Friend show their love in times of trouble, not in happiness.
~Euripides
Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach.
Kimiko is brought back to reality by Shikima standing in front of her desk.
"Kimiko-sama, I have an update of current events." Her lieutenant says and she nods, giving him the signal to give his report. "On top of Ikkaku Madarame and Yumichika Ayasegawa from the eleventh division being defeated, Jirobo Ikkanzaka -fourth seat of the seventh division- has also been fallen. There are currently three confirmed Ryoka. Sixth division lieutenant Renji Arabi left the meeting to presumably challenge the ringleader of the Ryoka."
"Thank you Shiki. As is turns out, these Ryoka are not our enemy and my order to not engage is withstanding. I do wonder what the outcome of this coming fight will be though." Kimiko comments thoughtfully. Renji is strong, there's no question about that, but Yoruichi wouldn't have allied herself with someone whom she didn't believe in. They wouldn't be here if they weren't on par with the Shinigami they would have to face off against. "If this Ryoka does best Renji, his next opponent will likely be Kenpachi."
"Then he will surely die, there are few who can best him."
"Though it's certainly not an easy task, it's not an impossible one." Kimiko muses. The woman has fought with Kenpachi herself once, not long after he took the position. He was relentless when it came to challenging her, so she eventually relented. The man's brute strength and disregard for his own life gives him an advantage, but Kimiko managed to take the upper hand due to her agility and cunning, ultimately winning by outsmarting him.
A sudden influx of Reiatsu causes Kimiko to smirk. "I don't know where Chi found this Ryoka but he's good. To beat Renji isn't an easy feat."
With a chuckle the woman gets to her feet and drapes her sleeping red panda around her shoulders.
"I'm going to visit Renji. Knowing that captain of his he'll refuse to let his subordinate be treated, probably opting to have him thrown in jail instead. Dismissed." Shikima is gone in a flash and so is Kimiko.
The captain let's her thoughts drift to the Kuchiki heir while she lazily Flash Steps to the hospital, located in the Fourth Division barracks. The pair have known each other since they were children, being born into noble families, and her cousin being betrothed to him. They were all friends. Good things can never last though. Yoruichi defected and after Hisana's death, Byakuya wasn't the same. He became so cold and distant; Kimiko has come to believe the man actually hates her. Anytime they're in the same room she can feel the disdain radiating from him. It saddens her.
"No relief will be offered to Renji due to his failure in battle. Send him straight to a holding cell." The words reach Kimiko's ears as she approaches the room in which the injured lieutenant was being held. She arrives just in time to intervene before the Fifth Division lieutenant, Momo Hinamori, can object to Byakuya's orders. Before anyone in the room can so much as blink, the short captain jumps on Byakuya's back wrapping her arms around his neck and legs around his waist. Both Momo and the Third Division lieutenant, Izuru Kira, simply stare in disbelief at the scene.
"Come now Byakuya-kun, your poor lieutenant was injured fighting the Ryoka and you won't even let him be treated? How cruel." The anger radiating off the regal man is enough to make the two lieutenants cower in fear. Kimiko knows if her old friend wasn't so law abiding he'd already have Senbonzakura out, trying to slaughter the cheerful captain. Instead, he attempts to reach behind and throw the woman off, but she's already pushed down on Byakuya's shoulders, giving herself momentum to flip over the captain and land gracefully in front of him. The young woman pulls out her fan in a poor attempt to hide the grin on her face.
"Still not fast enough, Byakuya boy." Kimiko teases, knowing he Kuchiki despises the childhood nickname. Tomo chirps happily, as if agreeing to her master's words, only infuriating the male further.
"My orders stand." He states coldly before Flash Stepping away. Kimiko's grin falters at the iciness she saw in the man's eyes, but quickly plasters it back on as she turns to the two speechless lieutenants.
"My, my, how scary. I guess I can't overrule his orders to put poor Renji-kun in a holding cell, but make sure he's given medical attention. If Byakuya-kun has any complaints send him my way and I'll take care of it." Momo looks extremely grateful while Izuru still seems to be in shock at seeing Byakuya one upped by the smaller captain.
"Thank you Hamasaki-taichou!" Momo says with a bow, Izuru following suit. Kimiko senses his presence before hearing his voice.
"Oh look at this. And here I thought I'd get to play the hero this time." A chilling voice comments, amusement clear in his voice. Tomo buries her head in Kimiko's haori.
"Ichimaru-taichou." Izuru bows immediately, and Momo does the same.
"Sorry Gin-kun, maybe next time." Kimiko says with a giggle, a fake smile stretched across her face.
"Well, would you allow me the of accompanying you to the emergency captains meeting then?"
"Sure!" She chirps without hesitation and falls into step with the captain she currently views as an enemy.
"How's Hanako-chan doing these days? I haven't seen her lately; I hope she's okay." Kimiko sees red. Just hearing the man say her daughter's name is enough to make her want to wrap her hands around his neck.
