Chapter 19: Clearing Them Out
Kirara's confession had been unexpected, to say the least. Rose hadn't known what had Kirara looking so frazzled, or what she was about to say to him.
"I think…I think I'm falling for Hirako," saying the words out loud almost felt cathartic to Kirara, even if she wasn't sure how Rose was going to react.
Even though it was cathartic, Kirara couldn't help but feel that it was a completely ridiculous conclusion to come to. The moment she voice the words, she buried her face in her hands and stepped back to fall onto the sofa, curling up as she did.
She hadn't slept. Shinji had vanished for a short while, returning with bandages to fix up her hand. He chided her the entire time as neither acknowledged that moment that had passed between them. If he was even aware of it, that was. Kirara had no idea what the Captain had been thinking, but Shinji had stayed beside her until the sun started to rise, neither saying a word as Kirara processed the events of the night and managed to settle down.
Then Shinji had finally headed off to get some sleep, and Kirara had gone straight to find Rose, unable to shake the thought in her head. And now Rose was staring at Kirara, unable to find any words as she sat there. She couldn't take them back, and she didn't want to.
"Well…" Rose finally broke the heavy silence in the room, and leaned back in his seat. "This is not quite how I expected my morning to start, but I can't say I'm truly surprised," Kirara lifted her head from her hands to stare at him.
"You what?" she wasn't sure how to react. She hadn't expected that sort of reaction from him. She'd hoped that he wouldn't just burst out laughing at her, but a complete lack of surprise was not something she'd thought of. Rose sighed, his tired features now more weary than anything.
"Of all the paths you would take, this seemed like the most likely. At least, after you stopped fighting. You get on rather well, and you suit one another," Rose's words made Kirara's face grow redder and redder.
"What? No, I-" she groaned and put her face in her hands again. Her heart was pounding once more, so loud she was sure he could hear it. Her stomach squirmed at his words as an oddly pleased feeling mixed with her embarrassment, making her even more embarrassed.
"Deny it all you want, my dear," Rose couldn't help but smile faintly at how bashful she suddenly was. It was easy to tease Kirara, but he'd never seen her this flustered. After all the torment she'd put him through, it was only fair that he get his own back. "My question now, Kirara, is what you plan on doing?" he asked her.
Kirara was quiet for a moment, not moving or lifting her head from her hands. She hadn't considered that question. She was still processing the ludicrous idea that she had gone and developed feelings for the man who up until a few years ago, she'd been unable to stop fighting with.
"Nothing," her answer came naturally as she lifted her head. Kirara inhaled deep, holding it for two beats before letting it go. She smiled slightly as Rose's delicate eyebrows furrowed. "I'm not going to do anything," Kirara decided.
"Why not?" Rose pressed, baffled. Kirara looked down at her bandaged hand.
"There's just some things that I can't change. We may not fight anymore, but I don't even know what I am to Hirako. If…" Kirara trailed off, not able to say the words out loud, but Rose knew where her train of thought was headed. If he didn't reciprocate how she felt. Kirara shrugged. "I'm tired of fighting," she looked over at him as she spoke.
"Kirara…" the Captain stared at her for a long moment, before he gave an exhausted sigh and sank down in his seat. "You're an idiot," he told her. Kirara's faint smile remained on her face as she looked back down at her hand.
"I know," she agreed.
After finally leaving Rose's office once he swore he wouldn't repeat a word of what was discussed that morning, Kirara returned to her own barracks to finally face the events that had taken place overnight. She was still annoyed at herself for not being able to bring the man in quietly, but the majority of her feelings regarding the events that had taken place had settled down.
"I heard what went down last night," Kirara glanced around to see Yoruichi standing in the doorway to her office. It was rare to see her Captain there; a sign that she took it seriously. "You alright?" Yoruichi's eyes glittered as she watched Kirara with such care that Kirara felt her every breath being scrutinised.
"I'm fine," Kirara nodded, and found it to be the truth. Yoruichi's eyebrow quirked up, and she didn't miss the bandages that were wrapped carefully around Kirara's hand, but she didn't address it. She knew Kirara well enough to know that when completing missions as part of the Onmitsukido turned messy, Kirara withdrew into herself for days.
Yet she seemed back to normal already.
