Chapter 15

The fire softly crackled in the center of the cave, beaming flickering orange against the black stone. Its warmth radiated outwards and had broken apart the chill of the cave air so that none inside were freezing and for two of them, it was much appreciated.

The captains had returned after a short while, having completed their given tasks. Kyōraku and Hitsugaya had found a downed tree and had cleaned and shaped it with what Kidō worked into a viable pale that they filled with water from the creek. It wasn't perfect, but it had served its purpose in bringing back some water. Soi-Fon had easily gathered enough wood for the fire and Kenpachi, in true fashion, had found and slaughtered a small elk with his bare hands that was now simmering over their fire.

As the scent of cooking flesh filled the wide cave, Ukitake had sat down next to Byakuya and Nyruki, having filled a small bowl that Kyōraku and Hitsugaya had also shaped, with some of the cold water.

"Here... Drink." Ukitake said softly as he brought the small bowl to Byakuya's lips.

Byakuya lifted his head from Nyruki's forehead just enough to take a sip, letting the coolness wet his dry lips from the sting the dust had caused.

"Thank you." He said before letting his head drop back down.

Ukitake nodded as he did the same for Nyruki, she too taking a slow mouthful to rid her throat of the dry scratch. He set the drinking bowl down and picked up another, where he dipped a piece of cloth wrapped around his fingers that he had torn from his own captain's haori.

"Let's get you two cleaned up a bit." Ukitake said softly as he began to gently wipe away the grime from Byakuya's face, near the small cut across his cheek.

"It's not necessary... I'm fine." Byakuya said, but didn't bother trying to move his head away from the gesture.

"You're filthy. I want to at least clean this cut." Ukitake said, dipping the cloth in the water to renew it.

"Very well." Byakuya sighed.

Ukitake worked gently to remove the set in dirt from his skin and cleaned the small cut that turned out to look worse than it actually was. It was a relief, albeit a small one, that it was nothing more than a mere scratch caused by the grazing of a piece of debris.

"Now, it's your turn young lady." Ukitake smiled as he began to wipe off Nyruki's face.

"Captain-" Nyruki whined weakly, but she too, made no attempt to refuse the care.

"Oh, don't. This is the least I can do for now until we come up with a viable method to remove this thing and not have you two bleed out." Ukitake said as he dipped his cloth.

"There may not be a way. You should consider leaving us behind when you go back to rescue her Zanpakutō spirit." Byakuya said lowly, still holding onto her hand with his arm laying limp across her belly, beneath the javelin.

"We'll find a way." Ukitake said.

"He's right, Captain. This is all an elaborate illusion. The best way is to get us out and then rush us to Squad 4 once we're free. I'm doing all I can here and it'll keep us alive in the meantime, so take advantage of it." Nyruki said, finding the energy to lift her head up off of Byakuya's chest.

Ukitake's brows furrowed, "What do you mean?"

"Take a look." Nyruki said softly.

His brows drawing down further, Ukitake set down his cloth and small bowl before he rolled the pink kimono away to reveal the makeshift bandage tied tightly around them. He gently untied the knot and let it go slack, which sent a rush of pain shooting through both that they managed bit back without a sound. He gently, slowly, began to roll the cloth away from around the javelin, not wanting to remove it completely, but just enough so he could see.

It only took a few moments for him to reveal Nyruki's wound. Her flesh was ugly and tight around the javelin, but it was missing something. It wasn't bleeding. Not a drop. The blood that stained them wasn't theirs.

"Captain Unohana? You might want to come look at this." Ukitake called out just loud enough for his voice to carry to the group seated around the fire.

The small woman smoothly rose to her feet and headed over, where she knelt down next to him and took a look for herself.

"Hmm... Let us check Captain Kuchiki's back as well." Unohana said softly as she placed a hand on Byakuya's shoulder.

Both Unohana and Ukitake helped Byakuya to sit up straight and the movement instantly sparked the inferno of pain that scorched through them both. It was white hot and both had to use a considerable amount of willpower simply to not scream. Their throats rumbled lowly with barely contained grunts and their grip on each other tightened as if they would blow away with the slightest breeze if they let go.

