Summary
In the midst of searching for Kagome and her party, Rukia and Byakuya meet up with someone that seems to know Kagome even better than Miroku and Sango...
A/N: Oh, I have been waiting for this little plot twist ever since it came around and bit me one afternoon a few months ago. I hope you guys really enjoy this and you can figure out who this is, even if I'm not being too obvious about it. I'm being purposely obtuse and vague in the beginning, by the way. Picks up directly where Resolution ended.
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The stunned silence filled the air for a few moments as the two siblings stared at the sword laying oh so innocently across his desk. Byakuya knew without having to check that the blade was Kagome's.
"Nii-sama... What do we do?" Rukia breathed out quietly, violet eyes wide as she watched her brother slowly approach his desk and pick up the Zanpakuto. If she hadn't been watching him for a reaction of any kind, she wouldn't have noticed the way his hand trembled just slightly. The blade pulsed weakly, begging to be reunited with its' master.
Byakuya grit his teeth and deftly slipped the much smaller Zanpakuto next to Senbonzakura, briefly connecting with his blade and giving it the repsonsibility to take care of the fragile piece of Kagome's soul. Turning, he gave Rukia a determined icy look and swept out the door.
"We find her. And we tell no one."
The younger Kuchiki scrambled to follow and keep up with the Captain's pace as he quickly left his barracks and started in a random direction.
"But, where do we start? How can we find her if we can't even sense her at this point?" Rukia asked, adujsting her shihakusho and securing her Zanpakuto when it started to slip from her belt. She still wasn't completely used to its' weight again, and in the time she'd been resting, she'd lost some weight. It was something that she'd easily be able to correct with time, but right now she was more concerned about her brother. Even with the stoic expression firmly in place, his reiatsu snapped angrily around, ready to fly off the handle the moment he lost it.
"... We will start by trying to find her friends. That woman from Squad 11 will be our first encounter, seeing as the monk has disappeared with Higurashi."
"Byakuya! Rukia!" The Kuchiki nobles turned at the sound of their names and let Jushiro Ukitake and Shunsui Kyoraku catch up with them. Ukitake gave them a grim smile and immediately started in to what he wanted to say. "Shunsui and I... We think we may have found the one that sealed away Kagome's powers."
"You did?! This is good! We can get them to unseal her then when we tell them she's..." Rukia started excitedly, tapering off suddenly and looking away. The other two older Captains exchanged glances at that.
"She's worse off than she let on, isn't she," Kyoraku claimed, receiving a wide-eyed reaction from the small shinigami, "I suspected as much. After all, a priestess's soul is usually connected to their powers. It would make sense that with them draining away, it's slowly destroying her soul as well." Ukitake looked stunned at the thought, paling quickly and snapping his gaze to Byakuya. When he didn't receive a reaction from the younger man, green eyes narrowed sharply.
"You knew..."
"Only recently. She was ill one night and delerious when she let it slip. I believe that if she hadn't told me then, she would have never mentioned it," Byakuya murmured, his fists clenching at his sides. "We may have a lead. There is a woman in Squad 11 that knows Higurashi from back when she was alive that will likely be able to help us find her."
"Kagome-san... What, exactly, do you know about her past?" Ukitake asked, tilting his head slightly and not failing to notice that a smaller Zanpakuto that didn't belong to the Kuchiki head was secured at his hip.
"What do you know, Captain?" Rukia countered, starting in the direction of her brother when he set off again, assumingly towards the Rukongai.
"Rin knew her in their lifetime, so I know enough. When she told me who Kagome-san was, I did my own research," the white-haired Captain replied, following the Kuchiki siblings. Kyoraku shrugged his shoulders when the only unseated member of the group directed her attention to him.
"I knew who she was the minute I saw her. Nanao grew up reading her story to me almost constantly, so I recognized her from the few portraits there were. Of course, the original Shikon Priestess was named Kikyo, so I assume that Kagome is her reincarnation, as mentioned in the story."
"Who was it that sealed Higurashi," Byakuya demanded quietly. He wanted to get it out in the open now so he could make the fool pay for hurting his innocent subordinate.
"It's..." Ukitake started, trailing off and giving his closest friend a pained look. Kyoraku shrugged and decided to continue.
"You're not going to like it."
"I'm going to enjoy ripping whoever it is to shreds," Rukia growled, glaring into the distance and turning her attention back to the three Captains.
Kyoraku spoke and the younger noble lost the color in her face.