"I see," Yoruichi folded her arms and leaned against the doorway. Something was strange about Kirara, but she couldn't quite work out what. Instead, she looked at the mess of paperwork scattered across her desk. "What are your next steps?" she asked, not pressing it. Kirara only closed up if addressed directly.
"Figure out who this idiot was working with and squash the last of their attempts to start some kind of uprising. He was working with Shinigami who tried to help him last night; there must be others," Kirara answered, shifting files around until she had a clear space. "I'll be working with Satoru and a few others," she added. Yoruichi hummed with approval, nodding to herself.
"Good. Let me know if you need anything," she said, pushing off the doorframe. Kirara gave a non-committal noise, and Yoruichi rolled her eyes. Kirara rarely asked her for any help when it came to her work. "You don't have to do it all alone," her words had a surprising effect on Kirara. The Lieutenant's eyes went wide and her hand stilled, and Yoruichi swore she was fighting a blush. "Kirara?" Yoruichi called her name, and Kirara looked up quickly.
"I-I kn-know. Thanks," Kirara stammered, flashing a smile before quickly going back to her work. Yoruichi watched her, suspicious, before turning and leaving her to it. Her questions could wait until Kirara didn't have an important mission to hide behind.
The moment Yoruichi's steps faded out of earshot, Kirara sighed and leaned back in her chair, lifting her hand to look at her bandaged hand. "Idiot," she muttered, shaking her head before getting to work.
Rose wasn't sure if he was picking up on things because of Kirara's confession earlier that month, but Shinji seemed oddly quiet. He was normally one of the chattier ones in the Captains' meetings, yet lately, he seemed to be more pensive than anything.
Rose hadn't seen Kirara since that morning when she'd confessed her feelings. He assumed she was busy, as often her work caused her to disappear for sometimes a few weeks on end. He knew it was only a matter of time before she appeared at his office, hoping for tea and a gossip about everything going on around the Seireitei.
His suspicions grew as another meeting ended and Shinji was one of the first out the door. Rose caught up to him, unable to leave it be. Especially after Kirara seemed so adamant to just leave things be.
"Shinji?" his call almost seemed to startle the 5th Division Captain out of his thoughts. "You seemed oddly deep in thought," Rose commented idly as he matched the shorter man's pace and walked through the corridors of the Seireitei.
"Did I?" Shinji just shrugged. He looked bored, but he was aware of the other Captain watching him carefully. "Maybe I just didn't sleep enough last night. This summer heat is killing me," he complained, seeming much more like himself.
"Of course," Rose drawled, not quite believing his words. Shinji didn't look tired at all. "It's not like you to stay so quiet during our meetings," he accused, and Shinji sniffed.
"They're as boring as ever. I was trying not to fall asleep," he said tonelessly. Rose didn't know why he was bothering to try and press the man - he was impossible to read and almost as difficult to get information out of as Kirara. Rose hadn't been lying when he told her that he thought they suited one another.
"Perhaps you should get some more sleep, then," Rose decided. Shinji gave a non-committal noise. "You should stop by soon. One of my officers should be returning from the World of the Living soon with some new music I asked for," he said, which earned him more of a genuine reaction. A toothy grin spread across Shinji's face, and for a moment Rose thought it might have been in response to the offer of new music.
"Did you ever start playing that flute?" instead, Shinji's question made Rose huff.
"You're as bad as Kirara," he complained, the words slipping out before he could stop them. Instantly the grin faded, and Shinji turned his gaze straight ahead again. Rose's eyebrows rose.
"I'll think about it. I've been hearing some weird rumours lately. Might look into them," he said, and as Rose started to try ask about them, a nervous call caught their attention.
"Kirara, please! You said you'd take a break and let me check how your hand is healing!" a young man pleaded as Kirara materialised nearby, followed by the speaker. Kirara had a feline smile on her face as she danced out of range easily, carrying a small stack of files in her arms. The man's words made Rose realise he'd never gotten an answer about what happened.
"I told you I'd consider it if you kept up. Don't think I didn't miss you falling behind, Haruki," she teased him, and the unseated officer let his head fall forwards. Kirara then glanced over as she noticed Rose and Shinji standing nearby. "Good morning," she waved, and Haruki's eyes widened as he realised two Captains were standing there.