Once the wounded pair were sitting up, Captain Unohana loosened the fabric from his wound and sure enough, it looked exactly the same as Nyruki's. There was no blood at all, save for the angry reddening of his flesh wrapped tightly around the javelin from having been punctured so violently.

"I don't understand. There should be some blood at least. We left this in specifically to help stem the bleeding." Unohana said with a concerned glance at Ukitake.

"I'm using my spiritual pressure to keep us from bleeding." Nyruki said with a cracky voice and pain in her eyes as she lay back against Byakuya.

"You are? Is this translating to your physical bodies?" Unohana asked as she began to rewrap the cloth around their midsections.

"It should be. There's just gonna be large, ugly red holes." Nyruki said, swallowing down a sharp yelp of pain that simply came out as a squeak.

"I apologize for this, but-" Unohana began, but her voice near instantly trailed off.

She needed to tighten the wrapping, they knew it had to be done, but neither were prepared for the blaze that ignited their world as she yanked hard on the fabric to tighten it around them. Byakuya and Nyruki both cried out in pain, their throats roaring as Nyruki's eyes instantly shed tears that traipsed down her cheeks. It was the only thing they could think of doing, but there was nothing that would erase the pain that blurred the edges of their vision so badly, that they were forced to look through a haze.

"Aaaahhh! I can't do this! Get it out!" Nyruki cried as her tears swelled to the size of large raindrops.

As Unohana finished tying the wrapping, Byakuya, biting back his own pain, placed a hand on Nyruki's forehead and brought her head back to his right shoulder.

"Ssh... Calm down. Just breath as I do... We'll make it." He whispered through panting breaths as he too, tried to muscle passed the raging fire that burned inside and out.

Nyruki simply cried with quiet sobs, but each hop in her chest sent jolt after jolt through them both that spiked so high, that white splotches began to appear in their vision.

"Breathe with me, Nyruki. You have to cease your crying because you're hurting us both." Byakuya said as he drew in a long breath in hopes that she would follow suit.

Nyruki did. Her breaths crackled from her sobs, but their breathing fell into sync anyways and she concentrated solely on that singular thing. She wanted the pain to go away, to leave her alone, but it refused to listen to her pleas of desperation. The only thing she had to hold onto was her Captain's hand and the sound of his voice in her ear which felt like cold water against the searing heat.

The pain returned however as Unohana and Ukitake helped to lean them back against the wall. Her cries began to build up once more, but Byakuya reacted in kind by tightening his grip on her, his arm wrapped around her and still with his hand on her forehead to keep it against his shoulder.

"Calm down... I'm right here with you... It hurts, but we've got to breathe... It's the only thing we can do... This will pass." Byakuya said quietly, his arm that was wrapped around her waist tightening even more until it wasn't possible for her to be any closer.

Again, Nyruki followed his lead and matched his breathing inhale for inhale, exhale for exhale. Each one served as a much needed distraction and the longer they remained just as they were, as still as the stone around them, the pain finally, mercifully, began to soften into a tolerable smolder.

"I'm sorry. It had to be done." Unohana said softly as Ukitake used the cloth to dab away the beads of sweat that had formed along Byakuya's and Nyruki's brows.

"We know." Byakuya simply nodded as he reached for the water.

However, Ukitake beat him to it and raised the bowl to his lips where he took in a long drag and swallowed in gulps.

"Easy, Kuchiki. Sip it." Ukitake said.

Byakuya soon finished and let his head drop back down once more, where his cheek rested against Nyruki's temple. It was cold against his skin, much like how his felt against her own. He knew they were both in the throws of shock, still, but so long as they stayed awake for the time being, they would be all right.

After Nyruki had taken a much smaller and slower sip from Ukitake's bowl, the two captains went back to the fire with the promise to bring them food once it was done cooking. They were grateful for the space as it provided them with some breathing room as it were, to muscle through the rest of the remaining pain.

