Akon stepped forward and gripped the handle on the door to the Squad 4 Medical Unit and pulled it open. He stood to the side and gestured with his hand before speaking.
"After you." He stated to Ayumi.
She smiled up at him softly.
"Thank you, Lieutenant." Ayumi replied as she stepped inside the brightly lit room filled with medical beds.
She looked around the space and spotted her former instructor standing to the side of the room in conversation with a woman who was wearing a white Captain's Haori with shoulder length light purple hair framing her face. The woman was unusually tall but still seemed to be poised and quite feminine.
Ayumi walked up to the two women but stayed silent not wanting to interrupt their conversation. Lady Yoruichi's catlike eyes turned and spotted her and by the forlorn look on her face Ayumi could tell she wasn't the only one who had internal warning bells ringing.
"Thank you for coming, Ayumi. I'm sorry I had to pull you away from your training." Lady Yoruichi stated as the two women turned and stepped closer to her.
"It's fine. I was actually done with training for the day." She informed them.
"I'm afraid that Haru and Mikka have come down with something pretty serious. At first we all thought it was nothing more than a simple virus that would pass, but, it's looking like it's something much worse." Yoruichi explained.
"I see. I am very sorry to hear that. Thank you for letting me know." Ayumi replied.
Even though she had not really been very close to the other women she knew that the average person would think her a friend to them having lived together for such a long period of time. Ayumi didn't see the point in correcting their assumption.
"That's not the only reason we summoned you. We also have Rei being looked at as a precautionary measure. With both Haru and Mikka being ill, it is only safe to assume it may have spread between the four of you. We would like to collect a blood sample from you and keep you under a forty-eight hour observation." She heard the Squad 4 Captains calm soft voice explain to her.
Ayumi felt her shoulders slump as she reached her arms up and wrapped them around her middle. Her day had started out on a pretty high note having been informed her vision could be corrected and now it seemed she would be stuck inside a sick ward for the next two days.
"I understand. That would be the safest route." She replied.
"Since you have not shown any symptoms we will keep you separated from the other women. We don't even want to take the chance by putting you in the same room as Rei." Isane Kotetsu continued.
"Okay." Ayumi agreed.
"Captain Kotetsu, I have everything prepared to take the blood sample now." A soft male voice spoke from the other side of the room.
Ayumi turned and spotted the male who had spoken and she smiled. He was small in stature with jet black hair that fell just above his shoulders and soft blue eyes. He looked so much like Rin she was tempted to ask if they were related in some way but held it back not wanting to ask unnecessary questions.
"If you wouldn't mind coming over and taking a seat, Ms. Otsuka." The petite male asked as he gestured to the medical chair he stood in front of.
Ayumi nodded as she crossed over to the other side of the room and sat in the ugly green chair.
"My name is Hanataro Yamada. I am the 3rd seat of Squad 4 and I will be the one in charge of your care while you stay with us." He explained.
His soft youthful looking features seemed to express his sympathy as he reached out and very gently took a hold of her wrist to her right arm and began to lift the sleeve of her Shihakusho. Ayumi didn't fight him as he rolled the sleeve up her arm and placed a rubber tourniquet around her bicep and pulled it tight.
She looked up and noticed Lady Yoruichi standing with her arms crossed in front of her chest next to the chair.
"I must say, that Shihakusho looks pretty damn good on you." She smiled after giving her the compliment.
Ayumi couldn't help but smile back even as the small sting from the needle spread up her arm. She looked down and watched the dark crimson liquid fill the small vile that the 3rd seat held in his gloved hand.
"I'm sorry if that stung a little. I'm trying to practice my skill level in order to be as painless as possible." The 3rd seat offered.
"It wasn't too bad." Ayumi replied honestly.
"What is the plan regarding Haru and Mikka?" Ayumi looked up at Lady Yoruichi when she asked her question.
"For now we are keeping them sedated in order to try and keep their fevers down. Neither one of them have been able to keep any food or drink in their system since the night after you moved out of the dormitory." Yoruichi replied.
Ayumi frowned at the information and for the life of her she couldn't understand what the problem could be.
"That seems rather strange." Ayumi replied.
"This is all just a precaution. We are sending your blood sample along with the samples we have taken from the other three women back to your Captain with your Lieutenant. If anyone can help us solve the mystery it will be Captain Kurotsuchi." She offered with a small smile.
