Stand in the Rain
Shadow of an Echo
A/N Thank you for the outpouring of support last chapter, I was glad to see it. I am going to do my absolute best to make sure you know every word of that was appreciated, and give you a story worth the time put into reading.
Chapter Ten
Stronger (What Doesn't Kill You)
It took another day before the message reached Ichigo that Hanataro and Rikichi were awake, their official statements had been taken, and he was finally allowed to visit them in their Fourth Squad recovery rooms.
"Why were they kept apart?" Ichigo asked angrily, when Isane revealed the plural on rooms was not an error on the messenger's fault. "They just went through a trauma. Hanataro risked a punctured fucking lung so he could be checked on quicker, he didn't let him out of his sight after that. Now you're telling me they weren't even allowed to recover in the same room?" He knew it should have been easy enough to move an extra bed into one of the private rooms, or use one of the general units reserved for training accidents that involved multiple patients.
The tall healer had to put both hands on his shaking shoulders to try to get through his anger, which was frightening enough since his hands were balled into fists, but with the way his Spirit Pressure was starting to whip around him she felt fear coil like a viper in the pit of her stomach. "Ichigo you have to calm down. If it were up to the Captain or I, there is no way we would have separated them, trust me on that. It's just if we kept them in the same room, and either of them woke up while they were alone, any statements we obtained about the attack would be unusable. If we want any chance at all of bringing justice against the people who did this, we have to make sure there is no way they can claim Hanataro and Rikichi are plotting together, that they made up their story. We have your statements from the scene as the first to arrive corroborating the story they both gave now, Ichigo if we can catch them, they will go down for this for sure."
Isane would be lying if she said she wasn't impressed with the way Ichigo reined in his temper with a few deep breaths, and a strained question, "Can either of them walk now?" What she didn't know is all the practice Ichigo had dealing with Junichi made controlling his temper slightly easier, he was still mad as Hell, but it just made him far more lethal.
"Hanataro can, Rikichi shouldn't for another day," Isane admitted.
Ichigo nodded, "Alright, take me to him first. Then the three of us are going to see Rikichi."
"That's what I thought you would say." Isane admitted.
Hanataro's face was lit up with expectation when they walked in, only to fall a bit with disappointment to see Ichigo following Isane, he shook his head guiltily for what he felt was a bad reaction to seeing the friend that quite possibly saved their lives, "Ichigo, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to be rude." His voice sounded a lot better today, but it was still weaker than it was, and he was taking much shallower breathes than usual.
"Let me guess, hoping I was someone else? Like say maybe a cute Sixth squad officer that you were doing a helluva good job protecting the other day?" Ichigo's voice was normal, neither gentle, nor overly pampering. Just like the tone he always used with Hanataro, and the Seventh seat relaxed at the calm teasing. Sometimes after a violent attack like that, the people around you could start acting downright weird, when all you really wanted was something, anything, to be normal again. If Ichigo had changed because of this, Hanataro felt like he might have started to scream.
Ichigo himself had suffered a great many traumas, he knew all about wanting things to be normal, and yes knew there would come a time when a person can't take anymore and breaks down. He wasn't going to avoid the topic, but he also wasn't going to treat Hanataro like he was fragile, both options were just as bad. Sometimes things need to break before they can be fixed.
Hanataro glared at his hands laying in his lap over the sheet, "If I was such a good protector, he wouldn't have gotten hurt in the first place."
"I counted seven people Hanataro, and he was hit in the back of the head, tells me they surprised you." Ichigo analyzed. "I have seen Rukia gutted in front of my eyes because I couldn't move fast enough, and there were only two people there."
"Wasn't that Grimmjow?" Hanataro knew the story, and he remembered the incident Ichigo was talking about.
"Doesn't matter, I was still entrusted with her protection and failed. I should have been strong enough, and wasn't. It happens Hanataro is what I am trying to say. It tears you apart. You feel guilty, and like you want to rip off your skin, and probably hit something, or scream; but the only thing you can really do is try to get stronger for the next time." He advised, this time having no doubt exactly how Hanataro must be feeling.
