Chapter 22: Seven days

Warning: scenes of mild gore

Seven days, seven days had passed since Kurosawa's transmission and Shunsui was finally beginning to lose hope of finding Rose. The Twelfth division had reported that it was proving to very difficult to trace the origins of the transmission but Kurotsuchi was positive that he would be able to find it. But sadly, that was the only source of good news to be heard. Neither of the divisions sent out into the Rukongai had been able to any trace of Rose or Kurosawa. What was surprising through was the change in Shunsui's attitude. When Lisa had gone missing Shunsui had locked himself in his office for days, drinking until he was dragged off to the fourth for alcohol poisoning. No this time round he threw himself into researching with such rigour that it shocked Nanao and Ukitake to no end. Every day he would get up early and head towards the library where he would spend all day researching. And what was he researching? A question that Nanao had wondered several times. It was only when she had joined Shunsui in the library did she realise what he was doing.

"You See Nanao, Kurosawa has taken the parts of several Shinigami souls and has stitched them together with his own. We know that Kurosawa is linked to the missing Shinigami, so I came her and looked up all their powers so that we could have a basic idea of what abilities Kurosawa has."

Shunsui had explained to her. Nanao had looked through all of Shunsui work and realised that all twelve of the missing Shinigami had either unique or very powerful Zanpakuto abilities. Currently, Shunsui was researching the limitations of each of the Zanpakuto abilities Kurosawa had potentially 'taken' in order to prepare himself for when he faced him. It was like when Rose fought Maya all those weeks ago. Shunsui was going to prepare himself by researching everything about Kurosawa so that nothing would take him by surprise when he finally fought him.

However, Nanao could see the despair slowly creeping into Shunsui eyes. He was frozen, unable to do anything more that research until they found Kurosawa's location. However, that was proving to be very difficult. Shunsui could not help but wonder, with every sunrise he saw which one of Rose's delicate bones Kurosawa had broken. Her screams haunted him, over and over again and not even sake could drown out it out. He needed to do something, anything to help find his darling Rose. His division members had tried to help in any way they could, be it bringing him meals at intervals or helping with the research, but still they got nowhere.

And so it was with a very heavy heart that Shunsui started to make his way back to his quarters. As he rounded the corner that would lead him towards the main gate of the eighth he saw the small outline of Hana Yamada walking a few feet in front of him.

She froze when she heard someone approach her from behind. "Good evening Kyoraku Taicho" she whispered in small voice.

Shunsui looked down at Hana and took the dark bang under her bloodshot eyes and way she had crossed her arms tightly across her body like she was trying to hold herself together. She looked dreadful. "Good evening Hana-Chan" replied Shunsui in a sombre tone. He had completely forgotten that Hana was very, very close to Rose. In fact the two of them acted like they were sisters. She must be taking Rose's kidnapping just as badly as he was. And with that realisation Shunsui did not feel so lonely anymore. It was oddly comforting finding someone who felt the same way he did.

The two of them stared at each other for a while. Around them a few drops of rain began to fall warning them to the down pour that was going to come in a few minutes. "Come Hana let's head back to my place before it really starts to rain." Suggested Shunsui. Hana nodded and then followed Shunsui towards his quarters.

They just reached his quarters as the heavy rain began to pour. It pounded against the roof and resonated throughout the house. Shunsui mumbled something about making tea before shuffling of into the kitchen, leaving Hana standing in his living room felling rather awkward. This was the first time she had been left alone with Shunsui…ever. A few minutes later Shunsui reappeared carrying a tray with two steaming cups of tea on it. He walked out onto the porch with Hana following after him. The rain was so heavy that his beautiful garden had become water logged and muddy. Shunsui and Hana sat silently sitting on the porch, undercover, and watched the rain fall onto the muddy ground, a perfect metaphor to their current emotions.

"So Hana-Chan why were you lurking around my division?" asked Shunsui after he put down his now empty cup of tea. He noticed that Hana had barely touched hers.

