21: Path to Recovery

"You are a man, not God; you are human, not an angel. How can you expect to remain always in a constant state of virtue, when this was not possible even for an angel of heaven, nor for the first man in the Garden?"

-Thomas A Kempis

Kagome scrambled as a slice barely missed her back, closing the door on the visor wearing freaky guy wielding the sword that had been aimed at her belly. "What the hell does justice have to do with murder? This guy is definitely not playing with a full deck of cards."

She was forced to throw her arms up in front of her face as her self-proclaimed assassin burst the door apart, shards of it flying all over. She winced as she felt pieces of the wood piercing the flesh of her arms and rolled as best as she could away from the door…though she'd actually tripped on a rug it did seem like she'd managed to accidentally dodge the worst of the blast. She heard the blade's whistle as it passed near where her head would have been and felt a bit of wind from it, a few of her hairs falling to the floor as evidence of just how close to death she had been.

"Byakuya!" She called out for the guy that was suppose to be protecting her but even as she pushed herself from the floor the noble soul reaper had already flash stepped back into the room and had placed himself between Kagome and Tousen. She didn't take much time to dwell on his quickness before ducking behind a chair and peering over it, expecting the oncoming battle.

"You think you can trespass in my own home and succeed?" Byakuya's voice was hard and cold, unforgiving and noble...it was somehow different than when he had been speaking to her recently. It made her want to shiver, she could feel the power levels in the room rising and gripped the leather seat as she continued to peep from it's imaginary safety. "I will not tolerate such insult. Your betrayal to soul society cannot be forgiven."

"I suppose that orders to kill me on site have been given." Tosen sighed softly, his voice still collected. "You were always an honorable man Captain Kuchiki. I will give you the chance to back away, it is regrettable but this woman must be killed. This is simply the path with the least bloodshed. "

"Did your sense completely evaporate when you left soul society? You will not lay a hand on my ward." He held his blade a bit higher, narrowing his eyes before he vanished from sight. His sword blocked inches before it would have cut into Tosen's shoulder a moment later when he flickered back into reality behind him. Though unlike when he fought Ichigo he didn't seem surprised, it wasn't a shock that a former captain would be able to block him.

"I regret that you make me turn my blade against you." He said and then did just that, his sword parried at each of three successive strikes. Sparks flying at the strength of the metal blades smashing into one another. The two shoving each other backward a few steps and then remaining still as they measured their opponent.

"You let your betrayal and the temporary protection you had during your cowardly retreat bolster you more than you should." Byakuya commented, raising his blade in front of him. "Before you allow your pride to swell I will end this. Scatter, Senbozakura."

"Predictable." Tosen replied, flash stepping behind his opponent and slashing downward only to find a shield of blades twirling like cherry blossoms in the spring preventing his strike. Tousen drew back as several additional pieces of Byakuya's blade cut into his arms and moved to chase after him as he dodged and danced away. His senses pulling at him as hundreds of the blades interrupted his hearing and made him unable to form a counterattack without taking a devastating amount of damage himself.

"I will not allow you to escape." Byakuya promised darkly, his shadowy eyes focused on the target as his 'petal's' curled in the air at his will, webbing around the doors that would allow escape and dancing in a deceptively innocent wall of pain.

"It isn't that easy." Tousen commented and reached back to begin opening a portal back to Hueco Mundo then jumped away from another grouping of the deadly petal like miniature swords chasing him.

"Soul society expected you would chase this girl here…you cannot open any portals to the other worlds from this place." Byakuya raised his hand to better position his blades around his target, repeating the previous comment with an edge of mock in his voice. "Predictable."

Tousen vanished again though was steadily taking more cuts on him body, his clothing was tattered from the many attacks he'd avoided, and backed into a corner he raised his own blade, letting himself take some hits so he could prevent others. "Bankai."

Darkness spread around him, doming outward into the large mansion and while it did interrupt Byakuya's senses as planned it hadn't cut the leader of the house of Kuchiki off from counterattacks, the moment the blackness enveloped him Byakuya didn't seem afraid as many that Tousen had seen in his Bankai, instead he held his sword in front of him and dropped it. Intoning the same word that the former captain just had. "Bankai."

Byakuya's sword instead of clanging from the floor went through it like it was water, sending ripples in reality itself out from where it had 'struck' the earth, blades rising around him and bursting into millions as opposed to thousands of sharp petals.

Tousen's dash toward his opponent was cut short, his blade only managed to reach him before his body was crushed in razors, blood pouring from around the dark skinned man even as his own power cracked and faded as he faded from consciousness amidst the agony of being crushed by sword point.

