Chapter Seventeen: Visions of the Tempest

"No one but Night, with tears on her dark face,
Watches beside me in this windy place."

-Edna St. Vincent Millay

It was raining, pouring actually, the angry precipitation pelting the growing flood of water on the streets. While it was whirl-pooling around the drain pipes to be drawn away, the small funnels seemed to small to keep up with the water as it continued to come down from a sky infested with treacherous clouds. The roar of the storm was a constant loud hum that seemed to cut her off from all other sound.

She was trying to scream, running through the streets through she was drenched from head to foot and her soaked shoes and socks were only seeming heavier with each long stride. Fighting to move and yet barely seeming to make any ground at all, chest burning as she gasped for air, legs and side aching from the long exercise.

There was a amber light flickering through the blackness of the storm, flashing as if it was trying to communicate with her, call to her. Yet she could barely make it out against the rest of the lightning and fire enveloping the buildings around her as she continued to dash forward.

Then one of the explosions of light right next to her blasted her from the path and she went flying to the ground, frantically searching for the original light she'd been following but finding herself blind, with only the loud humming in her ears and the feeling of the water crushing her as any sensation at all.

Then she broke free but was in a field of battle. Her body moving consistantly to draw more arrows as she fought bizarrely shaped masked creatures. There were an entire army of them around her and no one else in sight. Each arrow cut well into their ranks on the empty, lifeless field, but a moment later a whole new surge came to greet them. They would sometimes slash her but she'd dodge away somehow and keep shooting, always running, always her arm reaching for more arrows. But they were endless and when she shot down two lines, four were ready to take their place.

Eventually they caught hold of her, teeth ripping into her flesh, a claw digging into one of her eyes til she felt it explode from the pressure, her brain barely picking up the signals of the other eye as one was above her feeding on her entrails. Still, despite the agony, she couldn't scream, she couldn't move to stop them, she could only watch as her remaining eye refused to close.

"Kagome..." Byakuya's voice was the first thing to reach her and she clung to his arms as she woke, eyes staring around the quiet plane in relief of her surroundings after the vivid nightmare.

They were already on their way back to Japan and it was evening as they'd barely made the final flight of the day. None of the other passengers even seemed to have noticed her so she couldn't have been protesting as she had the last time. Still it was a relief to have Byakuya right there next to her and it took her a few moments to realize she was shivering as he pet her hair and wrapped his blanket around her, his voice something her brain clung to as much as her arms did his body. "Shhh now, you are here with me. You are safe."

The comment helped, the strong essence of his spiritual power even muted as it was helped her to even out her own fears. "Could that have been something that happened to one of the other priestess'?"

"Kagome. What happened?" Him repeating her name helped her to let go enough to look up at him, having a hard time not bursting into tears as she thought about the horrific dream.

"I..had a nightmare about..dying." She barely managed the last word, and her voice broke as she recalled it, she swallowed and his rubbing her back still made her able to continue. "I was fighting hollows, and they just...kept coming and kept coming...then they knocked me over and I kept feeling them...they punctured my eye and chest and were..."

He settled a finger over her lips to pause her, sending a glare at a lady that had woken up and was looking at them. She went back to trying to sleep and he turned an instantly softened gaze back to Kagome. "It wasn't real."

"I know...but..." She shivered a little again but had already relaxed a lot from when she'd first woken in a panicked state. "...what if that's what happened to the other priests or priestess'. What if that's what they were talking about..?"

The finger that had been on her lips traced her cheek as she spoke again and then returned to her lips. "Kagome. I will not allow that to happen to you."

She nodded a little, the conviction in his voice, and the steel of his gaze was indeed reassuring, though she couldn't help but be a little skeptical in the case of what was happening. Then she saw him turn his gaze instantly toward the other side of the plane, his eyes widening in surprise. She knew that wasn't a good sign and tried to look after him but the other side of the plane seemed fine and she frowned a little.