"Next time?" The reply was weak and drained, that was the last thing Hanataro wanted to think of right then.
Ichigo was not one for sugar coating, because the truth was better and it gave you a solid base to cling to while your world crumbled, "If there is anything I have learned from all this, it's that there will always be a next time. Hell, I didn't have the collar off for more than an hour before Grimmjow was already telling me to get stronger so I could come back and kill the bastard. I do want to, don't get me wrong, but that wasn't really my priority right then. I was just trying to deal with the fact I was free."
Hanataro hung his head, "It was my fault," He whispered quietly.
Ichigo's eyes narrowed, "Stop that, the only ones at fault are the bastard that attacked you from behind."
"No, it was me." Hanataro protested. "We usually take the tunnels when we are together, but we were almost back to the Sixth. We got careless. The Seventh is a safe zone, we all know this, Captain Komamura turns a blind eye if he can. Anyone from the Fourth is an easy target, we are always picked on, so they came after me but saw us together and attacked. I had only touched his hand, just to get his attention, but I held on too long. If I hadn't touched him, maybe they would have attacked me first and he wouldn't have gotten hurt so badly."
"Hanataro, listen to me, because I just listened to everything you told me, and you know what? I still don't think it was your fault. You are making excuses, letting those animals get away with what they did because you are feeling guilty. Don't let them do that to you. They hit him first because he was the first one of you they could get to; that was all. We are going to find them Hanataro, and one way or another they are going to answer for this." Ichigo promised.
"When you find them. I want to see them, I need to know who did this." Ichigo was pretty sure this was the first time he had seen Hanataro truly angry.
A quick but telling glance passed between Substitute and Lieutenant, "If the Head Captain allows it, you may be permitted to face them at some point once they have been tried." Isane answered the question for Ichigo, since he didn't know enough about what normally happened after these events.
Now Ichigo was sure he had never seen Hanataro this mad, because the timid man had just made a sound that was very near a growl, "You and I both know if the Head-Captain finds out about Rikichi and I, those men will be set free before they ever get to a trial. Some technicality will get them off." The overwhelming sense of bitterness and finality in his voice convinced Ichigo he completely believed it.
"Is that true?" Ichigo demanded of the Lieutenant, the grip on his anger slipping, her fear beginning to return.
She nodded slowly, "Unfortunately it has happened before, if there is any loophole that can be exploited it is. That is why as much as it pained them, we absolutely had to keep them separate. Even if they are found out, if there is no technicality to get the suspects out of trouble, it can't be used and they must be tried. The Head-Captain is the most stubbornly resistant to any change in regulations. Others are slightly more willing to listen, even if they do not approve of us, they may not be able to overlook an attack that left injuries of this magnitude."
Ichigo took in Hanataro's tense form, "If that happens, I will hunt them down again, and hold them while you do whatever you want to them. I know a couple of people who will hold the other six." He promised.
The hands lying in Hanataro's lap clenched into fists, mirroring Ichigo's, "What if I'm not strong enough when you find them?"
"You will be." Ichigo assured, "Because the moment Retsu clears you, I am going to train you."
"How long will it take?" Ah good, no protests, he was taking the right steps then.
Ichigo tilted his head inspecting Hanataro, "Well, that kinda depends on you, but I can show you what to do in about ten days."
That made both Isane and Hanataro's jaws drop, "What do you mean ten days?" He spluttered.
"That's how long Kisuke took slamming the lessons into me, the rest you'll learn as you go. Plus it's not like you haven't had any combat training, you just needed a reason to use it, now you do." Ichigo pointed out. "I will just be reminding you of what you should already know."
"If you say so," Hanataro sounded doubtful, but there was some hope, and that was a very powerful thing as Ichigo had come to find out.
He nodded, "Good, now I asked Isane, she said you are healed enough to walk. Why don't we go check on him? If we are with you, it should keep suspicions about you two down, and we can just say you were worried about the other man in the attack which is true enough."