Kagome was blinking as she could suddenly see again, seeing in a shade of pink because of the protective pedal wall he'd erected in a dome shape around her - he'd remembered where she'd been well enough but still had made it wide - the given pieces of his swords the reason he'd ended up taking a deep slash in his left shoulder. Though he left most of the shattered Senbonzakura where it was, if the enemy was to shift he'd tighten the pile, instead walking over as Kagome watched her thin wall drift off as if it were in a breeze as Byakuya approached her.

"Are you all right?" He asked seriously as he stopped a respectful distance away.

She just nodded wordlessly, walking up to him as she looked at his shoulder with a frown. "You were hurt."

"It isn't a large enough wound to be bothered with right now. I need to contact soul society so they can retrieve the body." He explained, starting to turn away after he looked her over. "You should wait here and return to your practice."

"Wait." Kagome moved over, holding a hand near his injured shoulder as she protested him leaving. Closing her eyes and concentrating, she had healed him back in the alley hadn't she? She could now. She remembered what it was like then, back in the alley…the steady pour of the rain a thrum around the both of them, cocooning them away from the rest of the world. She hadn't been worried about anything else then and now she was only worried with helping to save Byakuya the only way she knew how - to heal his pain.

Then there was a surge of energy around her, making the noble pause to watch her as the gentle golden glow enveloped them both. It stung a bit at first, the way it would when a wound was first cleaned, then it started to feel better…as if she had lifted them both from the graphic scene in his study and given that moment to truly recover. The golden light was warm and friendly as it washed over the rest of his body, curling restoratively along the other small cuts or bruises he had from his recent battles. It reminded him of times when he was young, when he was held by his grandfather and everything seemed well…when he cuddled into his sheets and could truly rest.

…when he held his Hisana close the first time…

The last thought was too much for him and he pulled away from Kagome before the memories continued…pleasant as they might have been they were also hard to reflect on. Those things were all lost to him. The light faded after he stepped away and Kagome reopened her eyes, a tired smile touching her cheeks as she noted his injury had closed, then it faded into a frown as she noted the sad expression on his face, opening her mouth as if to ask a question before she fell forward…the power she called upon still too alien to her for her to use it without consequences.

Byakuya shifted instantly to catch the young priestess, noting that she was still pleasantly warm after the spell she'd called on, trying to ignore the scent of cherry blossoms that seemed to cling to her. He lifted her higher, glancing to the necklace still settled beautifully on her chest, innocently mocking him in it's gentle sparkles. Then looked away again, he didn't have time at the moment to dwell on the past, he wouldn't allow himself that luxury when there was work to be done. Instead he settled her on the couch and moved to contact soul society and tell his staff to leave someone with Kagome at all times when he was absent.

ooooo ooooo ooooo ooooo ooooo ooooo ooooo

"Do you think she's still being targeted?" The voice was much too young to be Byakuya, though it was almost equally as serious as he often sounded. Kagome kept her eyes closed, she was still drowsy after calling on her powers and wanted to eavesdrop while they thought her sleeping.

"I cannot know for sure but if Aizen sent someone as important to his plans as Tousen then I would not be surprised if once his defeat is known that more forces will attempt to reach her." That voice was definitely Byakuya.

The two couldn't be standing very far from each other but weren't so close to her that they seemed to be watching over her either. Though she knew that she had to be the topic of this somber conversation.

"It would be safer to take her to soul society." the younger voice commented. "Is there a good reason you are continuing her training here as opposed to there?"

There was a long silence after that question and she could picture Byakuya looking irritated at someone asking him a question like that. Though she wouldn't have predicted the reply he finally gave.

"She disagreed with leaving so she could continue her pursuit of her academic studies in this world…after a troubled past year she needs high marks to get into the school of her choice." Byakuya explained with a very neutral tone. "We cannot force her…I doubt kidnapping will do much to inspire her to work at training with us."

"Her body could be given an artificial soul capable of doing her work and her work could be brought to her." the younger voice answered. "With the situation escalated the royalty wishes for her to be taken to a safer place to continue…you understand what that means."

The was another pause, longer even than before and while Kagome was very tempted to open her eyes to see the expressions on the faces of the people deciding her fate she knew they would clamp up even more if she were to be seen waking.

"I will not take her there against her will." Byakuya replied, a coldness having worked it's way into his tone. "We will simply have to ask her when she wakes."

"I don't agree with the tactics either but it's not our place to question orders. You'll be labeled as a traitor if you don't bring her with…all of her concerns for not going are already being addressed; that should be considered generous where the nobility is concerned." The boy seemed to be losing his patience. "We can't afford more fights within our own Captain Kuchiki…"

Byakuya seemed ready to reply faster that time but Kagome shifted herself and started moving as if she'd just woken up, stretching a little and yawning before opening her eyes a bit. Her performance had apparently been convincing, her self-proclaimed guard was back to his expressionless self - or had been the whole time she couldn't know.

