This Power of Mine Part 1
The sound of clashing swords was heard all around Squad One. Up, down, left, right they circled and clashed. The courtyard looked like a winter wonderland as it was covered with ice.
Toshiro advanced his attack swinging down with all the force he could with one hand. Hyorinmaru was the strongest Ice Zanpaktou in history, no other could compare to it. But Sode no Shirayuki was a close second.
With both hands Rukia managed to blocked Toshiro's incoming attack. And with her own ice powers managed to redirected Toshiro's to fire at the wall and not herself. A small crowd usually gathered to watch the sparring match and today was no different.
Rukia Kuchiki had certainly come a long way in her training. Every time they sparred she lasted a little longer every time. Her knowledge of Kido increased and she was confident in her hand to hand skills. She already had a good grasp of her shikai. Only a few more years now. A few years more and she would have Bankai.
Toshiro brought his sword away from here's and held it in the air and she prepared herself for another attack.
"Enough!" Toshiro commanded." That's enough for now, let's take a break." Rukia did as her mastered suggested and sheathed her sword. Toshiro was about to invite her inside to get away from the cold area they'd created and into the warmth of indoors, but something interrupted them.
All at once four figures came crashing down from the sky. Together they each landed all around Toshiro trapping him in the square between them.
"What's this?!" He commanded. And when the smoke and dust cleared the figures made themselves known. It was the Royal Guard.
"Stay where you are Head-Captain!" Ichibei pointed at him. But Toshiro glanced away from the monk to notice the other three members standing around him. They were tense, their eyes fixed on him, hands hovering over their swords." You are under arrest."
"Arrest?" Toshiro said turning back to him." What for?"
"Stealing from the Royal Family." Ichibei answered. But although they seemed set in their conclusion Toshiro or anyone else present for that matter was.
"I have committed no such crime." He answered.
"If that is the truth." Said Ichibei." Then give it back." He extended his hand and open palm to Toshiro." Place the Oin in my hand and we will forget this ever happened."
"I do not have it." Toshiro responded.
"It's true." Rukia said." The Head-Captain has been here the whole morning."
"Quiet." Toshiro said over his shoulder at her.
"Liar!" Hikifune called out." He's a nasty little boy, don't believe a word he says." And that uproar caused Toshiro to slowly reach back for his sword. But he found the royal guard ready to move.
"Go on do it." Tenjiro tempted him." Make a move."
"This does not have to end violently Head-Captain." Ichibei said." If you are innocent as you suggest than you have no need to fear. Come with us and we can sort this all out." He paused a moment and took a step forward. " Will you come along quietly?" Ichibei asked him. Toshiro glanced around at all four members of the Guard present. With all Four of them here they might stand a chance but the battle would undoubtedly destroy the Soul Society.
"Aye." Toshiro said taking his hand away from his sword. He moved both his hands up and showed the Zero Guard his palms. Tenjiro quickly moved in and put Toshiro's arms behind his back and sealed them with a kido seal.
Now the sudden appearance of the Royal Guard was more than enough to have everyone come and see. The fact that they were walking away with the Head-Captain in chains only made it more interesting to view.
Yushiro Shihouin had been passing by when he noticed the large crowd. So Naturally he was curious and tried to get a view of the situation. But he was very small and couldn't see beyond all the tall heads of everyone else.
"Excuse me." He said as he was trying to get through." Excuse me, I can't see." The dual Lieutenants began making their way to the head of the crowd to see what was going on.
"Out of the way!" Chojiro commanded." Out of my way!"
"Captain!" Rangiku said as she ran towards him." What's happening?!" But as she got closer Ichibei raised his hand to her.
"Don't come." Toshiro told her. And Rangiku stopped on her tracks." Stay back Rangiku."
"Toshiro what's going on?"
"There's been a misunderstanding." Toshiro replied." I won't be gone long, look after everything until I return." And Rangiku nodded her understanding of that.
"Are you ready Head-Captain?" asked Ichibei. Toshiro nodded to him in response. Then the monk turned his attention to the sky and a giant black cylinder flew down and crashed before them. The Tenchuren, the transportation service of the Royal Guard. One by one it's members walked back into it.
"Get in there." Tenjiro said as he pushed Toshiro forward. And the last thing Rangiku saw of him was the door closing and the Tenchuren launching high into the sky and back to the Soul Palace.
"Yoruichi!" Yushiro said as he ran back into the Squad Ten Barracks. He found his sister in the Captain's office sitting on the windowsill." Yoruichi! Did you see it, did you see what happened?!"