"The Prince and Captain Yamamoto are fighting." He stated ominously, checking a pocket watch that was attached to his belt via a silver chain. "Another half and hour to an hour before this thing will land..."

Kagome then remembered the first more cryptic part of her vision and the frown deepened to a scowl. "We need to hurry though and find him if he's really fighting, he could be in great danger! Can't you get us there sooner? Now that we're back in the area?"

Byakuya glanced back to her and was trying to figure how she could go from shivering one moment to a tower of strength the next, but he didn't have much time to consider her as the plane lunged suddenly and started to go into a freefall before righting itself and bouncing again. Turbulence slamming them with sudden ferocity and other people on the plane began to wake and a baby somewhere far behind them on the plane started to cry.

"It's not that simple." Byakuya answered her honestly, arm gripping her a bit more as the plane bounced. "Opening a gate here is possible, but we're likely still over the ocean, and to transverse into the void is something that, even if we had a boat, would could only wind up taking us more time. We'll have to wait at least until we get closer, and it'll be something we'll have to cover up before we go."

"Cover up?" Kagome asked, trying not to think about the worsening turbulence and how bad things had to be for the storm to reach from the spiritual realm into the physical plane.

"I mentioned it once before. Augment memories." He replied, eyes considering the plane as he seemed to be planning something.

"Ladies and gentlemen." The announcer came on the intercom. "Please note the captain has turned on the seat belt sign. Return to your seats and remain there with your seat belts fastened."

"It's bad if it's affecting us this much right?" Kagome asked more seriously. Looking out the window to note they were in clouds and it was so dark she couldn't tell if they were over land or not. "Do you think he'll be okay?"

"The Prince or the Captain Commander?" Byakuya responded to the question with a question, gray gaze still seeming to consider the plane. "They are both fools it seems. But I imagine both will survive. I couldn't say whose stronger but I doubt they'll kill each other."

His tone of voice was all in business mode and she assumed that meant he was serious, he rarely joked around once he got all business like. "But they could weaken each other for the other enemies to come in and strike."

"It is highly likely." Byakuya answered in the same semi-distracted manner. Apparently he had already been thinking that before she realized it herself. "I wonder just how much goes on in that head of his at once?"

"We will need to leave soon. I think we're close enough that it will be safe now." He commented, leaning over to her to whisper in her ear, she could feel the warmth of his breath caressing her skin. "I will be back momentarily. Don't watch me, it'd be best if you close your eyes, unless you want your memories augmented."

She nodded and complied, holding her arm-rests tightly and squeezing her eyes closed as he left, instantly less comfortable on the rollercoasterlike bumps of the plane. She could tell there were some flashes, then could hear him distantly discussing something with what sounded like their flight attendant, then she felt his fingers on her arm and smiled at him nervously. He was back in his captain's uniform and his sword was drawn.

"Hold onto me, whatever you do, don't let go." He told her firmly and held his sword out suddenly, turning it like a key as the plane continued to jump and prod, she only kept her balance because she was holding onto him and his seemed untouched by the bouncing. Then they went through the door that appeared in front of them, vanishing from the flight right in the middle of it.

ooooo ooooo ooooo ooooo ooooo ooooo ooooo

The Prince settled lightly down to the ground after jumping away from the fire's that had been racing toward him. The heat on the field was immense and he found himself growing a layer of sweat as he dodged around the attacks of his old friend.

"This isn't the course to take Yamamoto." He stated in vague annoyance and he danced easily enough around the elder captain's attacks. Though the old man hadn't gotten anywhere near serious yet, he was still simply trying to goad him. Sestran was well aware of that much.

"You must return to your home Prince Sestran." The Captain didn't fail to use the proper title though the Prince was irritating him as well. "You cannot see what your connection to the normal realm is doing. You will cause more harm than good the way you are now. Your father sees that and only wishes to ease any suffering you would go through by causing such destruction to your people."

