Chapter 8: For the Sake of My Pride: Part 2
Renji and Ichigo had searched the entire Seireitei and both were exhausted. They had found a resting spot at the south end of the Rukongia District.
"Where are you Rukia?" Ichigo asked out loud as he reclined back and rested his body on the ground, "Where can you be?"
"Asking the same question over and over again isn't going to find her," Renji blurted as he bent over with his face in his hands.
"I know that, but we've searched all over and yet no Rukia."
"Well why don't we rest here for a few minutes more and search some more on the way back, maybe we overlooked something."
Ichigo laid there looking up at the sky as if the answer to where Rukia was at was going to magically fall in his lap. Wait a minute, he thought; where's one place a person would go if they didn't want others to detect their spiritual pressure? Ichigo remembered the time when Hanataro had taken him and Ganju to these underground sewer tunnels to avoid being detected by the Gotei 13.
"Let's go! I know where Rukia is at!"
"What do you mean, you know where she is?" Renji questioned while shaking his head. Just a minute ago Ichigo was asking where she was at; and now all of a sudden Ichigo knows?!
Ichigo didn't bother to turn around and debate the subject with Renji, as he normally would have, rather he flashed stepped to place where he had once fought Renji.
Ichigo arrived at the place where he had once fought Renji. He recalled there being a loose tile in the center of the ground; however, all the tiles looked tightly intact. Dam, how am I going to get it loose? Ichigo asked as thought the only way was to use Zangetsu.
"Getsuga…"
"Hold up you fool!" a voice shouted, "What are you trying to do, destroy the Seireitei?" Renji asked as he held both of his hands out. "Let me try this, Hadou number 33 Sokatsui!"
Normally, Renji wasn't that well skilled on using Kido spells and most likely this one wouldn't have worked if he had used it on a much larger object; never the less, it worked this time.
"There you go! I knew it would work." Renji bragged as he lowered himself down in to the tunnel. "Phew! How could anyone stay down here with this smell?"
Ichigo and the others followed Renji into the tunnel. Ichigo remembered the place quite well as he walked past Renji and the others. He had walked this very path before, but this time he was going in the opposite direction. Nothing really had changed since the last time he was there. There was still a foul methane gas smell to the place, but that didn't seem to bother Ichigo as he tried to sense where Rukia could be at. They continued to walk down the long path in the sewer tunnel passing several small spaces where one could barely sit. Ichigo remembered sitting in one of those small places as he listened to Hanataro talked about Rukia. They arrived at a cross-point in the tunnel and decided that it would be best to split up to cover more ground. Ichigo had asked that if they came upon Rukia to raise their spiritual pressure.
Ichigo turned left at the cross-point and then took another right, where he came upon a flight of stairs. He scanned over the place and still could not detect anything, but he did notice a hidden door under the stairwell. Ichigo thought he felt a slight hit of someone's spiritual pressure but he wasn't too sure, seeing how Renji and the others were there as well. He walked over to the door and tried to open it but it was locked solid. The door seemed like it had been sealed solid shut and kicking in was out of the question. He raised his spiritual pressure to let the others know he possibly had found something. I could you my Getsuga Tensho to open the door, Ichigo said to himself. Naw, that won't work. Suppose someone is behind that door; and then there's the methane gas to worry about in the sewers. Ichigo decided to wait for Renji and the others to arrive; perhaps Kido was the best thing.
The Sealed Room
The room was small, dark, and cramped; and the coldness of the small cramped space flowed through Rukia's body. The smell was unbearable at first, but now Rukia didn't even notice it anymore. She could barely breathe and trying to move was impossible. It almost seemed as if there was another body there. She had tried to push with her legs whatever was blocking her legs, but it remained motionless. Rukia had previously tried to scream in hoping that someone would hear her; however, now she felt as though her life force was being drained from her. If she tried to raise her spiritual pressure; she surely would cease to exist-at least she thought. No one is going to find me, Rukia somberly concluded. She wanted to cry but she recalled the words spoken by her ni-sama: We should not shed tears, for that will serve as a defeat of our hearts. It is then nothing more than proof, for it is said that our hearts are things beyond our ability to control. Rukia almost ignored those words when she felt a familiar spiritual pressure; I-c-h-i-g-o. She wanted to scream, and pound on the door, but she didn't have the breath or the strength to do so-her body was not cooperating with her. He will find me, I must believe in him-I am here Ichigo, Rukia said to herself, as she held on to a slight glimmer of hope of being found.
The Sewer Tunnel
"What did you find?" Renji asked impatiently as Ichigo showed him the sealed room.
"It's sealed solid, we need to get it open." Ichigo responded.
"You shouldn't worry about trying to open that door!" an unfamiliar voice spoke.
