Chapter 5: Return to the Valley of Blood

"Captain Kuchiki?" Rikichi's voice says from somewhere behind me.

I turn to see Rikichi, now fully recovered, standing behind me. The thought strikes me as I look at him that the determination in his face, the way he holds himself, as if braced against his fears, reminds me of Renji when he sought to protect my sister. It kind of makes sense. This boy has much in common with Renji. That's probably why they work together so well. Renji brings out the best in him. No, actually, what Renji does is to help this boy find the best within himself.

"Yes, Rikichi?"

"Sir, I heard that there is a search party leaving soon to look for Kenta," he says.

When he first entered the squad, Rikichi could barely speak an understandable sentence in my presence. He is standing taller, maintaining eye contact.

"Yes, Rikichi, I did say that we weren't going to abandon Kenta."

He lowers his eyes for a moment.

"Sir, I know you probably will think I'm not recovered enough…"

"Yes, Rikichi…you may come with us."

He looks up in surprise.

"Sir?"

"Rikichi," I say, "I am well aware that you and Kenta are close friends. In addition, I sympathize with your reasons for wanting to come along. Also, because you are close, you may be able to sense him with better accuracy than the rest of us. Finally, Rikichi, your skills are much improved. I'm certain that you can hold your own…especially considering that Renji will be there."

He's staring in disbelief. I gaze at him, holding back a smile. I know why Renji enjoys being around Rikichi. Even after training and improving in strength and ability, he hasn't lost his youthful innocence. It is refreshing when seen against the backdrop of conflict, of war. Rikichi is one who reminds me that there is something good, something worth protecting when we take the steps that lead us into battle. Now, if Renji could just teach him to catch a hell butterfly.

XXXXXXXXXX

I know that Byakuya doesn't want me to go out on this search mission, but regardless of how he feels, he is honoring my promise to Rikichi. Hell, he's even agreed to allow Rikichi to come along. I was surprised at first, pretty concerned, but when I got a look at the list of others, I see that Byakuya is no fool. He has seen what those strange creatures can do. He is bringing Ikkaku and Yumichika…and he is bringing Kenpachi Zaraki. That's a lot of firepower. If we're going back to that valley, we will, most likely, need it. The party is much smaller than the one I took with me. He doesn't want to raise the number of people we are risking, so he's compacting the strength of a larger party into just us few. I'm inclined to agree with that strategy.

"Vice Captain, sir, Captain Kuchiki sent me to tell you it is time to leave."

I pick up Zabimaru for the first time in days. As I fasten the zanpakuto to my belt, I noticed that he says nothing to me. Well, he's never been all that demonstrative. He can be a bit cold sometimes. I just ignore it and make my way down to the courtyard.

"Hey, Renji," Ikkaku smiles, "Good to see you on your feet again and ready to do battle."

"You going for the new contrasted look?" Yumichika comments, studying the red lines that cross the black on my chest.

"Makes him look tough, don't you think?" Ikkaku says, looking at me.

"Well I'd better be tough. The things out there…the ones that attacked us, they took out my entire search party. I was the only one left…and I wasn't standing."

Yumichika lowers his eyes respectfully.

"We heard, Renji. That's why we're here. We figure that if these things took you down, they're likely to be worthy enough for us to engage."

"Yeah," agrees Ikkaku, "things have been a bit boring in the Sereitei."

"It makes our captain almost unmanageable when things are as calm as they've been. Even if Captain Kuchiki hadn't personally requested our captain, he would have killed to be on the team sent here," Yumichika added.

I don't think I believe what I just heard. Byakuya despises Zaraki…although he does know strategically when a guy like that might come in handy. It says that Byakuya is expecting a fight. And if it's going to be a nasty fight, having someone like Zaraki is a definite plus. My captain is no fool.

"Yeah…well he may just get his fight today," I tell them, letting my eyes move to where Byakuya stands with Rikichi and Zaraki near the barrier.

He turns and his expression says that it's time to leave. We look at each other, check our weapons and go to join them at the barrier.

XXXXXXXXXX

I feel a chill as the barrier is lowered and we step beyond into the dead expanse of the Hueco Mundo desert. There are many hollow hidden out here and there are also strange creatures that are hard to classify. I think the creatures we face are of the second variety. For them to appear as mist and to then take a solid form suggests this, but it is hard to tell. Whatever these creatures are, we will be more able to handle them now. I can barely stand Zaraki's presence, but he is good in a fight. We'll need his brute strength if we are attacked.

