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Zanpakuto Tales	By : shadoesong Category: Bleach > General Views: 1542 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach and its characters, nor do I profit from this story.

Chapter List
- 9
- 10
- 11
Chapter 10

Rin sat at the table along with Shunsui, Ukitake, and Unohana. They were listening as Ichigo described Byakuya's betrayal. Her gaze was fixed on the table and she was trembling. Her wounds ached badly, but no one, not even Aika or Unohana, was able to force her to stay in bed. A patch of red was already beginning to spread across the bandages from her reopened wounds. She looked up when Renji, who was also present, grabbed the front of Ichigo's robes once he had finished speaking.

"What the hell are you talking about?" He growled angrily. "Watch what you say, Ichigo!"

"That's enough, Lieutenant Abarai," Shunsui ordered calmly. Daisuke, who was standing behind Rin's chair was surprised that it had been Renji, not Rin, who had challenged the shinigami daiko. Clearly, the woman was torn. Renji turned to Shunsui, one hand still gripping Ichigo's shihakusho.

"But Captain Kyouraku... There's just no way Captain Kuchiki would ever betray us. He must have a reason for doing this," he protested.

"...And what reason would that be, Renji?" Rin murmured, her dull blue gaze fixing on the red haired Lieutenant. He stared at her, as if surprised by her lack of support. He had nothing to say in answer to her question.

"I don't know why he's doing it, but that doesn't change the fact that Byakuya's our enemy now," Ichigo said. Renji made a disgusted face and stalked over to the window. He couldn't bear to listen anymore. Neither could Rin, but she didn't have the leisure of just walking away. She closed her eyes tightly. With a huff, Ichigo sat in one of the free chairs. Everyone sat in solemn silence. Finally, Shunsui spoke.

"Jeez. Yama-jii disappears on us and now Captain Kuchiki's turned traitor. What's going to happen next?"

"On the bright side, Rina-chan, Captain Hitsugaya, and Captain Kawasuzu all got their zanpakuto back." Ukitake tried to cheer everyone up. Rin reopened her eyes.

"One of them. I got one of them back, and she's a whiny bitch that doesn't even deserve it," she hissed, the bitterness in her tone nearly palpable. "Hitsugaya's out of commission for now, too. It'll be a while before he fights again. Knowing how to retrieve our zanpakuto is meaningless if we take too much damage during that fight."

"Speaking of which, I've received a very grim report from Captain Kurotsuchi. According to one test, if anyone other than a zanpakuto's master defeats and destroys it, it's highly likely that the sword will never return to normal," Unohana spoke up. Everyone was shocked by this development. Ichigo stood abruptly from his chair.

"Then what should we do when we're stuck fighting against some other person's zanpakuto?" He exclaimed.

"You'll just have to hold back..." Shunsui drawled.

"It'd be dangerous to go easy on them, Shunsui," Rin murmured. "We can't afford to, or we'll be killed."

"It seems as if our enemy actually wants us to fight with our own zanpakuto, so it might not be so bad," the man replied. Silence followed his words. After a second, Nanao, who had been standing quietly behind her Captain, suggested.

"Excuse me, but I think we should keep the information about Captain Kuchiki within the circle of Captains."

"No," Shunsui said, glancing over his shoulder at his Lieutenant. "Keeping secrets will only cause people to start speculating and getting all worked up. After all, nothing can squash a rumour." For the first time since walking away, Renji spoke.

"But how will we break it to Rukia...?"

"I'll tell her," Ukitake assured the red haired man. "She'll just have to accept the truth."

Later into the night, Rin went back to the Kuchiki mansion. She couldn't sleep, so she had snuck away from the infirmary. She wanted clues on her husband's betrayal. She wanted to know why he would betray them. She padded through the deserted halls until she came to her room and slipped inside. She stopped in front of the bed.

Seated right in the middle was Byakuya's haori. On top of that, a note with the bracelet she had given him. With trembling hands, she picked up the note and bracelet. After slipping the latter around her wrist, she unfolded the paper and scanned the lettering on it with wide eyes.

Rin

You need not worry. I am alive and well. Do not come after me.

Byakuya

The woman read the note over once, then twice, more. Finally, she crumpled it and threw it onto the ground with a vengeance.

"That's all you have to say? 'Don't come after me'?" She yelled at the paper. She closed her eyes briefly and gave a shuddering sigh. Her eyes flicked to the man's haori. She grabbed it and buried her face into it.

"Why..." She murmured into the white folds. "If it was so important... Why didn't you tell me yourself? And why... why didn't you let me help? Why didn't you take me with you, you fucking bastard? I'll kill you for this...!"

God, will you shut up? Your whining is fucking annoying and I'm still recovering from our fight, too! Let me sleep! Akuma snarled from within Rin's head.

"Go fuck yourself, Akuma," the woman snapped back. A knock at the door interrupted the inevitable fight. Rin looked up with hopeful eyes.

"Who is it?" She demanded.

"Daisuke." Her spirits fell and she told him to come in. He padded across the room until he came to stand beside her.