Ayumi nodded as her lips lifted into a smile of her own. She didn't need Lady Yoruichi to tell her they were all in very capable hands when it came to her Captain. He would use whatever methods he had at his disposal to help and would not stop until he found a solution.
"I have the blood samples here, Captain Kurotsuchi." Akon announced as he entered the man's personal lab space.
Mayuri turned and faced his Lieutenant then held out his pale white hand. Akon placed the four clear vials filled with deep red liquid into his Captain's hand.
"We will need to be very thorough with this, Akon. I will start by comparing the samples from the women who are ill against Ayumi's to see if she has been infected first." Mayuri informed him.
"Yes, Sir. No need in keeping her there if she is not." Akon agreed.
Mayuri turned and walked into the back of his lab space where a full wall of computer hard drives stood stacked up one on top of the other. It was the brain of the Squad 12 division's operations and it was what allowed them to keep the Soul Society running so smoothly. Mayuri turned his attention to a smaller machine that sat to the side of the wall on top of a steel table.
It resembled that of a large printer with a round circular chamber covered by a plastic guard, a blood chemistry analyzer. Mayuri lifted the plastic lid and inserted each of the four tubes inside the machine carefully taking note of the slot he placed Ayumi's sample. He shut the lid and locked it in place before his pale fingers pressed against the numbered buttons typing in his access code. The machine lit up and hummed to life as the small chamber began to spin pulling the black plastic wheel inside.
"It shouldn't take any longer than a couple hours and we will have the results. In the meantime I am going to act as if nothing has changed and continue working on another project." Mayuri stated to his Lieutenant before he turned on his heel and walked back out into the wide space where his work station sat.
Akon turned his gaze to the machine that would tell them the outcome of Ayumi's fate. He found himself hoping that the woman would be lucky and not succumb to the illness. She had only been a member of the squad for a short time but already the woman had seemed to not only charm his captain but him as well. Akon liked the woman almost instantly and that was not something that happened very often for him, let alone their Captain. His silent admission brought his thoughts to another squad member who would be waiting for an update on the new recruit.
He turned and walked back out into the main lab space and didn't even bother to interrupt his captain by letting him know he was going to speak with Rin. Akon knew very well what that other project Mayuri had referred to was without even having to ask. His captain had been hard at work the whole day trying to synthesize a new combination of condensed Reishi molecules mixed within a complex liquid compound that he could administer like an eye drop in order to help break down and heal the scar tissue that marred Ayumi's right eye. In addition, the eye drops would not only heal the damage but perfect the cellular structure of both of her eyes, therefore, theoretically improving the woman's vision completely.
Ayumi looked around the small room she had been escorted into, it was minimal at best with the standard size medical bed placed directly in the middle of the room. The only other furniture was a large table with a clay jug and a plastic basin sitting on top.
"I've been informed by my Captain you have not eaten yet so I will be back with some food." Hanataro announced as he turned to head out of the room.
"How did Captain Kotetsu know that I have not eaten?" Ayumi asked finding it strange that the captain would know something like that without her saying so.
"Your Lieutenant informed her you would need a meal tonight." Hanataro replied as his brows lifted.
Ayumi couldn't help the smile that spread across her lips or the emotional pang that filled her chest. In such a short time the men of the Squad 12 Division had managed to give her more kindness and consideration than anyone else had in her life. The only other person she could think of being remotely close was Lady Yoruichi.
"Thank you, Hanataro." She whispered softly.
He simply nodded his head before stepping out of the room pulling the door closed behind him. Ayumi stood there for a couple minutes pondering the situation. Her old roommates had obviously picked up some sort of virus or bacteria. It couldn't have been the food served at the academy or more students would have been admitted.
She wrapped her left arm around herself as she brought her right hand to her lips and bit down on the nail of her thumb as she contemplated the possibilities. Had the three of them eaten someplace else? Ayumi knew that Haru had an adoptive family consisting of an older woman and two middle-aged men she considered to be like older brothers. Had the three of them gone to Hokutan recently?
Ayumi shook her head. No, Hokutan was the 3rd district, if anything went wrong there it would be noticed rather quickly. It wasn't like the 79th district she was from where people feared to tread unless they were up to no good. Violence and death were a part of everyday survival for those unlucky enough to live in Kusajishi.