"Who are you?" Renji inquired as he readied Zabimauru.
"No need to answer useless questions that won't matter in the end." the unfamiliar voice replied.
Several masked men had suddenly appeared before Ichigo and the others.
"I see you're trying to prevent us from opening that door, what are you hiding in there?" Ichigo asked as he grabbed Zangetsu.
Ichigo and the others fought the men off and managed to escape being harmed; however, they still were faced with the task of opening the sealed door. Renji suggested they break the door down with their zanpakutous instead of using Kido and shikai due to the fact that even a spark of flame would send the tunnel ablaze.
Squad 4 Barracks
Kenpachi noticed a familiar spiritual pressure heading towards squad 4's barracks, hmm, I wonder what this is all about; he mused to himself as he arose and headed towards squad 4. Byakuya had already reached squad 4 by the time Kenpachi arrived.
"Tsh, I guess, call me if you need me, has no meaning to you Kuchiki?" Kenpachi asked as he cut his eyes at Byakuya.
"What are you doing here captain of squad 11? I don't remember telling you I need your assistance."
"Oh, I just came to keep you out of getting yourself into any trouble."
"Oh, well it's too late for that. I found out who the culprit was and I am here to make sure he knows whose pride he has trampled on."
"You figured that out all on your own? Ha! Ha! Ha! Well don't let me stop you; I'll just tag along in case you need my assistance captain of the 6th division."
Byakuya refused to continue in such nonsense conversation with Kenpachi; at least for the moment. Both men entered squad 4 as they were met by Isane.
"Captains Kuchiki and Zaraki, I wasn't expecting a visit from the both of you. How might I be of assistance?" Isane asked.
"I have no business with you." Byakuya stated as he continued walking down the hall, almost ignoring Isane's presence.
"I'm with him, you know the noble one." Kenpachi replied as he followed Byakuya.
Isane ran to catch up with both of the captains, "Excuse me, you just can't come barging in here like you own the place. We have the wounded here to take care of and as I recall, the two of you don't have any personnel here being treated."
"I am here to only see one person." Byakuya said as he continued walking.
"And who is that?" Isane asked as she began to feel a bit uneasy.
"I'm glad someone asked that question, I was beginning to think that maybe you were actually crazy for coming here." Kenpachi said. He didn't need to look at Byakuya; he could feel the coldness from where he was at. "Tsh,"
"Lt. Lemur." Byakuya responded.
"Lt. Lemur! Why do you need to see him for?"
"The reason why I want to see him does not concern you-but I will make it quick."
Isane didn't like the response she got from Captain Kuchiki, but she knew better to press the issue anymore.
Byakuya searched the entire barracks of squad 4 and Lt. Lemur was nowhere to be found. He must have caught on that I was here, Byakuya thought. Suddenly, he heard a rumbling noise that sounded as if it was coming from the back of squad 4. He rushed over to inspect the noise along with Isane and Kenpachi. A gaping hole had been blasted through the back wall; as though someone one was in a hurry to leave. Kenpachi searched the outside of the barracks which came up with nothing. Byakuya was surprised how such an idiot couldn't tell another person's spiritual pressure. Byakuya picked up on Lt. Lemur's spiritual pressure and followed it to the vicinity of Ichigo and Renji; however, Byakuya and Kenpachi kept a distance.
Lt. Lemur knew he wouldn't be able to hide his presence before Byakuya Kuchiki found him. No, not the great Byakuya Kuchiki who was trained by no other than the Flash Master herself, he thought to himself. Lt. Lemur was mad at himself for not taking care of them both before now. Byakuya Kuchiki had stolen his life from him and he had vowed he would do the same to him. But, Lt. Lemur felt the walls closing on him now; how did this get out of hand? he pondered. He had planned everything carefully: he had made a deal with Renatus, the fake kidnapping, the kidnapping of Rukia, and then he was desperate that he had to kidnap Yoruichi again. Even with that, he had sent some men to deter anyone from coming into the tunnels; though normally they would report all clear or state whether they encountered someone. However, he had heard nothing; and he knew this wasn't a good sign. And to make things worse, Kenpachi Zaraki was now part of the hunt. He knew his time was drawing close, actually it was near-he could sense it. It was definitely closing in; it was inescapable as he felt his chest tightened as if a thousand blades were stabbing it. His arms felt like it was a carving stone as blood started to seep out from the wounds. He didn't understand it, but he could feel it; what was this he thought. But there wasn't anyone around. Unfortunately Lt. Lemur fell to the ground holding his chest; he didn't have to wait to know that it was the spiritual pressure of Kenpachi crushing his soul and the blades of Senbonzakura slicing its way to his heart.