The other person in the room was a much shorter boy, not much older than her younger brother Souta. He had silver hair similar to Sesshomaru's that seemed uncombed with how much it stuck in the air. He was frowning a bit and seemed just as serious as Byakuya, though it seemed a bit funny with as young as he was. His eyes were a pretty blue-green and he wore a long blade across his back, it's guard in the shape of a four-pointed star, and a aqua green sash across his chest. He was dressed in robes nearly identical to the ones Byakuya often frequented, though instead of a six written on the back there was a ten.

"Are you feeling better?" Byakuya asked dispassionately, not looking at her when he did. "You should not draw upon your powers so much you lose consciousness."

"I didn't do it on purpose. I'm okay though, a little hungry." Kagome frowned a bit, glancing at the room, it was fully recovered to what it looked like before the short battle. "I just wake up and he's bitching at me already…jeez. I wonder how long I was sleeping, I'm starving."

"You aren't much of a priestess are you?" The boy was closer to her, looking her over with a distinctly unimpressed expression. "I thought you were suppose to be brimming with holy energy…one spell knocked you out?"

"Who's the kid? Your little brother?" Kagome ignored Histugaya to ask Byakuya. "He's about as annoying as Souta…can't you go play or something?"

There was a silver eyebrow twitch and he seemed to be controlling anger when he spoke yet. "I'm Captain Histugaya…you haven't been taught anything about the thirteen court guard divisions?"

"The what? Is that like your version of the boy scouts? I'm not interested." Kagome replied shrewdly, she knew she was pushing buttons but really he didn't have to insult her right when he first met her like that.

His eyebrow twitched again and he turned away from her to return to Byakuya. "We need to move her soon so go ahead and ask as you insist."

"Kagome." Byakuya was amused by the way the girl was riling the younger captain but kept it to himself. "Because of the attack we would like to move you to soul society. Your work would still be transferred to you and an artificial soul would take possession of your body so you do not appear to be gone. Your family will not know but there will be soul reapers protecting both them and your body while we are in soul society."

Kagome was a little confused by the way he had explained it but she only had one question pending her decision. "If I go there, can I come back?"

"Eventually when things have begun to calm down." Byakuya nodded. "However it is safest for you to be separated with us until then."

"All right…I'll go." She agreed without more questions. After everything Byakuya had done for her, the fact that he would even risk getting into such trouble for her sake she couldn't just let him face punishment for her sake.

That made both the captains grow silent a moment, though for different reasons. Then Histugaya spoke first. "We should leave right away then, there is nothing you can bring with you…here…you'll need to swallow this."

He handed her a small circular bead that looked like a piece of lime candy with it's green coloring. Though after looking at it she looked at Byakuya to make sure she wasn't being poisoned or something, though when he didn't protest she nodded a little. "Okay…"

She waited a few moments, she hated swallowing pills without water but it would be much weirder to ask for one. She let her saliva build up and used it to help get the pill down, starting to cough before she felt the whole world grow heavier, watching her body fall forward limp in front of her.

Kagome felt dizzy but didn't waver much, the bodies of the two people near her seemed more detailed suddenly, she could more easily sense the levels of power around them, raising her brows as she considered just how much spiritual energy surrounded the little boy she was making fun of.

He didn't notice however, his sheath evaporating into the air as he drew his sword, using it in the air and turning it like one might a large key. A line appeared then where it hadn't been before and doors opened to reveal a white light on the other side, black butterflies floating from the space before Histugaya disappeared inside, Byakuya gesturing her to go next.

She had already made her decision to leave her fate in Byakuya's hands for a while and it would be insulting of her to back down now. Kagome took a deep breath and stepped past the portal,

End Chapter

Another difficult chapter. I have a hell of a time writing combat…even when I read over it a third time I was like 'eeeeehhhh?' cause I couldn't think of anything else to put in but I wanted too. I think I suck at combative description. My fav part of the chapter is where Kagome is casting and healing Byakuya…I want to go more into her powers and such in the future.

-Aura

P.S. Hehe, I think the idea of Byakuya pouting would be cute. I'm not certain if I'll throw in more of Sesshy and Kagome's history or not…her newest trek will make most communication with the outside world difficult. Alternative Angel - huh? What are you talking about with Byakuya's reputation. I have not forgotten about the necklace - she's still wearing it! Yes Tousen is the black captain that took off with Aizen that looks like the dude from star trek. Crow Rat - thanks for the very awesome review.