"Ukitake Taicho wanted me to tell you, sir, that Renji has started to remember a few events of…that day. He can remember almost everything accept what the kidnapper looked like. However he did report that the kidnapper was very skilled at Kido, most likely at a Master level." Said Hana in a small voice. Shunsui's eyes alight with hope at Hana's words. If Renji kept remembering things he might soon be able to describe the kidnapper. Maybe they were closer to finding Rose than he had previously thought.

"You should suggest to Ukitake to come up with a list of all Shinigami from the Gotei 13, Kido Corp and Onmitsukidō who have either a master degree in Kido or have displayed kido powerful enough to be associated with a master kido practitioner. Then you should cross reference it with a list of people that Rose had contact with and hopefully we can narrow down the search field. "Suggested Shunsui.

Hana nodded her head and then looked down at her cup of tea. "Is there something wrong?" asked Shunsui.

"Apart from the obvious…I don't want to encroach on your hospitality Kyoraku Taicho…but…do you have any Sake to go in this?" Asked Hana with a small blush while gesturing to her cup of tea.

Shunsui smiled a small smile. Normally it was him the one asking someone for sake and not vice versa. "Sure go help yourself. There are a few bottle of sake in the cupboard under my Zanpakuto rack." Hana nodded before standing up and heading towards to sake cupboard.

To her surprise the sake cupboard was practically empty with only two bottles left. Hana had heard from Ukitake that a week ago Shunsui had gone on a sake drinking binge and had nearly ended up in the Fourth. But thankfully Nana and Unohana had arrived in time to prevent him from doing so.

With a sigh Hana reached forwards and grabbed the sake bottle with the pink label. It was her favourite brand. However, the bottle was unopened and Hana did not think it was right to open a new bottle of sake when there was still, by the looks of it, a half empty one right next to it. Hana put down the pink labelled one and picked up the dark blue labelled one. As luck would have it the bottle was empty. Well looks like Hana was going to have to open the new bottle. Just as she was putting the dark blue labelled one back she heard a strange sound coming from within the bottle. Something was rattling against the side of the bottle. Curiously Hana opened the lid and peered inside. Inside she saw a folded piece of paper. Her curiosity was now burning so she reached inside the bottle and pulled out the note and read it.

"Kyoraku Taicho!" shouted Hana.

Shunsui jumped to his feet and raced inside only to see Hana standing by his sake cupboard with a note in her hands.

Slowly she turned to face him, her eyes burning with an intensity he had never seen before.

Shunsui took the note out of her outstretched hand and what he saw made his heart stop.

Shunsui,

It was Kagawa.

Rose.

It was icy cold and pitched black in the cell Rose currently lay in. Bits of glass pierced her body but she did not cry out, it only gave her captors the satisfaction of knowing that she was hurting. Calling her cell a cell was an overstatement. Kurosawa had locket her in a small one meter by one meter room with a very low ceiling, so low that she had to crawl in order to get in. He had also placed shards of glass on the floor which Rose had to crawl over or in her current state, lie on. Kurosawa was playing with her phobias. The day before (or what she assumed was the day before as she had no concept of time) he had locked her in a room crawling with spiders and now he had her locked in a small dark room to play with her claustrophobia. He was mentally trying to break her but she would not break. She was too stubborn. Rose knew that Shunsui was going to save her and that thought provided her with a burning light inside her which gave her hope. But even hope can vanish after a period of intense despair. And how could she not feel despair when all she knew was pain? The darkness of the room seemed to sap away everything, even her hope and left her feeling empty.

Rose tried to move slightly, to get more comfortable (if that was even possible) but in doing so she moved her broken leg. Sharp, intense pain shot up her leg making her bite down on her lip to prevent a scream from escaping. True to his words, Kurosawa had broken one of her bones a day. Apart from her crushed leg, Rose also had several broken ribs, a broken collar bone, her left arm was broken and she suspected that her hip was also fractured. But Kurosawa did not only break her bones, he would also drop her into bathtubs full of boiling hot water or press red hot pieces of metal to parts of her skin until they were red hot and blistering. All in all Rose ached everywhere and all she wanted was to stop feeling. To numb her body until she could slip into a blissful slumber. Kurosawa also prevented her from getting any sleep by either making her too uncomfortable to sleep or by ordering the guards to wake her up if she ever fell asleep.