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There was a disturbance in the air. One that was becoming bothersome.
Glancing at the unread returned missive, the figure huffed out a breath and stood, strapping a blade on and giving a terse look to the other person in the room.
"You're leaving?" A rather plump woman asked, raising a brow in consternation.
The figure nodded and exited without a word. It was probably time to check up on that little investment that had cropped up ten years ago. After all, honor determined repayment.
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"This is where you came into the Soul Society?" Tsubaki asked, a hint of disdain in her tone. Kagome sighed inwardly and resisted the urge to glare at the dark priestess.
"Yes. This is where I woke up. I later stumbled into the residential area and was taken in by a couple of people." Looking around the clearing of wildflowers brought back nostalgic memories. Her first few days in Rukongai had been fuzzy and confusing, but once she'd understood what had transpired, she'd realized that moping would do nothing and had adapted to her circumstances. After living with being on the run from demons, it was almost the only way she knew how to live.
"Hmm. It's not ideal, but we can work with it," the white-haired woman finally decided, turning to the three males in their group, "You three, start pulling up flowers. We're going to need ground space." Kohaku, Miroku, and Kagewaki glanced at eachother before the monk of the group shrugged and reached down to start pulling. He was going to be filthy by the time this was through.
"Should I-!"
"No," Tsubaki cut Kagome off, turning to her and giving her a sharp look, "You need to meditate and prepare yourself. Center your mind and what's left of your powers for the task ahead."
"O-Oh. Okay." Watching the younger priestess move away, Tsubaki glanced at Kaede.
"You will need to help me mix the spell. It's similar to making remedies, so there shouldn't be a difficulty."
"... Very well. Ye are sure there is no other way?" the oldest member in their group asked, pinning Tsubaki with a look so severe she was tempted to shudder.
"I wouldn't be doing this if there was. The balance has to be restored. Surely you agree?"
"Aye. But this..."
"A test for her, then. As long as her will to live doesn't falter, we shouldn't have any problems." Both women slid their gazes over to Kagome as she took a few deep breaths and tried to center herself.
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Tracking Kagome's spiritual presence was near impossible, but when Byakuya honed in on Miroku's unique reiatsu, the path became easy to follow. It helped that both Kyoraku and Ukitake had come into frequent contact with the man as well. The three Captains arrived in rather short time at a small home on the outskirts of the 10th District in the Rukongai, an area that was not necessarily weathy, but still much more reputable than say, the Zaraki District.
The small building was not housing his AWOL subordinate, but Byakuya did find a note with Kagome's hurried scrawl messily outlining their plan. The noble crumbled the note tightly in his fist to restrain the urge to start shouting, which was something he hadn't done in a long time, and resolved to make sure the errant priestess got an earful after he dragged her home.
'Probably kicking and screaming the whole way.' Stowing the note carefully up his sleeve, he feigned ignorance when Kyoraku and Ukitake returned to the room he'd been searching. He really didn't want to let them know how bad the situation had just become. He'd let Rukia in on it later, though.
"Anything?" the white-haired Captain asked.
"Nothing." Byakuya shook his head, all the while wondering what the process of an alchemic summoning involved. Most likely something dangerous, considering it had to do with Kagome.
"Nope." Kyoraku came up empty as well.
The three men exited the hut to rejoin Rukia outside, inquiring if she'd found anything. With a shake of her head, she took her place next to her brother and Kyoraku sighed. "So, we have nothing to go on. And their trail ends here, because someone wised up and started erasing energy signatures." With a glance at his oldest friend, the brunette murmured, "I think it will be best if Jushiro and I head back and ask Captain Soi Fon for some assistance."
"Bad as I hate to say it, I believe that is our only option at this point," Ukitake replied, trailing his gaze to the youngest nobles in the group, "I'm sorry, Byakuya, Rukia, but we're going to have to report Kagome-san."
"Couldn't we wait just a little longer, Captain Ukitake?" Rukia pleaded quietly. Ukitake shook his head.
"We've waited longer than we should have."
Byakuya opened his mouth to say something, but was interrupted by the barely there disturbance of a new presence. He blinked, and quite suddenly there was a woman standing in front of the door to the hut. Even Kyoraku and Ukitake jumped, skidding back and automatically resting hands on the hilts of their blades. Byakuya had already drawn his, preparing for... something as he concealed his sister from possible threat. He wasn't sure what though.