"We face an uphill battle no matter what we all decide. Without our Zanpakutōs, I fear we are just prey to those abominations." Ukitake said lowly as he took a short sip of water.

"I think it's probably best we leave them here while we head back." Kyōraku said, laying down on his side with his head propped in a hand. His usual position.

"I'm not so sure I'm comfortable with that, Shunsui. They need care." Ukitake said, staring at the crackling fire.

"Yes, but they need it in reality. Not here." Said Unohana softly, seated between Kenpachi and Ukitake.

"I am aware of that, but we have a very large hurdle to jump over. Mayuri has lost his mind to this illusion." Ukitake scoffed.

"Imma beat his ass when we get out of here." Kenpachi gruffed, leaning back on his hands as he watched the meat sizzle over the fire.

"I doubt you're the only one." Hitsugaya said from the other side.

"Be that as it may, we have to come up with a plan." Said Komamura, slowly turning the rack of elk around to cook another side.

"But where to start? We just don't know how Nyruki's inner world works and with her's, as well as Byakuya's lives in her hands, I doubt there's much she can help us with." Ukitake said with another sip.

"Such as?" Kyōraku asked.

Ukitake shrugged, "Perhaps a manifestation of our Zanpakutōs. I doubt their abilities would work, but at least a sword would greatly aid in combating those beasts."

"Why in the world did we have to take them off in the first place?" Soi-Fon grumbled, sitting cross legged and with her arms crossed.

"Why would we have needed them? The nature of this training never called for them." Ukitake said.

"I had a sword up until this point in all my illusions." Kenpachi scoffed.

"Of course you did. Your illusions were centered around combat and you've placed several cuts over Nyruki because of it." Ukitake rolled his eyes and shook his head.

"Not my fault." Kenpachi shrugged.

"How is it not your fault? They were your illusions! Your desires!" Ukitake snapped.

"Enough!" Came Byakuya's voice from the cave wall.

The whole group shifted their eyes from each other, to the pair leaning against the wall whom had been quietly listening to them while they muscled through the pain.

"Blame does not matter right now. The only thing that matters is getting us out of this delusion and back to reality where Nyruki and I can be treated. If that requires that you leave us here, than so be it." Byakuya said, let his arm lay limp over her waist.

"That doesn't solve our problem that we don't have anything to fight with, Kuchiki. Bare hands will only get us so far." Kyōraku said.

"Perhaps there's swords to be found inside the ruins." Nyruki said with a soft swallow, still resting her head against Byakuya's shoulder.

"Hey... That's an idea. If his delusion is that complex, there's got to be evidence of battle within the Seireitei." Kyōraku said, sitting up.

"We can sneak back in and search our barracks. Those beasts are mindless, so it won't be difficult to outsmart and cut them down like animals once we have sword in hand." Hitsugaya said stiffly.

"Those abominations are cunning, so do not underestimate them. Bakudō works well, so it is best to bind, then strike." Byakuya said.

"That we can do. What do we do once we get to your Zanpakutō spirit, Nyruki?" Ukitake asked, having turned around to look at them.

"Assuming she's still in the cage, just set her free. She'll do the rest." Nyruki said simply.

"If I may suggest, it might be wise of us to take a look at Captain Kurotsuchi's research before we depart. If this is what he truly desires, then it would behoove us to have an idea of what to look for in case he really is planning something." Said Captain Unohana with her usual soft smile gone from her lips.

"That's a sound idea. I wouldn't be surprised if we conduct a search of the Department of Research and Development after this as well." Ukitake said, furrowing his brow.

"I'll probably just beat his ass. That should do the trick." Kenpachi huffed.

"Perhaps something we can discuss after we escape." Komamura said with a sidelong glance.

"My only remaining concern is the well being of those two. How can we be sure that nothing will happen to them when we're gone?" Ukitake asked.

"I'll protect us. I'm not so weak where I would let something ill befall us... Even in this condition." Byakuya said.