The door to the cell opening with a terrifying squealing sounds and there crouched the two guards. Rose blinked at the onslaught of light and then braced herself as the guards grabbed her hair and started to drag her out of the room, shards of glass piercing her skin in the progress. In the past Rose would try to fight of the guards but now she was too weak and without the function of one of her arm there was not much she could do. The two guards walked down the corridor, dragging Rose behind them and then turned right and walked into room with shackles hanging from the ceiling. Standing with his back turned to her was Kurosawa.

"You are really trying my patients Rose. A week has gone by and you have said nothing, not even a single whimper while I tortured you. I must say that I am impressed. But that all ends now. Guards tie her up and leave." The two guards grabbed Rose and then attached the shackles to her wrists before lifting her off the ground. It was agony standing there. If she put too much pressure on her feet to alleviate the pain in her broken arm her leg would hurt, but if she put more weight in her arms they would hurt.

"Now Rose I think you are wearing too many clothes." Kurosawa walked forwards and ripped of her underwear and top leaving her naked. Rose only glared at him. "Oh don't pull me that face beautiful Rose. You had such a beautiful body, so pale and soft, it should not be hidden away." Kurosawa walked behind Rose and grabbed her hips. "We are going to have so much fun my dear."

The guards outside the room smiled when Rose's pained, agonized and chilling screams filled the corridor.

Rage, white hot rage coursed through Shunsui body as he stared at the note. Kagawa, Kagawa had taken his darling Rose to that monster Kurosawa. He was responsible for all of this! But of course it all made sense now. Kagawa was strong enough to break the kido barrier and take down two Fukutaicho's with ease. But how and why was he involved with Kurosawa? Shunsui scrunched the paper up in his hands and growled. His reiatsu was starting to leak out of him making him glow a simply breath-taking shade of purple. Higher and higher his reiatsu rose until Hana fell to the ground, gasping and fighting for breath as the intensity of Shunsui's reiatsu weighed her down.

"Kyoraku Taicho" gasped Hana. Sweat dripped down her face as she lay on the ground.

"THAT BASTARD IS GOING TO PAY!" Bellowed Shunsui while his reiatsu exploded around him. The glass in the windows shattered due to the intense reiatsu Shunsui was emanating. The air was heavy, dense and burnt Hana's nostrils. With one last look down at Hana, Shunsui shunpooed away. Hana gasped for breath as the oppressing reiatsu disappeared. Her clothes were drenched in sweat and clung to her body. What a terrifying sight that had been. Shunsui's reiatsu was beyond that of any Taicho she had ever met, minus that of the Soutaicho.

Hana slowly clambered to her feet, and slowly started to walk out of Shunsui's house. A few members of the eighth divisions started to appear having sensed their Taicho's explosive reiatsu.

"Yamada Fukutaicho!" they cried in confusion.

Hana stared at them for a minute, unsure as to what she could tell them. She could sense Shunsui's reiatsu shooting across the Seireitei at an incredible speed and hoped that nobody was stupid enough to get in his way. He was not thinking rationally and in that state he could kill anybody. He needed to be calmed down but she did not have the ability to do that. It did not take a genius to work out where Shunsui was heading. He was speeding towards the Kido corps headquarters in order to face Kagawa a feat which worried Hana because she knew that Shunsui was going to kill him thus removing the only lead they had.

"Yamada Fukutaicho what happened!" cried the division members again.

Hana opened her mouth and then closed it again. "Yamada Fukutaicho…Hana." Hana looked behind her and stared into the calming eyes of her Taicho.

"Ukitake Taicho…you have to stop him" said Hana with a hint of desperation in her voice.

"Who are you talking about Hana? And could you please explain why I sensed Shunsui's reiatsu explode a few minutes ago."

