Chapter 44: Three Days

Haruki's vision was swimming from exhaustion, and he could barely keep himself focused on healing Ganju. It was a slow process - his Shikai was meant to stabilise, not completely heal by itself, and he was exhausted after spending most of the night healing Ichigo before being on the move all day since then. His focus wavered more, when Kirara had left them, following Yoruichi as they escaped the two Captains.

Part of him had known that Kirara was keeping him and Hanataro at arm's length, but escaping while leaving them to their fate felt almost cruel. Haruki forced those thoughts from his head, trying to help Ganju as much as he could before they arrested him.

"They got away…" Ukitake murmured as he shielded his eyes from the sun to watch until Yoruichi and Kirara were too far away. "Huh? Hey!" he called as Byakuya started walking away. "Where are you going, Byakuya? Didn't you come to capture the Ryoka?" he called after the other Captain.

"I've lost interest," Byakuya replied, not turning back. "Do what you want with them," he said dismissively as he left.

"Good grief…he's as moody as ever," Ukitake complained wearily. There was a thud behind him, and he turned to see Rukia had collapsed, with Hanataro rushing to her side. "Oi, Sentaro! Kiyone! Come on out!" he shouted suddenly. Two Shinigami leapt down from their hiding place above, kneeling in front of him.

"You called, Captain, sir?" they chimed as Haruki glanced over at them. Ukitake smiled faintly as he saw Hanataro moving protectively.

"So you did follow me. How long were you there?" he addressed the two kneeling in front of him.

"From the time you said 'good grief, it's dangerous around here' and stopped Captain Kuchiki, Captain, sir!" the man exclaimed far too loudly.

"From the very beginning, then?" Ukitake couldn't hide how exasperated he was. "Didn't I tell you not to come because it was too dangerous?" he scolded them.

"Forgive me, sir!" Sentaro apologised, still shouting as he stood and saluted. "I respect you so very much that I simply had to follow you here!" he declared.

"No fair, Kotsubaki!" Kiyone shot up, glaring at her co-3rd seat furiously. "Captain, I feel the same! I respect you very much!" she shouted as she shoved Sentaro out of the way to declare her respect as fervently as he did. Immediately the two began to argue as Ukitake sighed, well used to their behaviour.

"Well, never mind," he pushed past it. "Anyhow, Kiyone. Contact Squad 4. One apprehended and wounded," he instructed the young woman.

"Yes, sir!" she nodded.

"Send for an emergency relief squad ASAP," he instructed, and Haruki looked up in surprise. "Sentaro, take Kuchiki back to the cell," Ukitake's voice took on a more reluctant tone.

"Yes, sir," Sentaro looked just as reluctant as he walked past Ukitake. He glanced at Haruki, who watched him warily as the healing glow of his Shikai finally faded and his Zanpakuto returned to normal. He was exhausted, and even if he wanted to, he knew he couldn't escape. "Move," Sentaro growled as Hanataro held onto Rukia protectively.

"No! I can't let Miss. Rukia go back in there!" he refused, but Sentaro grabbed him by the scruff and yanked him away from the unconscious woman.

"Move, idiot! You think I'm doing this because I want to?!" Sentaro roared at him.

"Let him go!" Haruki pushed himself to his feet to try and defend the terrified young man, only for a wave of dizziness to hit and floor him.

"Haruki!" Hanataro cried out, yelping as Sentaro dropped him roughly. He scrambled over to Haruki, who was struggling to try and get up. "Don't push yourself," he told the man, who gave a bitter laugh.

"Guess I really was never good enough, huh?" he muttered, and Hanataro stared at him. He then looked up as Sentaro carefully lifted Rukia into his arms.

"Sorry, Kuchiki. The Captain and I will appeal to the higher-ups afterwards and get you out of that cell. Be patient until then," Sentaro promised as Rukia's breathing remained unsteady. Hanataro stared at him in surprise as Kiyone started arguing with him again.

"Uh, sir?" Hanataro addressed Ukitake nervously. The Captain was standing over Ganju with a sad look on his face.

"You want to know why we're helping you?" he guessed as Haruki managed to move into a sitting position beside Hanataro.

"It did cross our minds," Haruki told him.