The inability to keep down food and drink with a high temperature, those symptoms could literally be anything from basic food poisoning to a life threatening parasitic infection. Ayumi let out a frustrated breath as she walked over to medical bed and sat down. It seemed she was going to be left to her own devices for the next couple days and she was already starting to annoy herself.
Would Captain Kotetsu be willing to let her visit Haru? Maybe if she put on a mask? Wouldn't she have already been exposed to it by being around the Captain who had been treating them anyway?
She heard the clicking sound of the doorknob being turned and she looked over expecting to see Hanataro with her meal but was caught off guard when instead of being greeted by kind blue eyes she met a pair of intense gold.
"Captain Kurotsuchi?" She looked up at him, her expression one of confusion.
He smiled down at her as he stepped into the room.
"My, my. You would think they could make these rooms a bit livelier." He commented casually.
Ayumi's lips parted as she sat there gawking up at him. She didn't understand what would have made him come to see her.
"Is something wrong, Captain?" She asked him trying to understand the situation.
His lips lifted into a knowing grin as his captivating eyes met hers.
"Not at all, on the contrary, I decided to come and collect you myself. Your blood is clean, there are no traces of any form of infection and in all honesty you seem to be in perfect health." He grinned.
"So I don't have to stay here then?" She asked him.
"Not unless you like sleeping in a medical unit." He replied.
Ayumi stood up from the bed and walked over to his side.
"I'm confused, Captain, why didn't you just send Akon?" She asked him.
Mayuri turned his gaze from her and she found it strange that he would turn away.
"I wanted to see the other women with my own eyes, but it seems even I am not allowed to enter." He frowned.
"Did you find anything useful in their blood work? Is it some kind of infection? Maybe a parasite of some sort?" She rambled.
Mayuri turned and looked back at her, his head tilted to the side as he seemed to be studying her closely.
"I think that's the most I've heard you speak since I've met you." He commented.
"I'm sorry, Captain." Ayumi replied kicking herself for forgetting who she was talking to.
"Sorry? For what reason would you have to be sorry? Especially when you were asking all of the right questions." He replied.
Ayumi felt her face flush. He wasn't a man of a very large build and his height was average making her only a couple inches shorter than him but even so, his presence was overwhelming.
"You seem to be able to grasp the current situation. Is this a subject you have studied by chance?" Mayuri asked.
"I've studied many different subjects while at the academy. I will admit I have always had a high interest in the body and Biology in general." She admitted.
"Excellent. I may have to pull you from your current duties to assist me." He stated.
Ayumi's eyes widened.
"Assist you? I don't think I would be qualified for such an honor." She replied as her head fell forward indicating that her personal opinion of her skillset was low.
"Tch. I will be the judge of whether you are qualified or not. Tell me, what scenarios have you eliminated so far?" He asked.
Ayumi lifted her head and met his gaze but felt a bit hesitant to speak freely.
He raised his left hand as if indicating his impatience and the look he gave her matched.
"Well? Spit it out! I don't have time to deal with you being so self-conscious." He replied as he rolled his eyes.
"Yes, Sir." She answered as she squared her shoulders and mentally prepared herself.
"My first reaction was that it may have been something that the women ate, but I quickly eliminated that possibility. Since it's only two of them showing signs of illness. If it had been the food being served there would have been quite a substantial number of students being admitted. Not only that, a simple case of food poisoning tends to wear off within a matter of twenty-four hours. Haru and Mikka have not been able to keep anything in their system for almost forty-eight hours so the only other logical assumption would be an infection of some sort." She explained.
Ayumi kept her gaze on his face and she felt a wave of relief when he smiled at her again.
"It is in fact an infection, a viral one. It would also seem that not even Captain Kotetsu's healing kido has had any effect in treating it. Which led me to believe that the women in question either have poor immune systems or their spiritual pressure is simply not high enough to fight it off." He offered.
"That makes me concerned, Captain. I lived with these women for six years and during that time they never got so much as a cold. While it is true, if comparing them to someone of a Lieutenant or Captain's rank than their spiritual pressure would be considered low but that doesn't explain the strength of the virus. In order to withstand the healing kido this has to be a virus of a substantial caliber." Ayumi replied.
"Healing Kido is used to treat an affected area, it is a simple medical treatment. Do not confuse it as something superior to scientific studies. True it does have its purposes for healing wounds inflicted during battle, but even then it can fall short. It also depends on the skill and strength of the wielder. It is not unheard of for it to fail to heal disease, especially if the affected individual cannot maintain their own reiatsu." Mayuri countered.