"The Head-Captain. "she responded." Yea." But her voice wasn't its usual playful self, there was a strain to it.
"Well w-why did they come and take him?" He was afraid to move up next to her, worried about what she'd look like.
"I don't know." She said. It had been a long time since he'd heard her speak like this and it frightened him. It was at this moment that he noticed that Captain Kiganjo was gone.
With the Head-Captain's sudden departure that meant the organization fell to the next highest power, the Captains. Kiganjo let out a deep breath as he stood amongst his peers as they tried to make sense of the situation.
But today the crowd was more than just twelve. The Lieutenants of Squad One were standing beside the Head-Captains vacant chair.
"I don't understand." Matsuri said." They just came in and took him. By what right do they do that?"
"The Royal Guard acts differently than us here." Shunsui told him.
"Why did they take the Head Captain?" Sajin spoke up."
"The Oin." Rukia spoke up. Everyone quickly turned to her standing in the doorway. The Captains and this meeting began in such a hurry and she did not know if she should have spoken. But if she could help her teacher and superior she would." They mentioned something about the Oin."
"What is that?" Renji asked.
"The Oin is a powerful artifact and possession of the Royal Family." Told Ukitake." It grants the wielder the power to manipulate space and time."
"Well what would the Head-Captain be doing with such an artifact?" questioned Matsuri.
"He doesn't have it!" Rangiku said. Now everyone turned and looked at her." He's not a thief, he has no motive to take it. Besides he's been here day after day, we've all seen him!" And no one could dispute that. But even with that info none of this made any more sense.
During his incarceration at the Royal Palace it was decided he would be under the watch of a member of the Royal Guard. Ichibei volunteered himself and Toshiro was grateful for that. The New Commander of the Royal Guard was much more level headed than his co-workers. The others would have bound him in chains but Ichibei allowed him free range of his home while he was staying.
"Hyorinmaru." Ichibei said. He held the hilt delicately in one hand while he ran his other hand across the blade. Toshiro did not like how he held the blade as if it was his own but he didn't say so." The most powerful ice Zanpaktou." He moved the blade closer to his ear as if it could speak to him. He turned his eyes from the blade and then to its master with a strange look of understanding in his eyes." It is a fitting weapon for you Head-Captain." He reached out his hand and handed the blade back to him.
There was a hissing sound than began until suddenly it turned into a full-fledged cry.
"The Tea is ready." Ichibei said. He rose from his spot to retrieve the boiling water and sat back down across from Toshiro with it. The young man reached forward and removed the lid from one of the cups." Oh thank you." Ichibei said as he began to pour.
When the tea was still hot and the flavor and leaked in from the bag Toshiro took a cup for himself.
"How's it looking for me?" He asked.
"The others are performing the search as we speak." Ichibei responded." But we found traces of your ice in the armory where the Oin was."
"That's not possible. I did not take it."
"I believe you. Hyorinmaru told me so, and told me other things as well." Toshiro did not understand what he meant but it dawned on him quickly what the monk said." Don't worry Head-Captain your secrets are safe with me. I only hope we find it soon before anything happens." Toshiro hoped so as well. No doubt there was chaos amongst the Divisions without him. Perhaps he would have been better of saying more before he left. His distraught must have been shown on his face because Ichibei spoke next." Have no fear Head Captain. I'm sure their doing fine without you." And Toshiro certainly hoped that was true.
No one was more frantic about all of this than Rangiku.
"This is Bullshit!" Rangiku said. "They had no right, no right to take him!" There was a small crowd only Chojiro and Rukia, but it was enough to keep her going.
"The Zero Squad is different than us." Chojiro told." Their influence is directly from the Soul King. They-"
"He is the Leader of the Entire Gotei 13 he outranks them." Chojiro rolled his eyes. She hadn't heard a thing he just said. Rangiku stomped around the floor a few more moments before turning and looking out the window. And in the silence Chojiro could tell there was an idea turning in that head of her's." I'm going to go free him!" she suddenly let out. A bad idea at that.
"I'm with you Rangiku." Rukia said." The Head-Captain is my teacher as well as my superior. I will do whatever I can to help him." Now with a backing Rangiku felt better about this. But she'd need and want all the help she could get.
"Chojiro!" Rangiku said turning to him." Come with us!"
"No." He shook his head.
"No." Rukia repeated." The Head-Captain is gone. And-"
"And we're going to try and bring him back!" Rangiku finished." Prove his innocence."