"Of course we're going to help you. We don't know who killed Aizen yet, and while Kirara claims that it wasn't any of them, it's likely that she, or the other outsiders know something about it," Ukitake explained. Hanataro's gaze saddened, and he looked down.

"Well, if she did, then she didn't tell us," Haruki's bitter laugh made Ukitake look at him. "We didn't even know that Captain Aizen was dead until you mentioned it. She told us nothing. She escaped and left us here," he pointed out, lowering his gaze. He was surprised then, when Ukitake gave a quiet laugh.

"And don't you think her intention was to make us think that she doesn't care about you?" Haruki frowned, looking up again quickly. "I can't claim to know her now, but the Kirara Yamada I know cared deeply for her allies, and she was far more cunning than she let others believe," there was a nostalgic look on his face as he spoke.

Neither Hanataro nor Haruki spoke, not knowing what to say in response to such words that were strangely comforting. "And besides, what you did may have been questionable, but you were trying to save one of my subordinates," Ukitake offered a small smile. "I can't stand by and watch you die," he said honestly.

Haruki closed his eyes, mulling Ukitake's words over. Despite everything, he hoped the man was right, but currently he had a much bigger problem. Both he and Hanataro were in a lot of trouble.

Kirara had lost sight of Yoruichi as they fled Captains Ukitake and Kuchiki, but she knew exactly where to go. Yoruichi had already told her so before pushing ahead. The former Captain had always been far faster than her, but Kirara's leg was slowing her down and making it hard to move.

By the time she made it to the hidden training area that Yoruichi had shown her long ago, her body was burning up. Kirara crashed to the ground gracelessly, lying there as she gasped for breath.

"Shit…" she rolled onto her side, seeing that Yoruichi looked oddly out of breath. "Are you okay?" Kirara asked her, and Yoruichi glanced over. She was kneeling beside Ichigo, sweat dripping from her forehead.

"I guess that's the cost of being out of action for a hundred years," she admitted bitterly. "Out of breath after only a couple hundred Shunpo steps. I must be getting weak," Yoruichi complained.

"You've been in your cat form this whole time?" Kirara asked her, surprised. Yoruichi nodded.

"It was easier that way. What about you, are you okay?" Yoruichi asked, taking in Kirara's battered form. Her white cami was ruined, ripped across her stomach and soaked in blood.

"Oh, swell," Kirara grunted, forcing herself to sit up. As soon as she did, she leaned forwards to start healing her leg further. Yoruichi watched her for a long moment, her eyes glittering.

"You didn't need to step in against Byakuya," she accused softly. Kirara shrugged.

"It was either that or let him rip apart the others. I won't hide in the shadows while others are butchered," she said roughly, before cursing. "Though I know that was exactly why you asked me to come here," she sighed.

"To hide in the shadows, yes. Not to watch as those you care about get cut down," Kirara cursed again when Yoruichi's fist slammed against the top of her head. "Don't blame yourself. This entire mission has been a disaster," Yoruichi admitted, and Kirara snorted.

"No shit," she muttered, before looking over at Ichigo's resting form. "I felt it earlier, you know. When he was fighting this Kenpachi," Kirara said, and saw Yoruichi's expression flicker for a moment.

"We still have time," she insisted, and Kirara bit back another snort. The darkness that she'd felt when Ichigo fought Kenpachi Zaraki was far too familiar, and it called out to her in the same way that the Reiatsu of the other Vizards resonated with her. "Heal yourself up and get some rest. We still have a long road ahead of us," Yoruichi moved over to the side of the room and sat down to get some rest of her own.

"Especially with this whole Aizen business," Kirara muttered, resuming her Kaido. Yoruichi didn't reply, but Kirara knew that she was thinking about it too.

"You've clashed twice with Natsuki Hamasaki," Yoruichi's words made Kirara wince. Of course she'd known. Yoruichi somehow knew everything that was going on. "Do you think she'll go for a third round?" she asked, genuinely curious. Kirara didn't look up from what she was doing.

"She's Squad 11. She'll keep coming until she's satisfied, which means either when I tell her what she wants to know, or when one of us are dead," Kirara knew Natsuki well enough to answer that. She suspected that if things kept going the way they were, she would have to fight Natsuki one more time.