Just as the woman was about to put her hand on the door, Ukitake cleared his throat.
"Excuse me? May I ask which squad sent you here?" She stopped, then glanced back to face the other shinigami, swirling dark brown eyes piercing them with their intensity. Rukia thought the odd four-point mark above her brow seemed fitting, though it would have been out of place on any other person.
"No squad sent me. I came of my own violation," the woman responded in a tone of voice that was commanding. She was a woman that was used to being obeyed. "You do not belong here, Captains of the Court Guard. This does not concern you."
"It does when it involves one of my subordinates. State your name and Squad, soldier," Bykuya demanded, lifting his chin arrogantly and narrowing his eyes sharply at the woman that turned fully to face them.
"My name is of no concern to you, nor is my Squad, but I will sate your curiosity and inform you that matters involving one Kagome Higurashi now fall under my jurisdiction."
Rukia stared at the woman, violet eyes wide in surprise before a thought hit her. "Are you from Central 46, then?"
The woman almost started as though she'd just noticed the other female. Upon closer inspection, the serious look on her face softened minutely and she turned fully to face the group, approaching Rukia almost hesitantly. "I see. The connection Kagome-chan has formed with you is surprisingly strong. Yet she has not known you for long, Rukia Kuchiki-san."
Violet eyes blinked slowly, "It is? You can see that?"
"I can. But then, I suppose Kagome-chan has always been that way." At the odd expressions on their faces, the woman elaborated, "She seems to make friends wherever she goes no matter their circumstance."
Byakuya's mind flashed to several of the people he'd met recently that Kagome had made aquaintances out of and he had to agree inwardly. But this unknown woman... somehow she knew the little priestess well enough to understand that concept. 'Is she yet another person she knew in her lifetime? Where do these people keep coming from?'
"I apologize, but you still have not answered our question of who you are," Ukitake interrupted, gaining a blank stare from the woman.
"And it shall remain unanswered for the time being. I haven't the patience to explain myself at the moment," she replied coolly, giving a disinterested look back at the hut, "Kagome-chan's life is in danger, and I must find a way to aid her."
"I see. Captain Kyoraku and I are about to head back to the Seiretei to file a missing persons' report. Perhaps, if the three of you can find Kagome-san before we have to, it would settle a few concerned party's nerves."
The woman understood the message clearly enough and nodded, not bothering to watch the exchange as the two Captains left. She eyed the Kuchiki siblings with something akin to curiosity glimmering in her eyes, noting the protective way Byakuya unobtrusively hovered near his sister.
"You both have deep connections with Kagome-chan."
"How did you meet Kagome?" Rukia asked, "Was it here, or when she was alive?"
"I have known Kagome since the moment she was born, little shinigami," their mysterious companion replied.
"Then, you know of what she experienced," the older noble in the group stated coldly.
"I do. I know very well what she went through in her lifetime. I also understand that her powers have been sealed away, though I only recently came across such information. Had I been informed earlier, things would not have become so grave. Kagome-chan was meant to have a peaceful life once her task was complete, however, she selflessly sacrificed her own life to save her little brother. It was a moment in Fate that not even I could have forseen." The woman shook her head and the melancholy air around her disappeared. "Nevermind that. We will talk more once this disaster has been cared for. Do you have any leads at all?"
"I know Kagome has a friend named Sango that is in Squad 11. As far as I know, she's still at her barracks," Rukia responded immediately, "Perhaps she has some information?"
"It would be prudent to ask for her assistance then," the other woman nodded, glancing briefly at Byakuya. When the other noble agreed silently, Rukia started back in the direction of the Seiretei.
"Rukia." The small shingami glanced back at her sibling. "Be careful. Follow my reiatsu when you find Higurashi's friend. I will keep my prescence detectable for you."
"Thank you, Nii-sama." With those parting words, the younger noble took off in a quick sprint, leaving the unknown woman with her brother.
"Is there anything else that we can follow?"
"Do you plan to inform me of your name at any point in this venture," Byakuya prodded. She ignored his question and continued to stare him down with hardened brown eyes. The noble huffed quietly and passed her the note he'd found. The longer she read, though, the more her cold exterior began to fade. When she stared back up at him, there was a noticable panic in her countenance.
"You cannot be serious! They really intend to use alchemy?!" she hissed.
"I do not pretend to know the effects of such an idea, but if it is as foolish as you seem to believe, then I will agree that they must be stopped."