"Well, good to know he hasn't lost all his wiles." Sestran commented back, a wave of snow turning to steam as he blocked the most recent attack from the Captain. "I wonder if you have any idea at all the trouble he's causing. You must realize his thoughts and actions have been tainted by something. Sense when has he ever had you attack me and attempt to subdue me by force?"

"I do not wish it to be force child." The old man replied in a chiding tone of voice, the age difference not mattering to him at the moment. "You are the one making it that way. You only need return home where you belong. Your father is not the one out here unable to control his emotions and acting foolish."

"No, he has you to do that for him." Sestran grinned a bit as he considered that reply a win on the trash talking battle. "If he were here, the chaos you fear, would be much greater. Do you think I enjoy seeing my father as a senile old man?"

"I think you want the power for yourself and don't wish to wait any longer so you wish to cause ruckus where there is none to be had." The old man answered, his flaming blade turning toward him and the fires getting much closer than they had been a moment before, his kimono singed along his right arm, the flesh red from how hot the flames had been even for a split second.

His eyes flashed dangerously and it was the old man dodging attacks next, lightning splitting the sky as it began to darken. The Prince becoming more serious having an immediate and noticeable effect.

"The troublemaker had already been returned to Hueco Mundo Prince Sestran. I realize it bothered you that she claimed to be your mother...but your father saw through the illusions where you or I could not. There is no grand plan to attack the soul society, just a few weak souls who've been banished back to where they belong." The old man stated, settling himself close to Sestran as his fire burst around a wall of rock where the earth cracked and pushed Sestran up above the attack, all the grounds of soul society shaking at nothing more than his will.

The earthen platform was turned to magma but the Prince had already moved away again.

"You released her? You really are an old fool, I suppose you told the young Captain that he was being relieved. I wonder what it must feel like to be forced to justify your damning actions simply because my father is ordering you to do something against your will." Sestran sighed though, lightning driving the old man back again. "Don't you see, he'll kill us all in his madness and you'll just be reasoning out to yourself why you are going along. Have you really been under his thrall for so long?"

"Discussions are pointless then." The old captain announced, narrowing his gaze. "You are going back, or I will knock you down and drag you back. I am not beyond forcing you to see the error of your ways Prince Sestran."

"I am able to say the same Yamamoto. As much as it pains me...you are unable to listen to reason...it's always been one of your worst traits." Sestran shifted around the fire again, more snow and earth coming to his aid either to block or to knock the older man from his footing. "You never could admit your decisions were the wrong ones. It's part of the reason the soul society is in such a problematic state now."

"Silence." Yamamoto demanded, the flames of his blade curling ever closer to the agile Prince, it was just a matter of time and he'd wear him down, the old man was patient. "I will not hold conversation with you anymore. You will not change my mind."

"And for that...I am truely sorry for..." His words broke off as he pushed himself up on another platform of ground, looking out across the field at the woman that claimed to be his mother. The arrows she shot his way barely got a few feet before winds tossed them away. He shifted a mound over the old man's head with a wave of his hand, the most effort he'd put forth thus far as he sparred with him. "You woman, would do best to explain quickly."

The skies darkened further now that the unexpected creature had appeared again and distracted him, flickering in front of her and slashing the bow with a sword that had appeared during the instant transition.

She smiled at him though. "Oh come now dearest boy. Father is looking for you after all, he's decided if you can't come to him, then perhaps he should come to you. Think of how glorious that will be?"

"You are lying." He said immediately, shaking his head and not rising to the bait. "You aren't even good at it. You aren't the same woman...your form has been changed with magic. Who are you?"

"Hard to say." She replied, her body shifting from the memory of his mother to another woman with similar features and hair but with many more scars on her body. "I forgot my name before you were ever born. See, you can kill me here, but I'll come back, I've been working here too long to leave now."

"What do you mean?" He narrowed his stormy gaze, lightning seeming to arch between his eyes as a rain began to fall.