"And what do you prefer?" Yoruichi pressed. Kirara's brow furrowed and her frustration grew.

"I'd prefer not to fight her at all. But I was stupid and lost my temper, so now I don't have a choice. I'll take her down as many times as I have to. But I won't kill her," she said adamantly. Yoruichi laughed quietly, and Kirara turned a glare on her.

"For someone who claims to hate Shinigami, you truly have an interesting way of showing it," she accused. Kirara growled softly and went back to what she was doing.

"Just because I won't kill someone, doesn't mean I don't hate them," she spat.

"Perhaps, but I know you well enough, Kirara," Yoruichi said softly, and closed her eyes to get some rest before her former Lieutenant could retort. Kirara squeezed her eyes shut, a pain in her chest, before she shoved it down, burying it with the rest as she focused on healing herself. Like Yoruichi said, there was still a lot to be done.

After healing up as much as she could, Kirara had finally given in to the call of sleep. It was the heaviest she'd managed to sleep since she'd arrived in the Soul Society, spending the majority of it on edge and unable to rest. Now, having exhausted herself fighting Natsuki and Byakuya, and healing herself, Kirara had been unable to fight it any longer.

When she woke abruptly, Kirara wasn't sure what had roused her so suddenly. Her mind was slow and taking its time to focus after being roused so suddenly from a deep sleep.

"Why?" the snarling voice of Ichigo made Kirara roll over. She'd been curled up on the hard floor, having fallen asleep where she'd been sitting. Ichigo, who had been lying nearby, was on his feet and holding Yoruichi against the wall by the collar. She didn't look intimidated as she let him think he had her at his mercy. "Why did you just bring me back!?" he screamed at her. "I was the only one with a chance of surviving back there!" he yelled furiously. "Now Ganju, Hanataro, Haruki, Kirara and Rukia will all be killed!" Ichigo's voice echoed in the small room.

"Your compassion is touching, Ichigo," he jumped as Kirara appeared beside him, not trying to pull him away. "But unfounded," she said, and for once she didn't have that smile that annoyed him so much on her face.

"Who do you think you are?" Yoruichi asked, looking bored. "No-one back there had any chance against Byakuya," in one swift move, she flipped him so he landed on his back hard enough to wind him. Ichigo coughed violently, which only hurt more.

"She's right, you know," Kirara crouched beside him. "But of the four of you, you had the smallest chance of survival," she told him honestly, and Ichigo managed to glare at her weakly. "Byakuya only cared about killing you, not the others. My guess is that with you gone, he'll leave the cleanup to Captain Ukitake. Ganju will be brought to Squad 4, and Hanataro and Haruki will have to answer to their Captain," she told him honestly. "Yoruichi chose right to take you away," Kirara's words made his scowl grow.

"Why you-"

"Be still!" Yoruichi shouted. "Do you want to open up those wounds again?" she said as she stood over him.

"Go…to…hell…" he managed to spit out as he rolled onto his front.

"One person was all I could carry and get away from Byakuya," Yoruichi told him honestly. Ichigo was still stubbornly trying to move, but his body was too heavy to get off the ground.

"Then why didn't you take Rukia instead of me?" he demanded. Kirara looked up at her former Captain, knowing it was a fair question.

"True," Yoruichi nodded, walking away. "Back there, no-one there had any chance of defeating Byakuya. But you alone have the ability to. That's why I brought you back," she turned and looked at Ichigo as he grunted on the ground. The anaesthetic was still in his body, making his every move sluggish. "Besides, like Kirara mentioned, Ukitake was there too. He's Rukia's superior, with a strong sense of duty. Though you're insurgents, he'd never blindly kill anyone who came to save Rukia," she watched as Ichigo forced himself back to his feet at last. "So Ichigo, don't worry. Grow strong here," she said.

"Three days," Kirara muttered under her breath as she listened to Yoruichi's speech. Her challenge issued to Byakuya rang clear in her mind, and she still didn't fully understand.

"As you are now, you'd never defeat Byakuya. But I'll train you so that you can. Then you can go back and rescue everyone with your own hands!" Yoruichi declared.

Sitting on the ground with his back against the wall, Haruki couldn't help but lament his fate. He expected it, but at the same time, it almost didn't seem real.

