The Broken Souls of the Seireitei

A/N: Hello everyone. I apologize for taking so long. My doc changed my meds and forgot to tell me that puking and pooping would take over 90% of my life. This is the first part of the fight. I've got to put on a bra and go to work, but I will have more posted soon. Much love...




“Taicho? Taicho? Hello?…”

Byakuya scowled at the grubby hand being waved in front of his face. His eyes slowly trailed up the tattooed arm, shoulder, and neck to eventually settle on Renji’s eyes. The redhead gulped and leaned back, preparing to be reprimanded.

“Is there something you need, Abarai fukutaicho?” Byakuya’s words were cool, a drastic contrast to his internal anxiety.

“Uhh…I finished that extra paperwork. You know, to authorize those seated officers to patrol the 12th division. Did you need to look over them?”

“Oh, yes. Thank you, Abarai fukutaicho. I trust you did them correctly, so no, I don’t want or need to review them.” The gratitude was absent from his voice, and he seemed to still be in a haze. Renji turned away, clutching the reports before pausing.

“Taicho?”

Byakuya put down the pen he was doodling with. “Yes, Renji?” Even though his voice was a little more patient this time, the redhead still balked. The times that Byakuya had actually him by his first name were few and far between, and usually in anger. He swallowed and cleared his throat before he continued.

“I just wanna know, why are we having our seated officers patrol the 12th? Is something…going to…happen?” He spoke quietly and carefully, not wanting to piss off his captain and be denied information. Byakuya stared at him silently, long enough for Renji to shift his feet and become uncomfortable.

“N-never mind, taicho, forgive me for being nosy,” Renji apologized, reddening in the face a bit. He knew he had broken that integral trust between himself and Byakuya when he had tried to save Rukia, but that was three years ago! He had hoped he’d gained just even a speck of that trust back, but apparently, he was wrong. Byakuya had definitely learned from his senpai Ukitake how to hold a grudge. He slumped his shoulders and turned to give the reports to the designated seated officers, defeat written across his back.

“Abarai-kun. Come here.”

Renji paused and turned, seeing a strange warmth in his captain’s eyes. It was a look that strangely made him want to run over to him and hug him. It was a loving, nurturing look that he had never seen before. No. He had seen it. It was the way he looked at Ichigo. Still blushing, he walked back over to the desk, and sat down when Byakuya gestured for him to do so. He sat gingerly, surprised when a chair was scraped along the floor and was placed beside his.

“Abarai-kun, look at me.”

Renji looked into his eyes.

“Do you trust me?”

“Taicho, yes! Of course I-” Renji paused at the slim finger placed against his lips.

“Really, Renji. Do you trust me?” Blue gray eyes bore into brown, and Renji felt like his headband was getting tighter.

“Yes, Kuchiki taicho. I trust you.”

Byakuya chuckled. “How can you trust a man and not call him by his name? For the next few minutes, I am Byakuya.”

Renji nearly fell from his seat. It had to be bad, horrible, apocalyptic news for his captain to relinquish all formality and allow him to call him by his ‘governor name’ as Ichigo once referred to it as. His eyes grew even wider and he nodded, whispering “Okay, By-Byakuya.”

Byakuya sighed. “Urahara is supposed to come today to defeat and kill Kurotsuchi.”

“WHAT THE FU-!!” Renji attempted to scream, but was muffled by Byakuya’s hand practically in his mouth.

“Shut the hell up! Obviously this is still a secret,” Byakuya hissed, shaking Renji’s head a little. He glared at the man warily and slowly removed his hand, his eyebrow arched and fist ready to knock Renji out if he screamed again.

Renji panted, excitement from the possibility of a fight and also Byakuya trusting him with such a huge secret making his head spin. “Byakuya…are you serious? But if Urahara defeats him, then he’ll become the 12 squad captain.”

Byakuya smiled at him. “Nothing gets by you, does it, Renji? The details aren’t finalized, but some time today, he should be coming.”

Renji scratched his head, leaning back in his chair and whistled low. “Wow…so who knows?”

Byakuya narrowed his eyes. “Why is that important?”

Renji spread his hands. “I know that you aren’t carrying this all on your shoulders. I’d assume Ichigo knows. Probably Zaraki taicho. Um…Ukitake? No, he would have had a coughing fit over it. Rukia? Nah, she would have told me by now. Uh, I think that’s it.”

Byakuya chuckled. “Perhaps you have more depth perception then I once thought. But hopefully this secret will not be a secret much longer. I appreciate being able to confide in you about this. It means…a lot to me.” With that he patted Renji’s shoulder and then stood, sliding his chair back behind the desk, signaling their talk was over.

Renji stood and gathered the reports again. “Thank you for telling me this, Byakuya.”

Byakuya grunted and waved his hand, dismissing him. Renji smiled at him toothily before leaving to give out the assignments, and also penning a report for himself. If Kurotsuchi was to be killed by Urahara, then he definitely wanted to be on patrol in the area to watch.
******************

Matsumoto was one step away from wringing her hands in anxiety. First of all, keeping secrets was not her forte. She had almost spilled the beans about Urahara vs. Kurotsuchi to numerous people, even forgetting and confiding to Zaraki about it that morning, causing him to laugh and throw a pencil at her head. She declined his magnanimous offer of sex to ‘distract’ her and snuck off to the ryoka world, where she procured a surprisingly delicious triple shot latte from Starbucks. Of course, that made her nearly bounce off the walls, so much so that Yumi threatened several times to restrain her to her chair. One time too many found her bound to said chair by Crawling Rope, sweaty and chest heaving.

Yumi glared at her, pulling at his orange collar. “You mussed my hair, Ran-taicho. What is with you today? Do you have ants in your pants? Or Zaraki’s daemon spermies?” He asked, giving her an evil glare.

Matsumoto struggled against the kido, hating that she was weaker than Yumi in that area. She was actually a better fighter than he, but only because as much as he loved battle, he loved himself more, and couldn’t have so much as a precious fingernail chipped. The world would certainly end if such an occurrence were to take place. She blew in an exasperated manner at some stray hairs that fell in front of her face as she struggled.

“This is against all protocol in all the books! You can’t restrain me, I am your captain! I demand respect!”

Yumi laugh. “Oh no Miss Thang didn’t! How would you even know what the rules are? You never studied them, and you hate rules. And I do respect you, just not when you act like a spaz. You kept staring out the window and asking ‘Where is he?’. Zaraki will be here, I sent him a hell butterfly.”

Matsumoto broke out in a sweat again. “You summoned Zaraki? And I look all crazy? You little bastard, when I get my hands on you!!” She started, trying to reach for him. She fell on the floor instead, inching against the wood like a worm.

“Yare, yare…she is just as bad as you said. Is she drunk?” Matsumoto lifted her head and could do nothing but laugh as Kyoraku stared down at her, his sake jug in hand.

Yumi wrinkled his nose. “No, Fatty Matty is on the Java Juice. Um…why do you have your jug?”

Kyoraku walked over and easily dispelled the kido and helped Matsumoto to her feet. “If she was going to be drunk, then so was I. I learned at an early age to always be prepared.”

Yumi shook his head and grabbed a stack of papers to file in the division’s library. “I’m gonna go and sort these. Just be grateful that I didn’t really send a hell butterfly to Stickybuns over at the 11th.” He ducked the paperweight thrown at him and sashayed down the hall, laughing.

“Stickybuns?” Kyoraku smirked and reddened to keep from laughing.

Matsumoto pointed at him. “Shut up.”

“Aww, Matsu-chan! That’s no way to treat your best drinking buddy. Who else holds your hair back when you barf? Huh? Huh?” He asked, elbowing her gently in the side until she caved and smiled.

“You do.”

Kyoraku grinned wildly and slapped her hard on the ass. “Damn skippy. C’mon, you have a great position now. Captains can do anything they want! Come with me; I’ll show you a spot where you can sleep all day.” They started walking, but Kyoraku paused, making Matsumoto bump into him.

“Just don’t tell Nanao-chan where I hide. Or Lisa-chan, if for some reason you ever see her again.” He smiled cryptically, and she nearly pissed her pants, she wanted to tell him so bad.

But she didn’t.

“Yes, Shun-sama. Now let’s go, I have a feeling I’ll eventually need a hiding place from Yumichika.” She snatched his sake jug and took several long drinks, hiccupping and wiping her mouth. Kyoraku laughed heartily as he looped an arm through Matsumoto’s, heading towards an abandoned shed in the 8th division.
**********************

Ichigo scratched at his neck. It was quickly approaching midday, and since Urahara had not told them what time he was arriving, he was on edge and his reiatsu was wildly fluctuating. It was one of many things that continually annoyed his captain.

“Damnit, Kurosaki!!” Toshiro suddenly screamed, making the teen jump. He threw a balled up paper in the trashcan, glaring hatefully at him.

Ichigo spread his hands in frustration. “WhaddIdothistime?” He asked in an annoying run-on-question, further infuriating Toshiro.

“Well, there are a lot of things about you that in general annoy me, but especially today your reiatsu is everywhere, and it’s fucking with me. Hyornimaru wants to throttle Zangetsu, and I’m tempted to let him.”

Shirosaki inwardly chuckled. “As if,” Ichigo said snidely, the Hollow taking over his mouth.

“What?!!”

Ichigo clasped his hands over his mouth. “That was Shirosaki, not me! Im sorry, may I be excused?” Ichigo asked, trying to look innocent and wounded, the way Renji looked when the teacher asked him where his homework was. Ichigo had intended on not doing a full imitation and decided to spare Toshiro another homemade lie, and besides, the only one he could think of on the fly involved an alien abducting Orihime, and c’mon, who would ever abduct her? (*and the congregation sang in unison ‘IRONY’*)

Toshiro frowned. “Yes, but I better not catch you anywhere near the 6th. You may go,” He said, waving his hand in dismissal. Ichigo frowned, more at himself than at his captain and walked out. He inwardly scolded Shirosaki as he walked down the dirt path aimlessly, a ruthless scowl on his face.

‘You can’t do that anymore!!! I’m under their rules now, and you can’t just act up whenever!!’

//Fuck you!//

Ichigo paused in his steps.

‘Fuck me? Fuck me? Are you serious?!! Without me, there’d be no you, so you’d be the one fucked, not me.’

//Hahaha…without me, that pretty Kuchiki that you’re screwing would have killed you. Where is he at anyway? I enjoy watching you debase him.//

Ichigo smacked himself in the head, hurting himself of course more than Shirosaki. The hollow had been goading him more and more recently, and he was always difficult to ignore.

“Stop fucking bothering me!” Ichigo screamed aloud, covering his face.

“Um, okay. I didn’t realize I’d been bothering you, but I’ll make sure not to again.”

Ichigo quickly uncovered his face and grabbed at Nanao’s wrist. “Nan-chan, I’m so sorry! I wasn’t talking to you, I mean, this damned hollow…in me,” He trailed off and sheepishly shrugged, making the vice captain smile gently.

“I’ve been looking for you for awhile; I had a letter I wanted you to deliver to Chad if at all possible.” He looked down to see a white piece of paper clutched in her hand, and smiled warmly.

“Of course I’ll give him that.” He outstretched his hand, and could smell the lavender oil she had scented the letter with. “I’ll see him again in the next few days, and I’ll make sure he gets this.”

“Thank you so much.” She turned to walk away and then paused. “Oh, and Ichigo?”

“Yeah?”

She was so cute, and her hands so awkwardly twisted in embarrassment. “Don’t…read it.” Her whole face was red, and Ichigo gave her a devilish smile.

“Nasty girl! You and Sado-san are freaks. I won’t read it. All of it,” He said jokingly, running off before she could snatch the letter back. She watched him leave and smirked, adjusting her glasses.
******************************

“This damn zipper doesn’t work!” Urahara yelled, ripping off the jacket in frustration. He was trying to decide on what to wear to fight Kurotsuchi, and after watching both Lady Snowblood, Game of Death, and Shogun Assassins, he decided on wearing the infamous Bruce Lee tracksuit. Yoruichi had forgotten to tell him that she had worn the red tracksuit a week ago and in her haste to get home and get naked, she broke the zipper. The suit was placed carefully back into the closet, so when Ururu retrieved the suit, she was unaware that it was damaged.

Urahara balled up the jacket and threw it behind him, the article falling on Ururu’s head and covering her face. “Mmmm, ummmrmmmmha,”

“What?” He angrily yelled, snatching the jacket off her head. She was a bit red in the face and breathing hard, as the jacket was thick and blocking her air.

“I said that Urahara-sama could wear the yellow tracksuit. It would match your hair wonderfully.” She shrugged shyly, wanting to do nothing but help.

Urahara groaned. “Great. So I can look like Bruce Lee?”

“Nah, you would make a better Uma Thurman.”

He looked up to see Yoruichi standing in the doorway, and he hurled the red jacket at her, hitting her directly in the face.

“What the fuck?”

“Don’t you ‘what the fuck’ me, Miss Kitty. You wore my tracksuit and broke it! You didn’t even tell me,” Urahara whined, pouting.

Yoruichi shrugged. “Think of how stunning you will look in the yellow suit, your hair in the wind as you slice through Kurotsuchi’s face. All the women will love you, and maybe some of the men too,” She added smugly, winking at him.

Urahara sighed and snatched the suit Ururu was holding in her hand. “Fine, fine, fine. I’ll wear the god damn yellow suit, even though it doesn’t match my hat and I’m gonna look like a gimp and no one will take me seriously. Are you happy now?”

Yoruichi glared at him. “Dude, you’re losing your damn mind! First of all, you usually look like shit. I’ve seen homeless people that dress better than you. Second of all, you don’t want to wear the red suit.”

“And why, pray tell?”

Yoruichi calmly sauntered up to Ururu and took the red suit from her. “Cuz I’m gonna wear it.” She did a shunpo step and vanished from the room, leaving Urahara to swear using words that made the tips of Ururu’s ears red.

Urahara turned and took his black sneakers from the closet. “At least she didn’t wear my Asics.” He examined them closer, seeing spots of dried milk on the shoes.

Ururu could only duck and cover as the shoe sailed over her head-and out the window.
**********************

Karin groaned as she shifted her weight. Having broken ribs hurt more than she cared to admit, and she was still angry at Omaeda for crushing her. Soi Fon had come by only once to basically brief her on the division’s rules and expectations. She gathered that her captain pretty much hated her, and conversation on her end consisted only on “Yes, taicho” and “No, taicho.” Omaeda had not come, lest he get her urine bag thrown at him. She winced and changed her position, looking across the hallway. There was a girl over there, the vice-captain of the 12th squad, she was told. Karin didn’t even know her, but had felt really bad for her. In hearing conversations as people passed by, she gathered the girl had been raped and badly beaten. It gave her chills to hear the girl crying at night. Conversations with the girl had been haunting at best. She was in and out of consciousness, and since Yuzu was hard at work and could only visit for literally seconds at a time and Karin was practically immobile, she found a lonely companion in the girl.

“What’s your name?”

The voice from nowhere almost made Karin fall out the bed.

“Over here, across the hall. I’m Kurotsuchi Nemu. You are Ichigo’s sister, aren’t you?”

‘Jeez, did everyone know?’ “Yeah, I am. I’m Karin. What’s up with you, why are you here?”

Silence. And then…

“He raped me.”

Karin was appalled. Someone raped her? What was this hellhole her father had brought her to? “Who did? Nemu? Nemu?”

But the girl had passed out.

It was like that for the next few days. Nemu would awaken and talk in low voices to Karin, even moving around in her bed so she could at least see Karin’s feet across the way.

“I’m scared, Kari-chan.”

Karin looked up from filing her nails. “Of what, honey bear?” She learned quickly that Nemu enjoyed pet names, and wanted to indulge her newfound friend.

“Of him. He will beat me again. I don’t want him to touch me. I want him to die. I’m evil,” The girl whispered, making Karin pause.

“It’s not your fault, and you are not evil. When we get outta here, we’re gonna take my sister and go and get tostada chips with latte. No one is going to beat or rape you again. I’ll kick their ass,” Karin said vehemently. She heard Nemu sobbing, and wanted so badly to go and hold her. Then it was silent, and she sighed, knowing Nemu worked herself up so that she passed out. She lay back on her bed, not even realizing she was crying until her pillow was wet.

“Stupid tears,” She muttered. She had lost her need of tears when her mother died, and still didn’t see their usefulness. However, it was the only form of sympathy she could currently show, and so the tears came, and in abundant flow.

“Honey bear, are you awake, my love?” Karin paused and heard sheets rustling.

“Kari-chan? I don’t want to hurt your feelings, but I can’t be your love. I love someone else.”

Karin chuckled. “It was just an expression. Who do you love? Is he a Steamy McDreamy?”

“Uhh…yes?” Karin laughed at Nemu’s apparent confusion. “Well then good. You are a beautiful and sweet person inside, and I’m sure that reflects outside also.

“Both of them have called me beautiful, but I think only Ishida-san meant it.”

“Ishida-san?!!” Karin bolted up in the bed, excited she knew who Nemu liked.

“Yes…I love Ishida-san. And he loves me.” Nemu’s voice was small and frightened, mainly because Karin obviously knew who Ishida was, and she didn’t want Karin running back to Mayuri to tell him anything.

“I know him! He’s a great guy, once you get past the brooding and needlepoint kit. But Nemu, you’ve been here for days! Does he know what has happened?” She bit her lip when she heard Nemu crying.

“I don’t think so. But when he finds out, he won’t want me. My father killed his grandfather! And my I allowed my father to rape me! I’m a whore! He deserves better than trash like me,” She sobbed brokenly, making Karin cry also.

“No…Nemu it isn’t your fault! Any of it! Your father is a horrible, horrible man! He deserves death,” Karin declared, punching her fist into the bed. A cramp hit her and she winced in pain, knowing she had overdid it. She leaned back and took a deep breath, trying to will away the ache.

“Nemu, listen. You know my brother won’t let your father get away with this! I promise you, you will be avenged and Ishida still loves you. I know his heart, and he is a good man, just like Ichigo. Everything will be alright, I promise. Okay?”

“Okay,” Nemu sniffled, and Karin felt terrible. She hadn’t imagined the girl’s life had been this hard. She sighed and turned over, resolving to ask Ichigo the next time she saw him to kill Nemu’s father, whoever the bastard was.
***********************

Mayuri looked up from his pile of notes. He had managed to avoid his peers and stayed inside since Nemu’s ‘accident’ as he called it, drowning himself in work. He felt no remorse for what he did; actually it was more inconvenience that he felt. Retsu knew how he felt and how much he wanted her, but instead of giving in, she continued to stall him and pretend she was so much more pious and wholesome, so he ignored her and let her go through her phase. Nemu would return to him soon, so he would be satisfied soon, and Retsu would also come to her senses, and he could have both of them. The thought made him smile, and he sighed, leaning back in his chair.

“Kurotsuchi taicho! I have been given orders to escort you to the courtyard between the 12th and 13th divisions! Please come with me, now.”

Kurotsuchi whirled around to see Renji standing in the doorway with several seated officers from the 6th division. A quick scan showed that they were missing Byakuya, and he sighed a breath of relief. That young Kurosaki boy had managed to get both Kuchiki under his finger, and after the nobleman lashed out at him at the last captain meeting, he was unsure of being around him in any capacity.

“What is the meaning of this, Abarai fukutaicho? Go on, all of you! You’ve interrupted my work!”

As menacing as Kurotsuchi sounded, Renji didn’t back down. In fact, he stood up straighter, determined not to falter.

“Kurotsuchi taicho! You will come with us. Please do not make us use force.” Hands were quickly placed on the hilts of their respective zanpakuto, and Kurotsuchi raised a brow in surprise.

“Fine then. I shall go with you. This better not be a waste of my time,” Kurotsuchi threatened, glaring Renji in the eye. The redhead gestured for Kurotsuchi to walk in front, and they closed in behind him.

“Don’t worry, Mayuri. This will be the time of your life,” Renji muttered under his breath, smiling evilly.

Mayuri walked slowly to the courtyard, not looking over at the building where he raped Nemu. Renji tightened his grip on Zabimaru, the spirit inside of his sword aching to have Mayuri’s blood on it. And it would have been easy to slice the man’s neck from behind, but Renji wanted Mayuri to feel the humiliation and shock at having his former captain be the one to kill him and take his position back.

Mayuri paused upon reaching the courtyard. It was already full of most of his division, plus numerous captains and vice-captains from other squads. They were all quiet, some staring at him, and some staring at the person in the yellow suit in the middle of the courtyard. The person was kneeling, perhaps drawing on the ground. His face was hidden by a mask, and all you could see is blonde hair.

“What is the meaning of this? Hello? Say something!” Mayuri yelled at Renji, shoving him. Renji remained silent, and pointed towards the middle of the yard.

“KUROTSUCHI MAYURI! BEFORE A GROUP OF YOUR DIVISION AND FELLOW CAPTAINS, I CHALLENGE YOU TO A BATTLE TO THE DEATH TO AVENGE THE RAPE AND ATTEMPTED MURDER OF KUROTSUCHI NEMU!”

Mayuri’s mouth dropped open. It wasn’t him. Couldn’t have been him. He watched in slow motion as the blonde stood, grinning as he ran a hand through his hair.

“Hullo…did anyone miss me?”

Renji’s mouth dropped open. “SHINJI?!!!”




A/N: Were you expecting that? I sure wasn't. :)