"Alchemy involves the sacrifice of the soul if it fails. Of course it is foolish!" the woman declared, brown eyes taking on a determined, if worried, glint. "I owe much to Kagome-chan. Without her help, I am positive that I would not be here." She disappeared suddenly and reappeared several rooftops away. Byakuya glanced at the direction his sister went for a moment longer, then unraveled a part of his spiritual pressure for her to pick up on.
"We must move swiftly. I fear if we do not reach them in time to stop the process, it will be too late for even me to do anything." With a tilt of his chin, the Kuchiki head was next to her, giving her a frigid glare.
"I want your name and how you are connected to Kagome before we move any further." Even those hard brown eyes glanced away after a moment.
"I'll tell you on the way," with an unreadable expression, the woman took off, black sleeves fluttering in the wind. Byakuya followed in annoyance, easily keeping up with her pace.
"How do you know where to go?" It was a genuine curiosity, one that he needed answered.
"I have a connection with Kagome-chan also. One that cannot be broken by even death."
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"It's finished." Kagome's eyes popped open and she jumped to her feet. With a glance at Tsubaki, she followed the other priestess to the intricate circle that had been carved into the ground with a silver knife. It didn't look like much of anything and she stated as much. The dark priestess gave her an annoyed glare before grabbing one of her hands.
"It will not be anything more than a pretty design until your blood is mixed with it. Then, the magic will be activated," the white-haired woman responded, handing the knofe to Kagome and shoving the smaller woman into the circle. "Stand in the middle, and when your ready, invoke what little magic you have left."
Kagome blinked lethargically, blue eyes staring around the circle at her friends that watched her. "... I'm scared."
Miroku bit the inside of his cheek. "Then let's find another way. Kagome, you understand the consequences of what will happen if this fails."
"If I don't do something, I'm dead either way, aren't I?" she answered after a moment of thought. Those violet eyes that she'd come to depend on for her moments of logic hardened as the monk nodded. "Then, I don't really have a choice. Scared or not, I've got to try."
"Once ye invoke thine powers, we cannot interfer, Kagome," Kaede, spoke up quietly, "Ye must fight alone."
Kagome closed her eyes and felt the crackle of her powers against her skin react to the hum in the air. She knew what she had to do. Opening blue eyes, she gave them all a bright smile.
"Well, since when have I done things the easy way? I'm not going to start now." With a flip of the blade, she ignored the urge to wince and cut into her palm, turning it face down and letting her blood drip onto the design in the middle that she was standing on.
"One last thing," Tsubaki murmured, causing everyone to turn their attention to her, "If you fail, it will cost you your soul. You will never be allowed into the reincarnation cycle again. You will cease to exist completely."
The color drained from Kagome's face and she pulled her palm back to herself as the others broke out into varying states of distress. It was too late; there were sparks already dancing around her form as Miroku was pushed away when he tried to reach out for her. A flash of spiritual pressure that she was comepletely familiar with caused her to glance up in time to see a woman leaping at her before the barrier rose up completely to block her out.
Her shock was complete when she saw Byakuya. Meeting his gaze, she murmued his name before her vision was cut off and everything faded to black.
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A/N: Aaaaand ANOTHER CLIFFY!
This chapter gave me fits for the longest time! Seriously! It would not come together for me! I had to alter what I had in order to spit this out! But, I'm actually satisfied with what I've got here, so I hope you all enjoyed this!
Okay! I've been extremely busy in the real world, so there is are a couple of reasons for why this is so late. One, mom had to have two more back surgeries within a month of eachother. Two, she has found out that she has Degenerative Disc Disease, so this may not be the last one, but we can only hope. So, if any of you feel the urge to, please keep her in your prayers, because that's about the only thing keep our family over here sane at the moment. Three, my little baby boy turned one this month, so I was very bust planning his wonderful party. I made him a smash cake. He really dove into it. Oh! It was a delight to watch him chomp into that cake. Unfortunately, I've created a sweet monster. He wants chocolate constantly now. And he knows if the hubby and I are eating it. He gets so mad! Four, and this is exciting news, we're getting things packed up to move in August. We've got a plan for a house going on soon, so I'm thrilled about that.
Anyways, as you guys can see, lots of stuff going on. I do, however, want to let you guys know that no matter how long it takes me, I'll be plugging away to get the next chapter out as soon as I can. So, Thank you so much for your patience because it's been so greatly appreciated. Please review, and I hope you all enjoyed!
See you soon! Lots of love!