Nothing from the last few days seemed real. Ryoka breaking into the Seireitei, and one of them turning out to be his former mentor and friend. The Seireitei falling into chaos with the Lieutenants of Squads 3, 5 and 6 up under arrest, and the Captain of Squad 5 had been ruthlessly murdered.

And he'd helped the Ryoka. All because he selfishly wanted to help Kirara. Haruki had used the excuse of making sure that Hanataro was okay, but he wanted to help the woman he had admired from the moment he'd met her.

For his troubles, he was in a cell next to Hanataro's. The boy was curled up in the other corner wondering if he'd only caused more trouble for Rukia. Neither of them spoke, wondering just what would happen now, because it felt far from over.

'Three days,' Haruki once again thought of Yoruichi's parting words. It was almost laughable. 'I know that Ichigo is strong, and growing stronger at a terrifying rate. He went from struggling against Lieutenant Abarai to defeating Captain Zaraki, but he almost died both times. How the hell can she make him strong enough to go up against a Captain that knows Bankai?' he wondered, closing his eyes.

Whatever was going to happen next, he just hoped that everyone would be okay.

Kirara swore that she was getting a headache as she listened to what Yoruichi had explained to her. After Yoruichi's promise that she would help Ichigo get stronger, she'd forced him to get a little more rest to recover his energy, and Kirara had done the same.

However, while Ichigo had only slept for a little while longer, Kirara had slept the rest of the night after healing the last of her injuries. She was still stiff and somewhat sore, but by the time Yoruichi was done training Ichigo, she'd be back to full strength and ready to help.

"I…you're going to have to run that by me one more time," Kirara requested, rubbing her temples. Yoruichi looked a little amused by her reaction.

"I said that Ichigo is learning how to use Bankai," she said, and Kirara groaned.

"You make it sound so simple," she said, completely blown away by the statement. It took every Shinigami no less than ten years to achieve their Bankai, and that was before they spent the time mastering it. Kirara turned to Ichigo, watching as he fought a strange cloaked man with long flowing black hair, and her eyes narrowed. "That's his Zanpakuto spirit?" she realised, and Yoruichi nodded. "But…how? I know Ichigo is crazy strong and advanced, but this is just ridiculous," Kirara turned back to the woman, who was still smiling.

"There's one other Shinigami you know who achieved Bankai in three days," she said. It took a moment for Kirara to realise who she was talking about, and it made her curse.

"Kisuke learned his Bankai in three days?" she demanded loudly. Yoruichi nodded as realisation dawned on her. "That cheating bastard, he created something to speed things along, didn't he?" Kirara exclaimed in disbelief. It defied all logic, but at the same time seemed exactly like something that Kisuke Urahara was capable of creating.

"It forces the Zanpakuto spirit to materialise, giving you three days to beat them into submission," Yoruichi explained, practically able to see Kirara's mind spinning. "If he succeeds in that, he'll have his Bankai," she said, looking over as Ichigo lost another sword to Zangetsu.

"And if he doesn't?" Kirara asked. Yoruichi's expression didn't change, but Kirara saw the flicker in her eyes. She gave a nod of understanding. "Right. Three days. If anyone can do it besides Kisuke, I'd put my money on Ichigo," she said, quickly moving past it.

Kirara watched the fight between Ichigo and Zangetsu for a minute longer. For now, it seemed that the Zanpakuto spirit had the upper hand, easily dominating the fight. Kirara doubted that it would be that way the entire time, but for now, she didn't want to sit around and watch.

"We have three days. What are you going to do till then?" Yoruichi asked as Kirara turned and started walking away.

"If we have three days, then I have some training of my own to do, right?" Kirara called over her shoulder.

"Are you going to use it?" Yoruichi's question made Kirara slow to a stop. She didn't turn around as the words echoed in her mind.

"I'll do whatever it takes to get home," she vowed, fists clenched at her sides as she started to walk again.

"Good. I imagine a certain someone will be eager to have you back," Kirara stumbled over her own feet and cursed as a blush filled her face. Yoruichi smirked, unable to resist making a comment.

"I'm pretty sure you broke a record with how long you took to bring him up," Kirara growled, stomping away to avoid any further teasing.

"Still as hopeless as that day in the mountains," Yoruichi murmured.

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