"Good-good morning!" he stammered, bowing low to them as Kirara's grin widened. Rose smiled, waving back to her.
"Why is it that you're always the centre of the noise, Princess?" Shinji asked, his eyes darting from Rose's warm smile and wave, back to Kirara. Her eyebrows rose just slightly, and her feline smile returned. It was devious and made her blue eyes sparkle.
"Clearly, Hirako, you've not been around Squad 11's barracks. Now that's noise," she told him, and Shinji found himself grinning back as Haruki looked alarmed at how casually she was speaking to him. "You should go sometime. Their brawls are…certainly something," Kirara smirked.
"I'd like to keep my hearing, thanks," Shinji just snorted. Kirara laughed, and shifted the files in her arms.
"Unlike some people who can take a leisurely walk, I have work to do. I'll see you around," Kirara said, and Haruki bowed low again.
"Stop by when you have some free time. I have a new blend of tea for you to try," Rose offered, and Kirara smiled at him, nodding.
"Will do. Thanks," with that, she vanished, and Haruki gave another yelp.
"Lieutenant!" he gave chase, vanishing quickly. Shinji hummed.
"That's the kid from Squad 4 that she trained, isn't it?" he asked, and Rose nodded.
"Haruki, I believe. A Squad 4 member with Shunpo and Hakuda training is certainly useful. I imagine he won't remain unseated for much longer," he mused. Shinji shrugged.
"Too bad about that attitude. Might have made the Squad 11 lot pause before forcing them to do their chores for them," with that, he was moving again, and Rose watched him for a moment, wondering if Shinji had noticed that Kirara had really only focused on him.
And that he had been just as focused on her.
"Idiots," Rose muttered under his breath.
"Huh?" Shinji turned his head but kept walking as Rose caught up.
"Nothing at all," the Squad 3 Captain just smiled, and Shinji yawned widely in response, completely oblivious to Rose's thoughts.
The part of the Seireitei that Kirara had stepped in was quiet, even in the late afternoon. There were a few people about, but not many as Kirara walked around the small homes that were clustered together. She was quiet in her movements, taking a look around for any sign of who she was looking for.
Several different presences brushed on the cusp of her senses, letting her know that her team were nearby and waiting to help out. Unlike what had taken place earlier in the month, Kirara wasn't going in alone, and she was prepared.
She'd jumped the gun with Botan, believing him to have been working alone and only starting out with his rantings to anyone who would listen. That's what Kuroro had told her. Kirara didn't think that Kuroro had set her up, far from it, but this time she did all the research herself to make sure she wasn't misled. She'd grown too reliant on Kuroro's info.
It had taken a month to gather every drop of information on the people that the ringleader had swayed to his side, and she and a small portion of her Patrol Corps had spent a few days stalking the Seireitei until they fought the hideout where the rest of the group had gathered.
Panicked after Botan and a number of his Shinigami accomplices had vanished, those remaining had grouped together in a desperate attempt to lie low, not realising that all they had done was make things easy for Kirara and her team.
Kirara kept her breathing even and quiet as she moved around, detecting two presences inside a small, seemingly harmless building. Satoru had already told her that there were two with Reiryoku, and at least three more without, who believed that they were being oppressed by Shinigami.
"Commander," Satoru materialised beside Kirara as she reached the trees, kneeling beside her. "They don't know we're here, but from what I can tell, they're not planning on staying for much longer," he warned her. Kirara grimaced.
"I'm not surprised. With their leader vanished, they'll be scrambling. They were idiots to stay here as long as they did," she replied, leaning against one of the trees as she focused on the small building. "Is everyone in position?" Kirara asked, and Satoru nodded.
"Yes, Commander. They'll be maintaining their positions outside in the event that anyone escapes," he answered her. Had this been about anything else, both would have laughed at the idea. Kirara was far too fast for them to flee. But they remained serious as they always did during a mission.
Taking another deep breath, Kirara ran her fingers along her other hand. The bandages had finally been removed, but a scar remained behind across the back of it. When Haruki managed to at last convince Kirara to let him take a look at it, he had scolded her for not letting him sooner, having risked damaging her hand to the point where she wouldn't be able to use it properly.