We follow the footsteps of Renji's doomed search party. There are still faint traces of Kenta's passage and Rikichi is doing an excellent job of tracking him. I don't think we would be nearly as able to track if Rikichi wasn't here. It is a relief to me because I wasn't so certain about letting him come. He isn't nearly as advanced as the rest of us…but he is proving to be pretty crucial.

We reach the hill that takes us to the beginning of the small valley. When we stand at the top, I notice Renji looking down into the valley with a pained, distant look in his eyes. I cannot offer him any respite from what he is feeling, I know, but I place a hand on his shoulder in a show of support and gratitude registers in his eyes.

"This must be how you felt," he says, still looking out across the valley, "You must have felt like this when you went back to the place where you lost your fighting unit in Inuzuri."

I don't need to answer. He already knows he's right.

"Come, Renji," I say and we start on our way down the incline.

The valley splits with trails going left and right. I send Zaraki, Ikkaku and Yumichika to explore the right while Renji, Rikichi and I take the left. The valley is deathly quiet with not even a breath of wind to disturb the sand. We follow the dusty trail, our senses extended and alert. Rikichi stays close to Renji. We round a curve and move into a rocky area that houses several dark caves. The reiatsu here is disturbed. We draw our weapons. I motion for Renji and Rikichi to move closer to me and we approach the first of the caves. The dark reiatsu begins to pulsate softly. I motion for Renji and Rikichi to turn so that we stand in a small circle back to back. We stand silently for a moment, then the pulsing of the reiatsu rises sharply. To our surprise, we hear a soft whimper coming from the darkness of the cave. We stare in stunned silence as Kenta staggers out of the cave and falls at Rikichi's feet. Rikichi gasps and sheaths his weapon, dropping to the ground next to his big friend.

"Rikichi!" Renji hisses, "On your guard!"

But it is too late. The shadowed mist is rising all around us. Rikichi somehow manages to pull Kenta into the midst of the circle and simultaneously draws his zanpakuto. The mist begins to solidify. I take no chances.

"Ban Kai, Scatter Senbonzakura Kageyoshi."

"Ban Kai, Hihio Zabimaru."

"Kassou, Hiwashi."

I hear an exclamation of surprise from Renji, but I cannot turn to see what has caused it. Shadowy forms are closing in all around. Something is wrong. It suddenly occurs to me that Renji's Ban Kai has failed.

"Roar, Zabimaru."

The katana does not respond. I raise the pink petals around us and Rikichi's eagle soars around us, circling, ready to attack.

A huge wolflike creature is approaching in front of us. Others dot the rocky landscape around us. Their eyes flash and begin to glow. The huge leader draws back his lips and snarls, revealing huge fangs already red, the color of blood. He growls and lowers his head.

"Give us our bretheren," I hear the snarling voice inside my mind, "They belong to us and you have taken them."

It looks at our group and its eyes emit red light. I notice that Renji and Kenta are both standing frozen between Rikichi and me. Their eyes have become red as well. Rikichi gasps softly and moves to defend his friends. Suddenly, Kenta turns and brings a hand to Rikichi's chest. I freeze.

"I choose you."

White light flashes and Rikichi falls to the ground.

"Senkei, Senbonzakura Kageyoshi."

We are alone in the confines of my senkei now. Renji steps toward me, his katana rising. Kenta closes in bare handed.

"Bakudo #61, Rikujokoro."

I fire the kido spell twice…once to hold Renji and once for Kenta. Then I drop to my knees and lean over Rikichi. His reiatsu is dangerously low. He needs an infusion of reiatsu. If what I saw is correct. The infusion would work on Rikichi, but not on Kenta. And now Kenta will be dependant on Rikichi for survival, just as Renji depends on me. Things are starting to make horrifying sense to me. These wolflike creatures have somehow claimed Renji and Kenta. Whatever they've done, it has caused these two not to be able to sustain they're own reiatsu. Each has chosen one person whose reiatsu they can receive.

There is something else to consider. Zabimaru did not answer Renji's call It suggests that something has happened that made the zanpakuto seal itself away, perhaps for its own protection. The implications of this are frightening. I need to get back to the Sereitei. There is something in the histories that I skimmed over that is coming to mind, but it needs more exploration. We have to get out of this place so that I can search for some answers.

But we are closed in. The reiatsu around us is deeply disturbed. I do not feel the presence of the Squad Eleven group. I could detonate my Senkei, but unless the others come to me, I couldn't escape the area with all three of them.