"I've been poisoning your father for ages. Why do you think he sent your friend there after you...and don't worry pet, I haven't gotten him to go after you yet...but I can. A few words from the real Midoriko, his beloved, and he'll do anything. Even send his best Captain after his son just because he thinks it's her asking. It's a wonderful thing this madness of his...luckier than I ever thought we'd come across. How long has he really been going Sestran? How many centuries have you been covering for your father's mental illness?"

The woman barely avoided the ball of lightning that appeared where she had been and didn't manage to completely evade the several bolts that exploded from it. The rain had already turned into a sleet and the fires of Yamamoto's sword were still boiling from beneath the rock he was trying to burst free from. Though the old Captain had been mostly forgotten by the Prince, his attention turned to this new woman.

She winced as she fell, having a harder time moving after getting caught by the electricity several times. "Even if you kill me, I'll just come back, I can't die...otherwise I'd of done so years ago on the fangs of countless hollow."

"You will find that your wishes for death were shallow before this." He replied darkly, the earth shifting around her and lowering her several feet in a makeshift prison shortly before lightning arched inside and slammed into her directly, leaving her no where to run. "Whatever war you think you've started here...I'll be glad to finish it for you dozens more times."

Hail had replaced the sleet, though none of the balls of ice seemed to hit him as it fell. The charred woman however was getting pelted as she pushed herself up a little despite all the damage, coughing a little blood. "You are almost as aggressive as the hollows. Unexpected, but we can deal with it. You see, we almost have what we need, and that girl you are so ready to protect...you know, the one that's getting married to someone else...she's going to die. She's already started to see the visions. It's only a matter of time now, and then, we'll have our final piece. You won't be as willing to stand against her on the battlefield will..."

Her words weren't cut off but that was the last Sestran heard of them as a blast of fire swept him away from the edge of the prison he'd made for her, the unexpected attack slamming him harder than he expected.

An arrow dug into his side then and he was forced to split his attention again, eyes shifting toward a row of women and men nearby, all of them had fired arrows but only one had successfully made it through the storm. He felt his shoulder and seeing his blood drawn, the slight blisters as a result of the fire that'd gotten him, he scowled at it and more lightning curled from him in multiple directions, he missed most of his attackers but they'd paused to consider when he attacked in such a manner. The hail had grown thicker and it was making dents in the ground that was quickly being carpeted in the white balls of ice.

He danced around the field, flickering here and there as he dodged around the small army while sending various counter-attacks...yet when he seemed to clear one group of the damned archers another seemed to arrive. Doing so while warding off Yamamoto was growing tedious very quickly, yet he didn't have much choice if his plan was to succeed. If the others could get down the barrier while he fought here, much more could be finished tonight.

A scream broke the monotony and more unexpected guests caught him staring long enough to get another face full of fire before he managed to position Yamamoto so he could drop him in more dirt again. Kagome and Byakuya were floating down from the sky, though how they'd gotten there he couldn't know. They were down before long, but it was the arrow sticking in Kagome's leg that caused him to pause long enough to move to the pair.

"Get her out of here Kuchiki." It was most obviously an order from the golden haired tempest, though he had to frown as she reached over to offer him healing. It did help and it felt nice enough that he allowed it a moment before backing away. "Now. Whatever she says or does, take her as far away from here as you can get...things are about to get dangerous."

His eyes bled completely black as he glanced at the arrow sticking from her thigh again before looking away, simply expecting his orders would be followed. The clouds reformed as they began to reach for the ground in a wide circle, winds curling so strongly around the archers that their arrows became useless and a few of them were picked up in the intense winds, a crash resounding through soul society as the tornado touched the earth and curled toward his enemies.

End Chapter

Whew, so yeah, that chapter was fun to write but parts were difficult. Lots of action. Wonder if my vision from the previous chapter was a good enough hint for what was coming or not. Anyway, getting back into the swing of things and feedback would be much appreciated.

-Aura

To my reviewers: