Chapter 5: Unkept Promises
The calm wash of relief drove away her tension and anxiety as she felt the steady pulse of life on the 2nd division lieutenant's neck. She had been worried, finding him bloodied and unconscious amidst the rubble and dust of the after clash that had greeted her relief and medical unit upon their arrival.
It still hung in the ambient, the vicious exchange of reiatsu that had seen the defeat of a patrol squad directly led by its commander…and the potent presence of the 11th's captain in his wander for conflict.
A light shudder ran through her body, a blossom of anxiety filling her with unease. She wished her captain was here along with her… She was one of the few individuals within the Seireitei who could handle Captain Kenpachi's lust for violence.
Shaking her head in an effort to dispel her thoughts, she looked down at the unconscious form of the 2nd seat in inspection.
The grievous wound that had been inflicted on the patrol commander's chest had just barely missed his Saketsu…a save that she wasn't sure was intentional or karmic.
She pressed a finger in examination of the wound… Whatever it was that managed this injury, it had left a high concentration of foreign Reishi within the lieutenant's body, disturbing quite effectively the flow of Reiryoku and disallowing rapid recovery.
They'd underestimated the danger of these intruders… She bit her lips in frustration. No, it wasn't just an adequate strength gauge they lacked, but basic information. Names, visual identification (descriptions hadn't been as accurate and constant), combat skills, objectives, numbers and the likes.
An approach of one of her subordinates interrupted her thoughts.
"Kotetsu-san, we've found the rest of the unit stashed in the buildings."
"Are they—"
"No, ma'am! But they are severely wounded. I judge recovery will take a couple of weeks at the earliest."
That was… She shook her head. No, even if the rooms within the medical department were starting to fill, they shouldn't deny the patrol unit proper medical attention.
"Are any of them conscious? We still need to acquire information about the Ryoka."
The reporter shook his head.
"None. Whoever they faced ran through them with meticulous efficiency. A couple of them seem like they will need Reishi purification before they can take to the field."
Another delay in information recovery.
But it wasn't just their condition that had worried her, but the knowledge that the ryoka who'd breached through their walls were this strong and tactical in their approach.
She stood and dusted her robes.
"Prepare for them to be transferred, I will write a report to send to Captain Unohana and Head Captain Yamamoto."
She decided.
A gathering of the lieutenants would have to be called before the day's end.
"Aye, ma'am!"
First it was the 3rd and 5th seat of the 11th Division, and now it was the patrol unit. It felt as if they were targeting the more bothersome of—
BOOM!
She jumped in surprise when the form of the 11th Division Captain emerged from a wall accompanied by a huge explosion that sent dust and stone and tiles flying about…and the unfortunate form of her subordinate.
"See, Kenny, I told you we'd make it back if we took a right."
She heard the high pitched voice of Lieutenant Yachiru say amidst the debris. Isane couldn't help but curse her luck at the turn of events…
"You said that three blocks back, Yachiru, had you memorised the passages like I asked we would have been back a lot sooner."
The dust was batted aside by Captain Kenpachi, who stood tall with the miniature form of his lieutenant on his left shoulder and a tree branch in his right hand.
To her surprise, she noticed that his oppressive reiatsu was subdued, not that it wasn't felt in the surrounding. Her colleagues had still been reduced to shaking messes instead of being forced into unconsciousness…
Yachiru punched the captain on his head, with a pout. Not that the attack managed any damage on her superior.
"I did too! It's not my fault that you couldn't follow my directio— oh look, it's Isane-chan."
Isane managed a bristle smile, not help by her shrinking into herself when Captain Kenpachi's attention turned to her…
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On most nights, the silence granted by the clan's main compound would've offered him much needed reprieve and comfort from the relentless demands of the Gotei 13…and adequate space to arrange his thoughts and partake in his hobby of shōdo in his failing pursuit of peak elegance.
But tonight, his hands failed him, his movements rigid and hesitant. His thoughts untouched by the sooth of tranquility and clarity. And his washi was stained with drizzles and drops of black ink.
Even the character he had been trying to portray was unfinished and unreadable. Recollection was impossible too, as the drawing was also phantom and absent in intent.
He saw, and not for the first time these past days, that his hobby had lacked the lustre it often possessed…
He'd regressed in progression, the turmoil in his heart making it impossible to divine solutions to his current problems.
A haze!
It would be futile to force enjoyment out of this. Not with the plague of guilt and powerlessness a constant reminder of his failings and unfulfilled promises.
A light breeze interrupted the candlelights, flickering them a tad in the stretching silence as he tried a final attempt to invoke inspiration within his heart… Nothing came of the attempt, save for the inevitability of the unforgiving reality that had only permitted him a few briefs of happiness.
Placing down his fude on the floor and taking a breath to dwindle his frustration, he turned to his visitor with not much change on his face, the veil of noble bearing hiding his true emotions and feelings.
The grizzled visage of his grandfather looked down at him, his face neither showing intent nor mood behind his stoic exterior. The old man gave a look to his shōdo for a minute, before returning attention back to him.
"You haven't been resting these past days, Byakuya..."
His grandfather finally said in way of greeting, adopting a similar sitting style as he opposed him in position and continued his words.
"…the servants by the barracks say it's been a fortnight since you last took to sleep. Ever since the return and ruling of Rukia."
It wasn't quite anger but annoyance that took primary emotion in his heart, even if it was mild and fading. He wasn't in a mood for a lecture, not today…
But he wouldn't be impulsive and presume. He wouldn't let himself fall into the same category as that ryoka boy and his lieutenant.
His right hand clenched!
Renji! He had thought he'd be more meticulous in his actions…had thought his exposure to his company would have tempered his impulsiveness. Clearly he had been wrong, because the fool had ventured into battle without support.
Worse, he had failed to achieve victory…bringing further shame to their division, and haste to the execution.
"Why have you come here, grandfather?"
He decided instead, uncaring of the bit of frost that sipped into his tone.
"To see how you're doing, and give guidance where necessary."
The former head said, his tone untouched by inflection. Byakuya almost snorted but his training held true.
He admired his grandfather, his cool and unwavering demeanour in the face of challenges and difficulties proved to be grounds for the image he had and still was cultivating for himself.
"Your guidance is unneeded."
"I thought as much, though I would be remiss not to at least try." The elder Kuichiki said with a slight shake of his head, "while it is true that you've become calmer with age, I know you're still prone to fits of brashness."
He didn't deny the observation as he was quite familiar with the reputation he had built with the clan's adults. They weren't silent in their opposition and objections of his decisions ever since he became head and married a commoner…much less one from the Inuzuri district.
Of course, his grandfather, while not approving, had offered him his blessings to marry Hisana after he concluded his judgment. He'd wondered what had allowed his blatant disregard of the clan's rules.
But…
He took a breath, and let it out slowly as his frustration bled away somewhat.
'Maybe if I had sired an heir, I wouldn't be restrained by this need for balance between duties.' He thought, remembering how he'd been when death claimed his parents.
Byakuya liked to believe that he turned out well even with their loss, and he'd imagined, albeit in another life, that his and Hisana's offsprings wouldn't have needed their constant guidance for them to grow into proper noble children.
But that was a life not his, and he wouldn't waste thought and time on what could have been.
"I have no intention of saving Rukia, but I will not consign her to erasure." He said, a twinge of authority bleeding into his voice with harsh finality. "While I have failed in keeping my promise to Hisana, I could at least see to it that Rukia is reborn anew."
His grandfather looked at him for the longest time, but the head never wavered in his resolve.
"I see." The former head stood, "though I hope that such a need never arises."
With that, his grandfather used Shunpo to hasten his leave.
It wasn't a well thought out plan, that much he would admit, but desperation over his ignored pleads to the Central 46 had left him little choice.
"I hope so as well."
===========Author's Notes==========
The Saint: And here be fifth. I'm not quite sure how I feel about this one. I wanted to add some comedic relief to it but I didn't know how to go about it. How you guys, did you think it read well?
Thoughts, criticism, and ideas, I welcome them all.
Advance chapters are up on my Pa-atreon under the same name for those interested.
Anyway, that's all from me.
Bye bye
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