Hana gulped, remembering Shunsui rage. "Aoi Kagawa did it, he took Rose and I know this because I found a note written by Rose hidden in one of Kyoraku Taicho's sake bottles. Kyoraku Taicho saw the note and now he has gone to kill Aoi Kagawa. Please stop him before he kills him." Pleaded Hana. She needed Ukitake to believe her.

Ukitake's eyes opened at Hana explanation. It all made sense now. As if planned, Shunsui's reiatsu exploded just then, sending a few Shinigami to their knees. Ukitake blanched when he recognized the location of Shunsui reiatsu. He was standing outside the kido corp building.

"Hana…I need you to inform the Soutaicho of this. I am going to go try and reason with Shunsui before he does something that he is likely to regret later on." Ordered Ukitake. Hana bowed and shunpooed off. Ukitake looked at the members of the Eighth division who were standing in Shunsui's garden. "You lot return to your barracks and await further orders." Ukitake watched as they bowed before he shunpooed off after his friend.

Shunsui stood outside the living quarters of the commander of the kido corp, his reiatsu flaring. He could hear questionable sounds coming from within which only made him angrier. How could this little piece of shit be enjoying himself while his Rose underwent unimaginable pain? Shunsui had been surprised that nobody in the kido corp had been able to sense his arrival. He had not been exactly discreet. But now he knew why. With a swift kick he sent the door flying off its hinges and watches as it crashed to the floor.

"Kagawa." Roared Shunsui as he marched into the room, Zanpakuto drawn. Before him was a sight that made his blood boil. There was Kagawa sprawled out on top of his royal purple king sized bed with a naked ten year old girl bobbing her head up and down his member. Kagawa looked up as the door to his chambers was brutally kicked open and blanched when he saw who had just entered.

Shunsui growled and pointed the longer one of his Zanpakuto at Kagawa. The girl on top of Kagawa screamed and clambered off of Kagawa and ran to cower in a corner.

Shunsui watched as Kagawa got of the bed and put his clothes on. "Shunsui Kyoraku…it is rude to barge into somebody else's room without permission. Surely your parents taught you that."

Shunsui growled and moved to put himself between the naked cowering child and Kagawa. "Wouldn't you say that the rape of a child is worse than barging into somebody's room unannounced?" Questioned Shunsui in a mocking tone.

"Rape…for all you know the girl could have been raping me." Replied Kagawa in mock innocence.

Shunsui expression darkened. "I highly doubt central 46 would believe you. But then what you have been doing is rather unbelievable... like the kidnapping of my Rose."

Kagawa's face flashed in fear for just a second but it was long enough for Shunsui to see it. "Really you think that central 46 is going to believe the lies of a little girl over me, commander of the kido corp? And I have no idea what 'rose' you are talking about. Have you tried your gardens? There are plenty of roses there?" asked Kagawa

The next thing Kagawa knew was that his head was brutally smashed face first into the walk behind him. Looking behind he saw the enraged Shunsui pinning him down. He may be the taller one but Shunsui had more brute strength. "Stop shitting around!" Roared Shunsui. "I know that it was you who took my Rose because she left a note telling me who had taken her. And just now you admitted to having been through my gardens so it was you. Now tell me, WHERE IS SHE!"

The girl cowering in the corner let out a startled cry as the air was suddenly thick with Shunsui's uncontrolled reiatsu. It washed off of him in waves and made the poor girl dizzy. All of the breath within her seemed to have been sucked away.

"WHERE IS SHE!" bellowed Shunsui before spinning Kagawa around and punching him in the face.

Kagawa only smiled which made Shunsui even angrier. "YOU BASTARD WHERE I SHE!" Again all Kagawa did was smile which made Shunsui respond by punching him again and again in the face.

"Shunsui control yourself!" Shunsui froze and turned around to see Ukitake standing in the doorway.

"THIS BASTARD TOOK HER." shouted Shunsui.