"But-" Ukitake tried, but silenced when Byakuya held up a hand.

"This is not up for discussion, Captain. Just as I have entrusted Nyruki with my life, she has entrusted me with hers. We will be fine." Byakuya said with a soft swallow.

Ukitake simply pursed his lips together for a moment before he nodded, knowing full well there was nothing he could say to change the Captain's mind once it was made up. Byakuya's infallible stubbornness always got in the way.

"Alright. Once we regain our strength, we will head back." Ukitake said with a curt nod.

As silence fell, the only sound being that of the fire, everyone sat and withdrew into their own thoughts as they blindly watched the elk finish cooking over the orange flames. Each took a portion and began to eat, but before even having a taste for himself, Ukitake moved to sit next to Byakuya and Nyruki to help them first. It was usual for him when given the chance to care for someone, instead of being the one to be taken care of.

It wasn't surprising when they only took a few offered tears of the meat, as the pain was still radiating with a fierceness that covered their skin with a dull sheen. They simply weren't hungry and were reserved to sip water instead.

After some time, the twilight outside the cave began to darken as evening fell. The captains rose from their spots around the fire to get a better look and that is when they truly realized that Nyruki's inner world was fully functioning. Only those with the spiritual pressure of the gods could develop such a thing and the only other Shinigami known to have such an inner world, was Head-Captain Yamamoto.

"How much time has passed in reality?" Kyōraku asked, breaking the silence that had taken a strong hold of them all for quite some time.

"We won't know that until we get out of here. It could be hours, days, or weeks." Nyruki said, turning her head just enough to see the group at the cave mouth.

"If that's the case, then your wounds could fester and-" Ukitake said, his voice trailing off.

"You're assuming we're alone still in my training room, Captain Ukitake. I ordered my attendant to check in on us periodically. If he did his job, and he should have, than Squad 4 should already be-" Byakuya said, only to stop short when his breath caught hard in his throat.

In an instant, both he and Nyruki erupted into howls of pain that echoed throughout the cave, writhing against each other as if they were trying to back away from the sudden outburst of pain. Their bodies were alight with the worst kind of fire imaginable, and because of it, both grabbed the javelin as it felt as if their skin was sealing in around it.

"Get it out! Our bodies are being healed!" Byakuya roared, his teeth grit together hard with a visible tension in his jaw.

Ukitake and Unohana rushed to their side as Ukitake forced them to sit up. He held Byakuya's shoulders while Unohana quickly unraveled the wrapping and tore open the cloth around the javelin, confirming that their flesh was, in fact, sealing around it. Their flesh squirmed as it tried to seal, but with the javelin in the way, it had nowhere to go except to rend itself like ripping fabric. Byakuya was right. Their bodies were at Squad 4 and were being healed.

"Get it out!" Byakuya howled as his hands gripped the javelin and he began to pull.

Nyruki screamed and her legs began to thrash as the pain shot skyward. Byakuya was pulling the javelin from their flesh, the wet slurping noise overpowering even the crackle of the flames with each agonizing inch. She dared a glance down at her belly and she immediately wished she hadn't as she saw the healing flesh rip like fresh baked bread, pulling and stretching with blood teetering on the verge of pouring from their bodies.

She slammed her eyes shut as her head threw back against Byakuya's shoulder and her throat ripped with another scream. He pulled far too slowly as his own scream matching hers until the length of javelin popped free, covered in blood that dripped onto the ground with wet splats.

That was the last thing they saw as both mercifully passed out from the pain and went limp.

The javelin hit the dirt with a boney and hollow thunk as it fell from Byakuya's unmoving hands. Their blood instantly began to spurt from the wound and both Unohana and Ukitake rushed to stem the flow. Without a word, they wrapped the long stream of fabric around them again, this time tighter than before, and helped the pair lay down on their sides, curled into each other.

Ukitake removed his captain's haori and rolled it up into a makeshift pillow to place beneath their heads and Unohana covered them with the pink kimono to help keep them warm. It was all they could do for now.