"Let's go," she told Satoru, who nodded. Kirara moved first, and her Shunpo carried her to the front door. When Satoru reached her, she was already lifting her leg and kicking out. The wood crunched and splintered as the door collapsed, and someone inside shrieked.
"Who the hell-" one of the two with Reiryoku froze as he saw Kirara and the taller man standing beside her. Dressed in the traditional all black of the Onmitsukido, Satoru's face was hidden by a mask and hood, while Kirara's Lieutenant's insignia was on full display on her bare arm.
"Shit!" one of the men who had been sitting at the table cursed and scrambled for another doorway. When he blinked, Kirara was suddenly in front of him.
"Not happening," she warned him, and threw a punch. It collided with his cheek with enough force to lift the man off his feet, and he landed in a crumpled heap nearby. The sound of swords being drawn rang through the small building, and Satoru drew his own weapon too to fight them off.
It only lasted a handful of moments before they were all taken down. The interior was in shambles, and all five men were lying on the ground. They were unconscious and beaten, but alive. A win for Kirara, in her mind. Even if it meant more to be imprisoned, at least the blood wasn't on her hands.
Shaking her head, she dismissed the thoughts quickly. "Nice work," Kirara nodded to Satoru, who was already restraining the men just in case they woke up and tried to fight back. She could hear the rest of her team moving in to help as well, and Kirara bent down to lift the sword that was lying on the ground, and frowned.
There should have been two swords. She knew she remembered two men drawing weapons, yet there was only one blade lying there, and it was in pieces. Instantly Kirara's senses went on high alert as she scanned the place, looking over at Satoru to ask him if he'd seen it.
The pain that pierced Kirara's side burned like fire, and for a moment Kirara's entire body locked up. She couldn't scream. She couldn't breathe. All she could think about was the pain that had just stabbed through her right side.
"No!" Satoru dropped the man he'd been hauling towards the door, launching himself at the small woman who was burying the broken blade into Kirara's side, twisting it before yanking it back out. She screamed, but it was cut off as Satoru grabbed her and threw her with more force than was necessary against the wall.
She hit it so hard that she blacked out before she even landed on the ground, the wooden wall splintered, but Satoru didn't care. He was catching Kirara in his arms as she tipped forwards. Blood was flowing freely from the wound, soaking through Kirara's uniform and trailing down her legs, dripping to the floor.
"Call in support from Squad 4!" Satoru roared at the rest of their team. Tetsuo was the fastest, and was gone before Satoru even finished speaking. Michi was over beside them in a second, his hands lighting up with Kaido.
"Don't you dare die on us now, Commander. Not when I'm finally starting to get those 200 continuous Shunpo steps down," Michi told her firmly. Kirara didn't respond, her eyes closed and her breathing uneven as she grew paler by the moment.
"How'd it even happen? I thought there were only supposed to be a few people here," Kenzaki growled, making sure that the people they had knocked out were restrained. When one of them started coughing, it took them a moment to realise that he was laughing.
"You're idiots," he wheezed, looking delighted at the sight in front of him. "The day Botan vanished, we knew we were compromised. We didn't have large enough numbers to take you dogs down, but if we were found…we'd make sure that we'd take at least one of you down with us," he looked at the unconscious woman, proud.
"Shut up!" Kenzaki's foot slammed down on the man, and his wheezing bragging stopped abruptly. "Dammit," he punched the wall.
"Not here, Kenzaki," Michi said sharply as sweat rolled down his face. He was talented in Kido, but Kaido was something else entirely. "Don't give them the satisfaction. You know the Commander would kick your ass for it," he said, managing a small smile.
"I'll happily let her," Kenzaki muttered, unable to take his eyes off the unconscious form of Kirara. Satoru hadn't spoken a word as he held her carefully, keeping her in a position that allowed Michi to heal her easily.
"You hear that, Commander? Kenzaki is willingly offering himself up for punishment," he spoke at last, and Kenzaki levelled a glare at him instead. Satoru didn't look up. "So you can't die now. Not when you can finally get it through your thick skull that you're not alone," he told her. Michi and Kenzaki didn't speak, but they were thinking exactly the same thing.
Not one of them were going to let her die.