"She's doing amazing! My little flower is so cute and talented, if anyone laid so much as a finger on her I would definitely rip them apart piece by piece." The venom in her voice is enough warning and the conversation doesn't continue.
They're the last to arrive at Yamamoto's office and Kimiko quickly detaches herself from Gin, opting to stand next to Shunsui. The older man winks at her before their attention turns to the Captain Commander. The young woman takes out her fan and begins lazily moving the object.
"The situation is urgent." Yamamoto starts. "It has finally come to the point that we are short one adjutant of the Gotei 14. This is no longer a matter we can leave to the lower ranked squad members. Therefore, in accordance to this situation, I will ignore Ichimaru's earlier actions."
"Thank ya' kindly."
Yamamoto continues. "Furthermore, I hereby permit the continuous carrying and wartime release of Zanpakuto for senior officers, including lieutenants, within the Court."
"Constant carrying of Zanpakuto, eh…" Tosen says.
"Wartime general release…" Kenpachi says with a devious grin.
"If someone hadn't let the Ryoka escape in the first place, we wouldn't be in this situation." Mayuri states, looking at Gin.
"You can't talk 'bout that no mo'." Gin replies cheekily.
"That's right, as of right now he's my meat." Kenpachi claims loudly.
"Men, let us take this to an all-out war."
Leaving the building in a hurry, Kimiko decides to pay Jushiro a much needed visit. She needs to inform him about the current events. Usually she'd inform one of his third seats but with everything that's going on, she needs to talk with her herself.
The captain arrives at the Ukitake estate, bypassing the guards and servant without them sparing the woman a second glance. Kimiko is a permanent fixture after all. She follows his Reiatsu to his bedchambers and creeps into the room. The white haired captain is lying on his futon, his face flushed by fever and a sheen of sweat over his body.
Kimiko has spent countless years researching for a cure for her friends Tuberculosis, but to no avail. She's even enlisted the help of Yoruichi to scour the World of the Living for anything that could help, but there hasn't been anything. With a soft sigh the captain walking into Jushiro's bathroom. She fills a small bowl with cold water and grabs a small towel. After soaking the towel and wringing it out, she gently places it on Jushiro's forehead.
Once that is taken care of she silently leaves his room and goes to the kitchens. The only thing she can do for her friend is make a medicated tea that eases his symptoms. The kitchen staff smile gently at the young woman as she mixes the necessary ingredients together.
"Why am I not surprised?" Jushiro remarks when Kimiko walks into his bedchambers, a hot cup of tea in her hands. The white haired captain normally is not so accepting of people helping him, he's a captain of the Gotei Fourteen and doesn't want to be seen as anything less than that. Kimiko, of course, if the exception to that.
"Just be grateful you have a beautiful woman to take care of you Jushiro." Said captain replies with a teasing grin. Jushiro sits up, bracing himself for the foul tasting herbal tea he knows he has to take. "Don't make that face."
"You don't have to drink the tea." He responds, taking the tea from her hands and sighing deeply before downing the drink as fast as he can, grimacing as he hands the empty cup back to his friend.
"An emergency captain's meeting was called. A wartime exemption has been made; captain and lieutenant are now allowed to carry Zanpakuto." Kimiko informs calmly, taking the empty cup from her friend and taking a sip of the hot coffee in her hands.
"Have things really gotten so bad?" Jushiro questions, eyes widening.
"Worse than you can imagine." With a sigh, Kimiko fills the white haired captain in on what he's missed, and her own discoveries. Numerous times during her explanation the sick man would go into fits of coughing, the shock of her words being too much.
"Are you sure?" The pale man inquires after a moment of silence.
"I can't be one hundred percent sure until I investigate Central Fourty-Six personally, but my gut is rarely wrong." Kimiko takes another sip of her now lukewarm coffee and closes her eyes. Having someone to talk to makes her feel better, it's as if the weight of the world is not solely on her shoulders anymore.
"This is troubling." Jushiro mutter, getting lost in his own musings.
"Regardless, we both need to rest before we can continue. We'll need to be at full strength for what's to come." Kimiko finally says, standing and stretching her stiff muscles. The woman frequents the Ukitake household so often she has her own room down the hall from her friend.
"Kimiko." He calls to her retreating form. "If what you say it true, and I have no doubt it is, this makes you a target. You have to be careful."
"I'm always careful Jushiro." She replies, mimicking the same words her cousin said.
The sun is just beginning to peak over the horizon when Kimiko jolts awake in a panic. Her mind is in a flurry as she shoots out of bed; barely remembering to grab Tomo as she flies from the Ukitake estate towards the fading Reiatsu she feels.
Fear isn't an emotion the captain feels very often, but right now it's the most prominent emotion in her body. It floods all her senses, practically choking her. The smiling face of a little girl flashes through her mind and her speed somehow increases.
Hanako.
A/N: Another chapter complete.