"Are they going to be ok?" Ukitake asked as he brushed locks of their hair from the pair's sweaty and pained faces.

"If their bodies are being healed, then I'd imagine so. They must rest now, so let us leave them be." Unohana said softly as she glanced down at them, tied together to dam their bleeding.

With just a nod, Ukitake sighed as he rose to his feet and went back to the fire. The echoes of their screams haunted his thoughts, moreover, Nyruki's did, bouncing around his skull like someone flash stepping with enough speed to create an after image. He hated the sound, hated to know she was in pain and he couldn't do a thing about it. The only thing that served to give him peace of mind was that she had passed out from it. They both had and Byakuya was known to have an immense amount of endurance and pain tolerance. For him to pass out from pain told Ukitake that it was the worst kind imaginable.

He looked up from his hands as Kyōraku sat down beside him and offered him a cup of water that he took and drank from instantly.

"You gonna make it, Jūshirō?" He asked quietly as the others shuffled around for spots to lay down and rest, all around the fire.

"I'll be fine. I'm more worried about them." Ukitake said with a sigh.

"They'll be fine. Our bodies've been found. How much you wanna bet all of us are at Squad 4." Kyōraku said as he laid down on his side with his head nearest to Ukitake.

"We probably are." Ukitake scoffed, resolving himself to just stare at the dying flames.

"You're still worried about them though." Kyōraku said, knowing full well that the white haired man wouldn't rest until he was sure they were alright.

"Of course. I've grown close to Nyruki in these past four years. She's like the daughter I was never blessed enough to have. To be helpless to do anything for her hurts me more than my attacks ever could." Ukitake said, lowering his voice as the others began to close their eyes for some sleep.

Kyōraku inhaled a long breath and let it out in a sigh, "Jūshirō, she's close to several of us, but I imagine she feels the same towards you. You gave her a home."

Ukitake glanced over at him, "Being able to actually care for someone instead of being taken care of is a breath of fresh air."

"I would've figured you'd grown tired of it since you've been caring for your younger siblings since you were a teenager." Kyōraku said without even looking at him.

"I care for my siblings because it is my duty as well as love. When our parents died, the Ukitake house, as small as it is, was in real danger of collapse if I hadn't stepped up and as the eldest, it was my duty to assume the head of the family." Ukitake said as he rested an elbow on a raised knee and plopped his head in his hand with fingers laced into his hair.

"Your house has served your parent clan for eons, Jūshirō. I highly doubt they would have let that happen." Kyōraku said with a half shrug.

"The Shiba's fell with no one to help them. What's to say my parent house wouldn't just let the cards fall where they may." Ukitake said.

"The Shiba's fell on their own accord and they weren't a serving clan. They were the fifth great noble house. There was no one there to catch them like your house has." Kyōraku said, this time glancing up at his best friend.

"I know. Would your parent house save yours?" Ukitake asked.

"Who knows. My house is older than most of the great houses anyways so they may just say the Kyōraku house is capable of handling their own problems." Kyōraku shrugged.

"I suppose that's true. Regardless, Nyruki will always have a place under the Ukitake roof no matter where she goes. In all our years, you'd think we would have found love by now." Ukitake shook his head.

"Duty came first. You know that." Kyōraku said.

"I do. Seeing them though, like that... It makes me envious that perhaps I've missed out on something important." Ukitake said, glancing back at Byakuya and Nyruki whom hadn't moved an inch. Not like they could.

Kyōraku spared his own glance, "I know you... That visage of Nyruki wasn't your desire, Jūshirō, so why be envious?"

"It's not that the pup is laying with her that makes me envious, Shunsui. It's the prospect of having someone special to lay with, that does." Ukitake said, turning back to the flames.

"Ah," He nodded, "I suppose you know whose desire that visage of her belonged to right?" Kyōraku asked, also turning back to look at the fire.

Ukitake nodded, "I have a suspicion."

"I won't say anything." Kyōraku said.

"Neither will I."