Even with a couple of still tender ribs, Hanataro was out of the bed and on his feet quickly. With a little help to steady the sudden dizziness from his too fast rise, they were on their way to Rikichi's room.
Only to stall out at the sound of voices in the room, he wasn't alone. "Wait, that's Renji." Ichigo identified with relief, the others realizing he was right nearly as quick.
Hanataro paused at the door just long enough to make sure Renji was the only extra person in the room, before he was climbing in the bed with Rikichi. He had to be careful with their injuries, but they both needed the closeness, and this was proven with the way the younger Shinigami didn't protest, merely settled gently against him to avoid aggravating Hanataro's healing ribs.
Rikichi was taller, but slimmer than Hanataro, dark hair cut short that normally had three slightly longer beaded strands trailing down for accent. At the moment there was a white bandage wrapped around his head to protect the healing injury obscuring the view of the longer strands. He had an open face, with easy to read expressions. Where Hanataro seemed to draw into himself, Rikichi was bursting to prove himself. Ichigo was sure the attitude difference was probably the result of age, and the separate squads, The Sixth and the Fourth got treated very differently when it came down to the members. Hanataro had been dealing with the Seireitei's low opinion of his status as a healer and general gopher rather than fighter for so long, he'd learned to shelter himself. Rikichi didn't have that influence.
Judging from what he was seeing, this relationship was relatively new, it was strong, and it would be very good for the both of them.
"You two nearly caused a riot," Renji informed, doing nothing but shake his head at the move Hanataro had pulled. "This is the first time they have attacked a high profile couple, people know you Hanataro, and they are pissed. I was just telling Rikichi, the Captain was worried about you both, he sent me himself, but I would have come anyway"
"Was it really that bad?" Rikichi asked quietly, Ichigo realizing this was the first time he had heard him speak. Come to think of it, they hadn't even been introduced yet, Hanataro's presence might just be the only thing keeping him from panicking.
Hanataro was the one to ask him, "What do you remember?"
"I remember walking with you, and a male voice yelling at us, I tried to turn to see who it was and got hit. I don't remember anything after that. They didn't tell me anything about how you were until I had spoken to Captain Unohana, she said you had some broken ribs, but were otherwise doing okay." Rikichi reported, doing his best to sound formal with the Lieutenant of his squad, not to mention his idol, standing right there.
"Hey, calm down, this isn't an interrogation. I'm just here to see if you're all right. The Captain was worried about your health not your job." Renji realized the problem and reassured. Rikichi was not hard to figure out after working with him for so long.
Rikichi blushed, "Sorry," He responded. "It's still odd to think how much has changed with him."
Renji just blinked, "Ah, Rikichi, nothing's changed this time. The Captain doesn't like seeing any of his Squad members hurt when they weren't doing anything wrong to end up that way. Whether or not he found out about you wouldn't have changed how he reacted to this." He informed.
Ichigo was now looking back and forth between Renji and the pair on the bed, not trusting the leap his brain had just made. They couldn't possibly have meant what he thought they had, could they? Isane is the one who made his mind melt, when she quietly informed him, "Byakuya will be at the next meeting you come to."
A steadying breath, as his brain came back online, remembering about Renji's position, "Is he a supporter like Renji? I know he was married, because that's why Rukia was adopted."
"The Captain hasn't had a serious relationship since his wife passed, but before they were married, he had meaningful relations with people of both genders." Renji admitted. "I found out when I started going to meetings with Izuru and Shuuhei. I think it's probably one of the reasons the Captain still puts up with me, he needs to trust his Lieutenant incase they notice something."
"It doesn't hurt that you have designs on his little sister, and the closer you are, the better he can keep an eye on you," Ichigo pointed out, relieving Renji. He told Ichigo with the belief he could handle the secret without flipping out, looks like he was right.