Ayumi paused as she contemplated the information he had just shared with her. If it all depended on the strength of a Soul's own reiatsu then it could be possible for the infection to take over someone of a lower spiritual pressure, if the virus had mutated enough to attack the soul's defenses at the source. Ayumi gasped and her eyes widened as the thought occurred to her.
"What is it?" She heard him ask as he leaned his body in closer to hers.
"What if the virus itself is what's preventing their reiatsu from healing? Could it have mutated into something that attacks the reiatsu itself?" Ayumi asked him.
Mayuri's brow rose as he heard the woman's question and he found himself silently commending her for her way of thinking. It was in fact a plausible explanation.
"I would say that you more than qualified to assist me, Ayumi. Come along, we will continue this discussion in my lab." He answered.
Shunsui Kyoraku sighed heavily before he reached his hand out and pulled the door open to the Squad 4 Medical Unit. His Lieutenant, Nano Ise, followed him close behind as they both stepped inside the brightly lit room. The head Captain paused as he saw Captain Kurotsuchi step out from the back of the building, a petite woman with long brown hair that fell to her waist followed behind him.
The 12th Division Captain noticed him and paused.
"I've just been notified of the situation. Have you gotten any leads as to what this could be?" Shunsui asked.
Mayuri walked forward closing the gap between them before he answered.
"I am still in the process of investigating exactly what it is we are dealing with. I should know more within the next twenty-four hours." Mayuri answered honestly.
"What about Captain Kotestu? Has she been able to help the women in any way?" He asked, his empathy showing on his face.
"It would seem she is not going to be of much help. The only thing we can do for now is keep them both sedated." Mayuri answered.
Shunsui nodded as his gaze moved to the young woman who stood behind the Squad 12 Captain. She looked to be in her mid-twenties but he knew with her being a Soul she was much older than she appeared to be. He noticed the self-conscious way she wrapped her arms around herself as she politely waited.
"You must be Ayumi Otsuka. I am Shunsui Kyoraku, The Head Captain of the Gotei 13." He introduced himself.
He noticed the way the woman looked up at him with wide innocent looking eyes before she bowed.
"It is nice to meet you, Head Captain." She replied.
"I take it Ms. Otsuka has not been infected?" Shunsui asked.
"No, she has not. I don't see any reason for her to be subjected to the possibility of becoming so by staying here. I will be taking her back to the Squad 12 barracks." Mayuri informed him.
Shunsui nodded in agreement.
"What about the 3rd woman? Rei Konishi, what did you find in her blood?" The Head Captain asked.
"Unfortunately, she has traces of the infection. Either she is able to fight it off or she is only just now succumbing to its affects. It would not be wise to allow anyone other than the medical staff who have already come in contact with her be near her." Mayuri warned.
The Head Captain let out another deep sigh as he stood with his arms folded in front of his chest. Nano stood by his side but chose to stay silent as the two Captains discussed things.
"Has anyone thought to at least ask Ms. Konishi about the women's ware bouts these past weeks? Have either of them left the academy at any point in time?" Shunsui asked.
Mayuri turned his gaze to the woman to who stood by his side. Ayumi looked up at her Captain and understood he was looking to her for an answer to the Head Captains question. Her brow furrowed as she tried to think back on the events that happened in her last weeks at the academy. The three of them had always come back to their sleeping quarters at the end of the night, but as far as what they had done during the hours of the day she really wasn't sure.
"I honestly wouldn't know. I…I didn't spend very much time with them socially." She admitted.
"I see." Mayuri replied as he turned his attention back to the Head Captain.
"I have not been permitted to speak with her myself, it seems Captain Kotetsu is being cautious about just who is able to see her patients." Mayuri offered his own conclusion.
"Well in that case I may have a solution. Nanao, have a message sent to Captain Soifon. Tell her I need to borrow Amaya Aizen for a little while." Shunsui instructed.
Nanao looked up at her Captain and smiled softly.
"Yes, Captain. I will go personally." Nanao replied as she turned and left the building.
Ayumi looked up at the Head Captain and smiled. She didn't need anyone to explain to her why they would call on the substitute soul reaper for her assistance. If it was information someone was seeking, Amaya Aizen would be the perfect one to call on. What better way was there to get all of the answers then to use a woman who had the remarkable ability of telepathic communication?