

I feel Renji's reiatsu approaching quickly. Strong hands take hold of me again.

"You're troublesome, aren't you? Stop fighting me, or I'll kill the boy now. I don't know yet who he is to you, but I know not to trust him…and if he comes back, I'll kill him. Come, we'll let them distract your vice captain while we move on."

I feel the shock of kido pass through me and start to drop to the ground. I am caught up and carried deeper into the brush. I can see Takeo fighting the other two men, but I cannot move.

"Let's go, Captain. I think they can take care of this without us, don't you?"

XXXXXXXXXX

"Takeo! What the…"

Zabimaru comes up just in time to keep some guy from taking my head off with his zanpakuto.

"Roar Zabimaru!"

The blade crashes into his zanpakuto, sending him flying backwards and out of sight. I run towards Takeo, drawing Zabimaru back for another strike, but Takeo sends the shadow wolf after the second. He howls as the teeth slash at him. Zabimaru sends him tumbling away.

"They have the Captain!" shouts Takeo.

He follows after the retreating forms, his shadow wolf running ahead of him, howling and slashing with its bared teeth. The men flash step and leave Takeo behind. I flash step after, sending Zabimaru ahead again. Their reiatsu fades into the distance.

"The captain!" Takeo gasps, finally catching up with me, "They took Captain Kuchiki!"

"Okay, Kid, we'll get them," I assure him, "We know where they're going. The only problem is that I think they know you're on our side now. If we don't work fast, they'll clear that hideout and move everything and everyone somewhere else."

I summon a hell butterfly and send it winging off for the stealth force.

"Come on!" I yell to Takeo, "Let's get Rikichi and go after them.

XXXXXXXXXX

"Are you comfortable, Captain Kuchiki?" Raiden asks, studying me from the doorway, "I am sorry about the restraints, but you seem to be a bit too persistent in your efforts to escape."

I won't give him anything, not even anger. I simply stare back at him.

"So quiet…so calm. Don't you wonder?" he asks, "Don't you wonder why you are dying? Why I set you up to die?"

I maintain my silence. I try not to react when he takes a blue pendant from his breast pocket and strokes it gently in his hand as he continues to talk to me.

"It isn't even about you, really. It's about a girl I knew. Did your lover tell you about her? Did he tell you that you are going to die because he stole her from me?"

He sits down in a chair facing me. I look into his eyes calmly, highly aware of the fact that he continues to stroke the pendant in his hand.

"I don't know, sometimes, Captain…I know she was an agent, but there was something so compelling about her. It's easy to see why they used Kasumi to infiltrate my group. She had me going for quite some time. Yes, she flirted and teased and proved herself to be very reliable and useful…so much so that I opened my heart to her. Captain, I told her things I had never entrusted to anyone. I loved her. I loved her enough to want to marry her, but she kept putting me off. Finally, I became suspicious. I followed her to see where she went when she wasn't with me. I saw them making love…and I figured she was playing some kind of game. I scrutinized everything after that and I soon learned that she was pregnant. I confronted her and, even then, gave her a chance to marry me. I was even willing to overlook what she had done, and the fact that her child wasn't mine. That is how much I felt for her. All I asked was that she stay with me and leave her work and her lover behind. I was devastated…just devastated when she refused me. She ran. She didn't know that I already knew who her lover was, and where she would go. I went there and I thought I killed them both. It wasn't until just recently that I learned that he was still alive. I saw him, you see. I saw him with you…here, in Inuzuri, just a few weeks ago. You may remember. You were visiting old Michi, the doctor. But I remembered Renji Abarai…well, I remembered his face, anyway."

He sighs and rubs his hands over his face.

"I want him to die, Captain, and he will…but he will lose you first. I apologize for reducing you to collateral damage, but you hold a special place in his life…you are to him what I wish Kasumi could have been to me…"

"She was right to run. You are twisted…nearly as twisted as your evil master, Sosuke Aizen," I say in a low, sarcastic voice.

He only laughs, refusing to be baited.

"My master…my master would love to get his hands on you again, Captain. I know what he did to you when he held you in his fortress in Hueco Mundo. Perhaps if you weren't going to die so soon, it might be fun to torment you by sending you back to him. But torture and head games aren't my way. I deal damage, Captain. I'll damage Renji by killing you and then I'll send him to join you. So you see, you won't be without him for long. I hadn't anticipated capturing you. This is a bit surprising, but since I have, I'll make the most of it."

He leans toward me. He reaches for my throat and removes the gold sakura pendant Renji gave me for our first anniversary.

"I'll need this to send as a message to Renji, but let me give you a gift in return."

I hold my breath. He leans toward me again and fastens the blue pendant at my throat.

"This belonged to her," he tells me in a soft voice, "You see, I want you to be wearing this when he finds your body."

He rises and returns to the doorway.

"We have some things to do before you die, Captain. I'll let him know I have you. I'll let him search for you. I'll even tease him with a cure for the poison…but when he finds you…I will have something back in equal measure to what he took from me."

He smiles.

"Rest, Captain. And be comforted. I have no wish to cause you any further torment. While you live, I will see to your comfort and my personal physician will attend you. You are, after all, a person of importance. A guard is outside the door if there should be anything you need."

He steps out of the room and the door closes softly behind him. There is no click. Apparently, he is confident I am too weak and too tightly bound to break free. He has made a mistake he will pay for…as soon I can slip the bonds that hold me.

xxxxxxxxxx

"What the hell?" I exclaim, looking around the inside of the warehouse.

It's obvious they only left recently. He must have sent word as soon as he grabbed Byakuya.

"Should we try looking for a reiatsu trail?" Takeo asks.

"Good thinking, kid," I tell him, "There's just one problem…You and I suck at that."

"Well," says Rikichi, smiling and drawing his zanpakuto, "You two might…but I don't. I'm not as good as Captain Kuchiki, but I'll give it a shot."

"Wait…hold on!" I say, "We'll do that, but we'll need one more thing to help us."

They stare at me questioningly.

"Senbonzakura. It's back at the manor."

"Uh…Renji," Rikichi says, looking worried, "Senbonzakura is sealed, remember? You do remember what it did to Captain Kuchiki?"

"Yeah, I haven't forgotten," I assure him, "but I think if we unseal the sword and use Zabimaru to keep control of it…maybe the spirit inside will talk to Zabimaru. It can tell us when we're getting close to where he is. Remember, time is a factor. We don't have time for mistakes. Come on, let's go back and get that zanpakuto!"

Rikichi and Takeo exchange exasperated glances before we all climb on board Rikichi's eagle and head back toward home.