"In the absence of the Captain the Lieutenant is the acting force of the Division. It is no different for Squad One." He told." If we both left now who would run the Division? I will not neglect my charge for any reason. That is what the Head-Captains would want." But Rangiku didn't see it that way.
"Fine." She said." Then I'll do it alone. C'mon Rukia!"
"L-Lieutenant." A voice squeaked. Rangiku turned around and saw a small head with two golden eyes peering at her from the doorway.
"Yes." She said." Come in." Yushiro Shihouin took a careful step forward into full view, then a second deeper into the room. He'd never been to Squad One before and never though he would be.
"If it's alright with you, ma'am." He said." I would like to come with you."
"Why?" Rangiku questioned.
"The Head-Captain's been very good to me." He told." He got me my position in Squad Ten." When he spoke he looked at the ground but now found the courage to look at her." I will so whatever I can to return the favor."
"And what position is that?" Rangiku asked.
"T-Third seat of squad Ten." He answered. A small smile curled against Rangiku's lips as she remembered a long forgotten time.
"Alright." She smiled." You're more than welcome to come with us. Two Lieutenants and a Third Seat, I think we'll be alright. Chojiro!" she turned back to him." Look after the place while I'm gone."
So the trio of Rangiku, Rukia and Yushiro went to the scene of the crime. The place where the Oin was last seen. The whereabouts of such an item was completely unknown to most Soul Reapers and only a privileged few knew of its location.
Luckily Toshiro was one of those few and there was a document containing the location of the last known position of the artifact.
It was on the outer edge of the Soul Society in a vault locked deep down inside the earth. But aside from the forced entry at the initial doorway there was nothing else hinting at Toshiro's involvement.
"Do you think this could be it?" Rukia asked as she observed the iron door that had been ripped off its hinges.
"No that's not possible." Rangiku said." That's not my Captain's style." Rukia had to agree. The two moved deeper into the vault to look for more clues. The only way down was a long, twisting flight of stairs. And where the stairs ended was no doubt where the Oin had been kept. But there was an empty pedestal where the item should sit and puddles of water all around the floor.
"Water." Rukia said with a drenched sandal." That could mean something." With narrowed eyes Rangiku turned her head to Rukia.
"What do you mean by that?"
"Well there's water on the ground." Rukia said. She moved over to the walls and touched it." And the walls are cold. Maybe Ice powers were involved here."
"This could mean anything!" Rangiku said." Nothing about this screams Ice zanpaktou let alone Hyorinmaru." Yushiro was looking around on his own but was suddenly alerted to a sound coming from up above. The sound of footsteps descending the stairs.
"Lieutenants." Yushiro said in a harsh whisper.
"Rangiku, Ice melts. "Rukia said. Yushiro looked up to hear the nose getting closer.
"So what? How do we know it wasn't you and Sode no Shirayuki?!" Yushiro's eyes widened as he heard the sounds getting closer.
"Lieutenants!" Yushiro said. But he was still unable to get their attentions. Now he was frightened and with nothing else to do he pulled out his sword. That got both their attentions.
"What are you doing?!" Rangiku said.
"Flash brightly!" Yushiro said with the sword above him. And what little light there was in the room flickered against his Zanpaktou.
A moment later Tenjiro Kirinji of the Royal Guard poked his head out and into the room. He looked into the darkness and saw nothing. Nothing except for the small puddle forming on the ground. He took a careful step forward kneeling down and dipping his hand into the water.
If the fact that it melted wasn't enough the fact that it was warm was another. But this to him at least confirmed Hyorinmaru's involvement in this crisis. A smile formed on his face as he rose back to his face. He could sense the Ice powers of Hyorinmaru all over the place and feel it in his hands.
"Gotcha." He smiled. Feeling his job done Tenjiro quickly turned and went out the way he came. Silence followed in his aftermath and not a thing stirred.
It was only after he appeared gone for good that Yushiro, Rangiku and Rukia appeared to have been standing in the room the whole time.
"What was that?" Rukia questioned." How did he not see us?" With shaking hands and huffed breath Yushiro lowered his sword." How did you do that?" she questioned stepping towards him.
"M-My Nijigasumi is a light zanpaktou." He told." And allows me to create limitless amounts of light, to do whatever I want."
"That's amazing." Rukia said." What else can it do?" Under normal circumstances Rangiku would have been even more interested but this was not one of those times. Things have evidently gone from bad to worse with the Zero Squad thinking they had all the evidence they needed against him.
"We can worry about that later." She said." We've got to keep moving." Without another word she began going back up in the direction they came.
"Rangiku, wait!" called Rukia.