"I have only left you alive to answer two questions." Byakuya hissed as he pointed his zanpaktou in Lt. Lemur's face. "Whether you answer the two questions or not, the end result will still be the same. You have taken on the liberty to trampled on my pride as the head of the Kuchiki Clan, as a brother, and as someone who cares for Yoruichi; all because of your jealousy and hatred. You are not worthy of seeing my final form of Senbonzakura. Tell me, where is Rukia and Yoruichi?"
"You're the smart noble one; you should have figured it out already." Lt. Lemur taunted as blood seeped through the sides of his mouth.
"Evidently, the fool didn't hear you. Would you like for me to perform the final blow?" Kenpachi asked.
"Cough, cough, oh I see you got the barbarian here to do your little dirty work."
Zaraki pointed his zanpaktou to Lt. Lemur's throat, "I don't like being talked to like that and I just assume to kill you without giving me the answer."
"I don't care if you like it or not, I am not going to give any of you the satisfaction of letting you know where they are at."
At that moment, a squad member from the 6th division climbed out from the opened tile that Ichigo and Renji had previously opened. "Sir, excuse me. I think we might have found someone in a sealed room. Lt. Abari and Ichigo Kurosaki are currently down there trying to open the sealed door. I was asked to find you and report that." The squad member said as he hurriedly returned back to the tunnel.
"Well, well seems like we don't need you after all. I say we finish him right here and now." Kenpachi said as he pushed his zanpaktou a little further to the man's throat.
"I think I want him to suffer like he made the others suffer, killing him is way too good for him." Byakuya responded as he started to walk towards the loose tile leading down to the tunnel.
"Tsh, whatever…" Kenpachi mumbled as he was about to turn and joined Byakuya. Somehow, Lt. Lemur had a small dagger on him and he was about to throw it so that it would stab Byakuya in the back. However, Kenpachi sensed his movement and slit his throat. "Dam coward."
Byakuya and Kenpachi entered the sewer tunnel and came upon Renji and the others. Ichigo was trying desperately to open the door.
"Move Ichigo, let me handle that for you; and afterwards perhaps you can come over to fire up the grill." Kenpachi stated as he used his own spiritual pressure to open the sealed door.
"Sure, thanks!" Ichigo said knowing that he would never take Kenpachi up on his offer.
Ichigo went in first and saw both Rukia and Yoruichi in the sealed room spewed out on the floor. Rukia was semi-consciously alert, while Yoruichi was unconscious. Ichigo carefully picked Rukia up assuring her that she was okay and everything would be alright. Byakuya knelt down by Yoruichi's seemingly lifeless cold body and picked her up and without saying a word he flash-stepped to squad 4's barrack. Kenpachi and the others returned to their respective divisions.
"Place her here Captain Kuchiki, and I will call you once I get her stabilized." Isane said. "Ichigo place Rukia on the bed next to Yoruichi; I will call you all as soon as I can"
Ichigo did as requested and placed Rukia on the bed as instructed. He kissed her forehead before leaving and told her he will be back as soon as he was allowed to return. Byakuya just stood there by Yoruichi's bed and refused to move, even with Ichigo's suggestion that they give Isane space to work on her. Even though Ichigo wanted to persuade him to do so, he knew that there were times to just leave Byakuya alone and these were one of those times.
Isane had completed her evaluation on both Rukia and Yoruichi. Rukia was going to be fine after receiving intravenous treatment and rest. Ichigo returned as promised and stayed by her side. Rukia became more conscious and she was elated to see Ichigo. She told him how frightened she had felt during the whole ordeal and was afraid that she would never see him or her brother again. Ichigo related to her that he had the same thoughts and promised himself that he would never let her out of his sight again. She was going to debate with him about the latter statement, but he told her once she gets better that some decisions were going to have to be made. He did tell her that he would give up his life to be with her and nothing was more important than her, besides his own family. He also told her that he couldn't go through what he went through thinking that he would never see her again.
"But Ichigo…" Rukia injected. "I don't want you to sacrifice your life for me; we will work something out that would be more reasonable."
"There's nothing to discuss, I've made up my mind. I won't go through what I went through, I need to be with you, you are my life. I am going to protect you and no one will ever have the chance of hurting you like that again" Ichigo calmly said. He knew he couldn't afford to go through another transformation; he didn't want to lose himself like that. He wanted her, she was his life and there was nothing no one could do to stop him from being with the woman he had loved from the day he met her. "You get some rest now, I will be right here, I am not going anywhere."
"Okay, Ichigo." Rukia said as she drifted back into being unconscious.
Ichigo had some decisions to make and it would take time for him to work everything out. He didn't care, he would sacrifice his life if it meant saving Rukia. However, for Byakuya and Yoruichi, things were about to take a different turn and not for the good.