"I know Shunsui but if you do not control yourself then you are going to kill an innocent little girl." Shunsui looked behind him and saw the little girl lying on the floor suffocating under the weight of his reiatsu. Shunsui cursed and tried to control his angry reiatsu. "Now Shunsui let's see if we can continue this interrogation in a more civilised manner."

Shunsui glared at Ukitake before turning his attention back to Kagawa. Kagawa's face was bruised with blood trickling out of the numerous cuts on his face. "Where is she?" Asked Shunsui in an incredibly menacing tone.

"Ah ah ah not going to tell you." Sneered Kagawa. Shunsui smashed Kagawa's head against the wall again. "TELL ME!"

"SHUNSUI!" cried Ukitake.

"HE TOOK HER UKITAKE." Bellowed Shunsui.

"AND LOSSING YOUR EMOTIONS LIKE THIS IS NOT GOING TO HELP THE SITUATION!" shouted Ukitake in return.

Shunsui paused and then exhaled. "You are right Jushiro…I don't know what took over me just then."

Ukitake smiled in understanding. "Getting angry will not help Rose, we need to be more careful. Discovering that Kagawa is likely linked to her disappearance just shows how far Kurosawa was able to penetrate the Gotei 13." Ukitake walked towards the naked cowering girl and removed his haori and gave it to her. "Here, you are safe now little one." Reassured Ukitake. The little girl nodded slowly before wrapping herself up with Ukitake's haori. "Shunsui why is this girl here anyway?" continued Ukitake after a short pause.

Shunsui looked at Ukitake and raised his eyebrows in a 'well what do you think' manner. Ukitake face darkened at the realisation as to why the girl was there.

"You mean that-."

"-Yes" answered Shunsui before Ukitake could finished.

"You bastard" growled Ukitake.

Suddenly the room became crowded as several members of the Onmitsukidō ran into the room. They were closely followed by Sui-Feng, Sasakibe Fukutaicho and the Soutaicho.

"Yamamoto Soutaicho." Said Ukitake.

"Yama-jii."

The Soutaicho ignored Ukitake and Shunsui and walked straight towards Kagawa who was still being held by Shunsui. "Release him Shunsui." ordered the Soutaicho.

Shunsui stared at the Soutaicho for a moment before releasing his hold on Kagawa. Kagawa fell to the ground and lay in a crumbled heap on the floor but still with a smirk on his face.

"Only a child would let his emotions get the better of him Shunsui." Said the Soutaicho while still staring at Kagawa.

"Yes…Yama-jii." Replied Shunsui.

The Soutaicho grunted but did not look at Shunsui. "It has come to my attention that the Commander of the Kido Corp, Aoi Kagawa, is responsible for the kidnapping of the human, Rose Bentley. Is that true?"

Kagawa sneered at the Soutaicho but then froze in fear as the Soutaicho opened his eyes ever so slightly. "Y-yes." Mumbled Kagawa.

"Is it also true that you are working in collusion with the Kurosawa?"

"Yes."

"And that you most likely know where Kurosawa is hiding?"

Kagawa smiled. "Yes…but I am not going to tell you where."

Shunsui glared at Kagawa but did not more.

There was an eerie silence until-. "Master is in the 64 district north Rukongai…in…in a cave called Miner's graveyard." Everybody turned round and stared at the little girl who was still crouching on the floor. Shunsui looked at the little girl with hope in his eyes, finally he might be able to save Rose.

The little girl looked up, tear stains on her face. "How do you know all this?" asked Ukitake.

"Because I was taken to the cave a few days ago and I- I saw Master…I was ordered to clean his laboratory before I was ordered…here." The little girl started to sob some more.

Ukitake knelt down next to the girl. "Can you give us more details? It would be of such help if you could."

The little girl wiped the tears from her eyes. "There are four entrances. One located at the mouth of the cave, another at the top of a waterfall, one is inside a metal run down shack in the village that I come from and the last one is in between two rock about 5 miles south from the village."

"And how do you know this?" asked Shunsui. He could not help but be a little suspicious.