"Riki, guess what, Ichigo said he would train me. If Yamamoto gets those guys off like he did the last time there was an attack, he is going to hunt them down for us and he even said he would hold them while I took revenge. We are going to get them for this," Hanataro explained, sounding almost giddy at the thought of tracking them down and getting some kind of vengeance. Ichigo glanced over and noticed Renji looked shocked too, good, at least he wasn't the only one. Looks like Hanataro was developing a new side to his personality.
Looking at the way he was holding onto Rikichi, Ichigo understood, people changed the most when they had something important to protect. Hadn't he met Hanataro in the first place while the timid Shinigami was attempting to sneak around to help Rukia, despite coming up against the rest of the Seireitei? He could be tough, just needed the right motivation, and that was the reason Ichigo offered to train him.
"Hey, Hana, once he shows you, do you think you can teach me?" Rikichi asked.
Renji laughed, "How about I help Ichigo out, and we work with both of you." He offered, tilting his head back to look at Ichigo, getting a nod of agreement. He knew he would, Ichigo had too big a heart to say no.
"Really!" It looked like the poor kid was going to have a heart attack; he was just offered training by his idol. "Won't the Captain get mad? You have duties."
"Nah, if it means he gets a stronger squad member, and it gets me out of his hair for a little while, he'll allow it. He doesn't need me every second of the day, he is too obsessive to use me for as much as some of the other Captains do, so I have a little more free time to spare." Renji easily admitted.
"Ah huh, and are you going to tell them about how you just might be looking forward to the fact it's Ichigo heading this little training venture." Isane teased.
Ichigo raised an eyebrow and crossed his arms in front of him, a cocky grin on his face, "Oh, what did I miss?"
"Come on Ichigo, I don't think there is a Soul Reaper in the Soul Society that would turn you down if you offered to train them. You can go against a Captain and win. Renji is going to do everything he has to, possibly including begging, to get his Captain to let him help you out so he can hear what you have to say. We all would like to know just how you managed to get that good." She informed him.
"It's not like Renji and I haven't fought before," Ichigo shrugged it off, "You can come if you want. Good luck with Byakuya."
Neither Isane nor Renji informed him the fighting they had done was not the same as actually getting to hear what his training had been like. Renji had met Urahara, lived with him even, but the man hadn't made any moves to teach him anything. He knew he was a good Shinigami, he had earned his position as a Lieutenant, but there was something more than good about Ichigo to make a man like Kisuke come out of hiding to train him. He wanted to know what that training had been. This was his chance to find out.
"Renji, Ichigo; sorry, but I'm going to have to kick you out now. These two need to rest. Hanataro, I can let you stay with him awhile longer, but I am going to have to send you back after visiting hours are over. You won't be able to stay the night because our overnight patrols rotate, I can't guarantee who might find you." Isane informed sadly. Retsu and Isane had done their best to weed out the fanatics from the squad, but it was always possible for them to miss someone, or for a newly transferred member to have opinions that hadn't come up yet.
"Hey Ichigo, you can come back to the barracks with me, I have to report to the Captain about these two. You did find them; he might like to hear from you about it." Renji invited after the dismissal.
Ichigo nodded and followed, with a quick goodbye to the two Shinigami already starting to nod off to sleep.
"So you think training them is a good idea?" Renji asked once they were out of the Fourth's domain.
"Yeah," Ichigo replied, "You didn't hear Hanataro Renji. He thinks it was his fault. He needs something to focus on, to feel like he is doing something to keep it from happening again. I know you've seen it too, the times Hanataro is strong is when he is working for something he believes in. I wasn't expecting Rikichi to want to join in, but I think that will actually make training Hanataro easier if he has what he wants to protect right there in front of him. Talk about motivation."
"Sounds familiar," Renji pointed out.
"What are you talking about?" Ichigo asked in confusion.
Renji chuckled, "Sounds just like you, only you already went through this part before we met you. I dare you to tell me I'm wrong," He challenged.
"You're wrong." Ichigo managed to say with a completely straight face.
"Spill it Ichigo," Renji pressed.