"Rikichi," I say softly, shaking the boy gently.

I place a hand on his chest and attempt to directly infuse him with some of my reiatsu. I think that perhaps, because he was 'chosen' as I was…maybe this will work. Light passes from me into the boy. I feel the strain of it because it was only last night that Renji needed this. I have to hope there is time for me to recover before Renji needs it again. Rikichi moves and moans, his eyes slowly blinking open. I ease him into a seated position. He tries to rise, but I push him back gently.

"Rest a moment. My Senkei will protect us until you are strong enough to fight," I assure him.

He stares in dismay at Renji and Kenta who are still held by the kido spells.

"Captain Kuchiki," he says in a trembling voice, "w-what happened to them? Why did you bind them?"

"I had to, Rikichi, "I tell him, "They were turning on us. They tried to attack me."

His face pales.

"Renji? Kenta? Why? Why would they…?"

"We cannot concern ourselves with why right now," I say sharply, shocking him back into fight mode, "This battle is not over, Rikichi. When I detonate my Senkei, we will have a very short time to escape this area. You don't have use of the flash step yet."

"No, I'm sorry, sir."

"And although I can lift one or the other of them, you cannot lift either."

"No, they're both too heavy, sir."

"And the others probably don't yet know we're in trouble because of the distortion in the reiatsu here."

I sigh in frustration. I cannot detonate the Senkei until we have a plan, but there is a fast approaching problem. I've drained my strength to regain Rikichi's help. This Senkei will not last too much longer at full strength. I have to detonate it before I am too weak to do so.

"Captain Kuchiki, look out!" screams Rikichi.

I turn to find a dark form flying towards me. One was inside the Senkei as it formed! I bring Senbonzakura around to attack, but it is too late. The wolf creature slams into me, slashing at me, taking me to the ground as blood explodes around us. I am surprised. I tried to flash step…but the drain on me has been too much. I cannot flash step, nor can I hold my Senkei much longer. I fight to remain conscious as Rikichi stands over me with his katana drawn. The creature circles, snarling, its teeth and claws dripping with my blood. It circles one more time, then hurtles toward us.

Rikichi stands firm and his eagle soars to protect us. It collides with the wolf and flashes with power. The creature screams once, then fades away. Rikichi sheaths his katana and moves to my side.

"Rikichi," I hiss softly, "I have to detonate the Senkei. I don't think they'll hurt Renji and Kenta. They seemed to want them to go with them. When the Senkei detonates, I want you to run. Find the others. You have to get to them if you want to survive."

Rikichi leans over me, trying to stop some of the bleeding. I see what he's doing. He's trying to help me regain enough strength to get away…but I know my wounds are too serious. I won't remain conscious for much longer. And when I lose consciousness, the Senkei will disappear.

"Rikichi," I say softly, "You must save yourself. Renji and Kenta will not be hurt by them. I'm sure of this."

He looks down at me with determined eyes. I see now the new strength he has found in himself under Renji's guidance.

"Sir, Renji would never forgive me if I left you to die. And even if he would…I could never forgive myself. Every soul reaper knows that he might have to face death in battle, sir, but we have to be brave, even if it is our time to die. And anyway, the most important duty we have is to our captain. I will not leave you here to die."

Renji would be proud of him.

I am.

"Rikichi, please get out while you can…"

"No…I won't leave you, not any of you. I'm going to try something, sir. I think I can make a way for all of us to escape."

"What?"

He moves away and drops into a fighting stance. His eyes narrow in concentration and the power swells around him.

"Kassou, Hiwashi, Ko!"

A special ability? I wonder if Renji knows about this. If he does, he hasn't said anything. Rikichi's eagle appears before us. It swells and grows until it is large enough to carry all of us. He drags the spellbound forms of his friends aboard, then comes back to me. Kami, this is going to hurt, but if the boy wants to save my life, I'm not going to complain about something as trifling as pain. I stagger to my feet, leaning heavily against him as we climb aboard. The great wings beat, lifting us off the ground. I grip Senbonzakura tightly. Thankfully, I don't have to stand to detonate my Senkei.

"Senkei, Senbonzakura Kageyoshi."

The shock of the sudden release of power sends me into a haze. Rikichi is leaning over me saying something. I hear growls and snarls beginning to rise up from below us as the dust clears. Battle cries sound in the distance and the great eagle soars toward the sound. He's going to get the others. We're going back…all of us. I look up at the boy responsible and smile. I've frightened him. Now he's convinced I must be dying.