"I was brought to Master through the entrance at the mouth of the cave, I-I was ordered to throw the dead bodies out over the waterfall, and I left to come here through the entrance located in the shack and I was ordered to return using the entrance in between the four rocks. There could be more entrances but those are the ones that I know of."

Shunsui nodded slowly but there was hope in his eyes. Ukitake saw the glint in his friend's eyes that had been missing for several days.

The Soutaicho stared down at Kagawa who was now glaring daggers at the little girl. "Soutaicho" said Kagawa with a hint of desperation in his voice. "Let's make a deal, if I confirm what the little bitch is saying and give you details on where the guards are posted, you will let me go free." Kagawa smiled at his own ingenious.

The Soutaicho looked down at Kagawa but said nothing. Kagawa took that as an affirmation. "At each entrance there are two guards, low level reiatsu. But Kurosawa always walks around with a least two guards. There are also several kido barriers which alert him if there are any intruders."

The Soutaicho looked towards Soi Feng and nodded.

"Alright men move in!" cried Soi Feng.

The members of the Onmitsukidō jumped forwards and pinned Kagawa to the ground. "We had a deal Soutaicho"! Shouted Kagawa.

"We never agreed on it you insolent child." was all the Soutaicho said. "Take him the first division holding cells where he shall await trial for kidnapping and aiding a known criminal and…" the Soutaicho looked towards the little girl. "For soliciting underage sex."

Kagawa shouted while he was dragged away by Soi Feng and her men.

"Sasakibe, send a hell butterfly to Hitsugaya Taicho, Kuchiki Taicho, Kenpachi Taicho and his Fukutaicho, Unohana Taicho and her Fukutaicho, and Ise and Yamada Fukutaicho. Have them report to my office immediately." Sasakibe bowed before hurrying off.

"Shunsui…Ukitake…come and take the little girl with you." Said the Soutaicho before walking out of the room.

Kenpachi and Yachiru were the last two to arrive and with their arrival the meeting commenced.

"It has been brought to my attention that Kurosawa whereabouts have been found. I am ordering you all to travel to the cave called Miner's graveyard in the 64 district north Rukongai. Hopefully we will be able to apprehend the criminal Kurosawa before he makes his move. Your mission is to infiltrate Kurosawa's lair and capture or kill him. Zaraki Taicho, you and your Fukutaicho will use the entrance located inside the village. Hitsugaya Taicho and Yamada Fukutaicho will use the entrance south of the village while Shunsui and Ise Fukutaicho will use the entrance located at the mouth of the cave. Jushiro, Kuchiki Taicho and Kotetsu Fukutaicho will go in through the last entrance located on top of a waterfall. That leave you Unohana, I want you to stay behind and prepare for any casualties. Kurosawa is a dangerous and unpredictable opponent who is unlikely to come quietly."

Everybody bowed. Shunsui noticed that the Soutaicho did not mention anything about Rose. Did he assume that she was dead? Deep down Shunsui knew that Rose was alive, he would have known if she had died. At least The Soutaicho was allowing Shunsui to go on the mission. But then again Shunsui was not waiting for the Soutaicho's permission to go, he would have gone anyway. It would just be easier for him if he did get permission to go.

"You are all dismissed." Slowly the Taicho's and Fukutaicho's left the room

"I don't care what you all think but Kurosawa is mine." Declared Kenpachi.

"Yay go Kenny!" cried Yachiru from Kenpachi's shoulder.

Shunsui lowered his hat to cover his eyes. He did not know what he wanted more, to kill Kurosawa or find Rose. Killing Kurosawa would give him the satisfaction of knowing that Kurosawa died a painful death but then he would not be able to rescue Rose like he promised her he would. But if he saved Rose then he would not have the satisfaction of killing Kurosawa.

The sky was becoming lighter indicating that the sun was soon to rise. With a quick nod at the others Shunsui disappeared into Shunpo, heading straight to the 64 district north Rukongai. He was going to save her, no matter what it took him.