A little smirk, "I didn't go through it until I already met people from Soul Society. If you want someone to blame for the way I am, just go find Rukia." It was her fault, if it wasn't for her, he might still be drowning in guilt over his mother. Moving on and getting stronger only happened after Rukia made him confront the truth.
"Ichigo, be careful with Rukia, please?" Renji requested seriously. "Being around her brother and me, she doesn't have much of a problem with your secret; it's your Hollow that scares her. You know about Kaien Shiba right?"
"Yes, I know the story. He was overtaken by a Hollow, and she was the one who ended up killing him during a moment of sanity on his part." Ichigo responded solemnly.
"Let me guess, she has been avoiding you hasn't she?" Renji inquired, but not really needing the answer, he already knew what it would be.
"I haven't seen much of her," Ichigo confirmed. "I don't want to push it, so I'm giving her space."
He rubbed the back of his neck, below the spray of vibrant red hair, "I can only tell you she isn't mad, just scared. I didn't think she would ever be able to talk about Kaien to be honest, then she met you, it's still hard for her, but she is starting to talk. I don't know enough about what you are, one way or another, to be afraid of you. I just know I trust you to handle yourself, and if you were a danger to us, you would be the first person to get yourself away. You are far too protective of people to put anyone in danger from a force originating from yourself."
"I don't want her to be afraid of me," He was a protector, and one of the people he protected feared him, he considered that a very deep failure.
"Give her time, she will come around. She has a lot to sort through before she can though," He warned.
Their conversation stilled until they entered the Sixth squad's compound, heading towards Renji and Byakuya's office. Renji letting off a soft flare of spirit Pressure to let his Captain know he had come back, Ichigo following suit when Renji told him to do so. A more direct method than knocking, and it was individualized, so the Shinigami in question knew exactly who was outside their door.
Ichigo was growing more grateful by the day for Izuru and his lessons on control, they were coming in handy all over the place.
"Captain, we just got back from the Fourth, Rikichi and Hanataro are both awake and recovering well. Statements were taken cleanly, so hopefully if the suspects are found they won't be able to get out of punishment." Renji reported.
"Good," Byakuya responded, "Was anyone able to give you the likelihood of finding the culprits?"
"Rikichi heard one of their voices, and Hanataro saw two faces, it's all hearsay though," Renji admitted, "Especially Rikichi's since he had a concussion."
"Not true, one of them talked to me, I got face, voice, and he had an oddly shaped Zanpakuto," Ichigo interrupted. "Get me him, and I will find you the others."
"Was the man in Shikai?" Byakuya interrogated.
Ichigo shook his head, "No, but it wasn't a standard Katana, shorter and narrower, the sheath was about the length of my forearm. He had it tied around his waist with a blue cord."
"Sounds a bit like Nanao's," Renji observed, "She keeps hers up her sleeve though."
"Now that you mention it, yeah a lot like hers, maybe an inch or two longer," Ichigo agreed. "Guy ran quick enough when I pulled Zangetsu, they all did. There were seven of them, if even half had Shikai and stood against me they might have stood a chance."
"Your sheer arrogance aside," Byakuya couldn't stop the insult, "The battle would have drawn more attention to the incident quicker than they could escape, they had to run. Cowards who would attack a man from behind will not stay to accept the consequences of their actions."
Renji added on after his Captain, "Plus you have to admit, it is kind of intimidating to face down a sword longer than you are. Especially with your record of using it without bothering to worry about the rules."
"You didn't have a problem when you first met me," Ichigo pointed out.
"A Lieutenant pitted against a greenhorn Shinigami fighting with stolen power is hardly comparable to what you faced rescuing my squad member and Seventh Seat Yamada." Byakuya broke in before Renji could answer.
"You can just use their names you know, it won't kill you," Ichigo jabbed. Byakuya was horribly tempted to roll his eyes in response, but he restrained himself.
"How I chose to address people is not your concern Kurosaki." He replied icily.
"The name's Ichigo," Well there was a little change in expression, a narrowing of grey eyes in irritation. This was oddly fun. "So Renji and I have a request, it involves Rikichi when he gets healed up enough to return to training."
Byakuya had to use more effort than he was used to in order to clamp down on his irritation, "I'm listening, what are you up to this time?"
"I offered to train Hanataro when he got better, so he could have a way of fighting back, and when Rikichi found out he wanted to learn too. Renji offered to help me train them. So would it be alright for Renji and Rikichi to disappear for a little while so we could take care of this?" Ichigo asked directly, explaining his reasoning. He didn't hate Byakuya, as much as he teased him, so he figured showing a little respect in giving him the right amount of information might go a long way.
Byakuya thought it over for a few minutes, weighing the possible outcomes. "How much time will you need?"
"Ten days, at least for the initial part, after that Rikichi can come find me whenever he wants to," Ichigo responded.
Another pause, this one longer than the last, before he answered, "Yes, Rikichi may train with you for ten days following his release. I will give him clearance to be away from his duties for that time. Renji however can not be away for that long, a Lieutenant gone missing for so long will be noticed and questions will be asked, but he may join you when his duties for the day are over. I will make the attempt to lighten his workload so he can get to you quicker on days where that is possible."
Ichigo blinked rapidly for a few moments, "I hadn't thought of that, of course someone would notice if he were to vanish. Sorry Renji, looks like you are going to have to ask Rikichi to fill the blanks for you when you have some time off later."
"Can you teach both of them by yourself?" The question was asked by Renji, but Byakuya was just as concerned with the answer.
"If I need to, yes," Ichigo replied confidently. "I should be able to get some help here and there though. They might be a little busy though, so I'll probably be on my own for some of it anyway."
"Who?" Renji asked curiously.
"Jyuushiro most likely, he likes helping out up and coming Soul Reapers, he would enjoy this. Shunsui might too if he can sneak away from Nanao and paperwork long enough." Ichigo answered. "Shunsui was there not long after the attack happened, and he was very angry, I don't think he will have a problem giving some pointers to the people who got hurt so it doesn't happen to them again."
"That does sound like them," Not Renji, Byakuya; and Ichigo was honestly surprised he had commented since he figured the noble would keep quiet about his knowledge of them.
"I thought so," Ichigo agreed, "If you want to come supervise for awhile during some of it, I won't try to stop you." He knew better than to say he couldn't come during the training. Ichigo had won a fight with Byakuya before, but that didn't mean he wanted to tempt fate by picking another one. Now if it was a nice little spar…
"I will do that as close to the beginning of the process as my duties allow," Byakuya accepted the invitation.
Ichigo nodded, "Good to know. Just, try not to sneak up on us please? If someone shows up where we are training that is suppressing their power, I am going to attack first and ask questions later. I'm going to protect them as much as I can, they have already been hurt too much."
"If you are paying attention to your surroundings as you should, you will know I am there." This was the slightly cutting reply from Byakuya. "Captains do not 'sneak up' on people, but we also do not toss around Spirit Pressure like untrained barbarians. I will announce my presence in much the same way you did when you entered my office."
Instead of taking offense, Ichigo laughed slightly, "Took you long enough to say all that, when you could have just said, no I won't surprise you."
Byakuya was wondering in that moment if anyone had ever told him just how truly irritating he was, but he restrained from saying so. It was not becoming of a noble to let such emotions get the best of him.
Even if the Substitute was very, very, annoying, "If there is nothing else to be passed on from the Fourth, I have work that needs attending."
"I think we covered everything," Renji admitted, "Rikichi said they still are not sure when he will be released yet."
Renji and Ichigo were in the process of leaving when the Captain called out one more time, "Kurosaki, if I thought for one moment that you were not competent enough to handle this training, or that my squad member would come to harm under your supervision, I would not allow this. I come to supervise your method not your ability." With that, Byakuya crossed back to his desk and pulled the next form needing his attention over to him in a blatant dismissal.
Ichigo could honestly say that was one thing he never expected to hear from Byakuya, ever.