"I thought you might be here. You can't leave the hospital with your injuries. And why were you concealing your reiatsu?" He murmured. His eyes rested on the haori she was holding. "Wait... Is that...?"

"Yeah. He left this," she showed him the bracelet that was around her right wrist, "and the paper on the floor there." Daisuke bent and picked up the paper. After straightening out the wrinkles as best he could, he went over it once.

"Shouldn't you be bringing this to the senior Captains?" He asked, waving it a little. She snatched it out of his hand, making him flinch.

"No!" She snarled, ripping it in half a few times viciously. "No..." She repeated. Her brief anger seemed to have exhausted her further. "Don't tell them. He's doing something. If we tell our allies, there's a higher chance that the enemy will find out. To deceive our enemy, we must first deceive our allies."

"Rin, that's treason! You can't-"

"I can!" She rounded on him. "Just trust me and don't tell anyone. Even Aika or Rukia. It stays between us. If I hear that you told a fucking squirrel, I'm going to cut out your tongue so you can't say anymore." The man's mouth clamped shut, as if he were afraid she would carry out that threat there and then. Finally, he sighed.

"Fine... Let's go back to the hospital now. You'll freeze to death in those night robes. And you're bleeding again, too."

Taking Byakuya's haori with her, Rin turned and led the way out of the mansion. Rather than heading back to the hospital, however, she turned to go the opposite direction, putting on the haori as she did. Daisuke fell into step beside her.

"Rin, where are you going? I said-" She cut him off.

"I want to know who Muramasa's shinigami was. Go back on your own, I'll share my findings after." Her breathing was ragged and heavy, and her pace was beginning to slow and stagger now. Knowing that she wouldn't listen to words, he gripped her shoulder and dragged her to a halt. Before he could say anything though, Akuma manifested and pressed her pistol to his head. His eyes widened.

"I suggest you do as you're told," the shadowy woman growled, showing a rare bit of loyalty towards her master. "If something bad happens to this wimp, then I get to fight something."

And then, both disappeared.

Ichiami and Katsu stood on the roof of 4th Division looking out over the Sereitei as night began to fall. There was no room inside the division for them at the moment, so they had decided to act as lookouts. Or, actually, they had been kicked out and told to do something constructive. This was it. With a huff, Ichiami sat down and let his legs dangle over the edge. His elbows rested on his knees.

"Shit, this is boring. Why can't we do something fun, like go and fight?" He whined to his friend.

"There is nothing to fight at the moment. And when we do fight, it will have to be against our own zanpakuto. Unfortunately, they haven't been sighted yet," Katsu murmured, his eyes closed.

"Then why don't we go out looking for them rather than sitting here? It's not like they need guards of our rank, anyways."

"And what will happen if we run into a Captain-level zanpakuto? It is far too risky."

"We could take a Captain-level zanpakuto..."

"Is that so?"

Both turned, drawing their weapons. Ichiami jumped to his feet as he did. They were facing a pure white spirit with impassive, grey eyes. He was standing with his hands clasped behind his back. Katsu's eyes widened when he felt no reiatsu coming from the spirit.

"Who are you?" Ichiami snarled, stepping forward challengingly.

"I am Futago. I am sure you know of me. I am, as you say, a Captain-level zanpakuto. My apologies, but I could not help but overhear your conversation and be intrigued. Can the two of you really match up with a Captain-level zanpakuto like myself?" A pistol manifested in his hand and he pointed it at them. "Shall we test your theory?"

Before either of them could get a grasp on the situation, he pressed the trigger. Not a second before its shot, however, someone grabbed the barrel and pushed the weapon down. The condensed ball of reiatsu hit the roof at the boys' feet, barely missing them. Ichiami's eyes widened when he saw a red dragon with her claws wrapped around the pistol. Futago showed no signs of irritation from her intervention.

"I never gave you permission to kill my shinigami, Futago," the dragon hissed. The pistol disappeared in a flash of white flame and Futago clasped his hands behind his back once again.

"My apologies, Ryu Kiba-san. I had not known you were here to challenge the one. Would it be okay to kill the other? Or perhaps... Zankyo-san is with you?"

"I am indeed, Futago. I suggest you go and kill your own shinigami." A tall man with long hair appeared beside Ryu. "I can sense her as well as your traitorous partner a ways away from here. You better run to catch up."

"I would. Those were not my orders, however. I am merely here to aid Kuchiki Byakuya-sama and Senbonzakura-sama, nothing more," Futago replied.

"Byakuya? He's here?" Ichiami snapped, looking at Katsu. The man nodded.

"He is wreaking havoc at 6th Division." Ichiami turned. "I'll kill that bast-"

"Halt!" Ryu Kiba cut him off. "You were always rude, but to leave when I was about to challenge you? You have gone too far, Kuchiki Ichiami. You will not be attacking Kuchiki Byakuya. Rather, I challenge you to a battle. To the death. I will not give you even the slightest opportunity to attack that man." Her tail swept forward, sending flaming spikes at her former master's back. The man turned and deflected them with his own weapon.

"Ryu Kiba..." His eyes narrowed. "Whatever. I'll make you submit to my will and then I'll kill Byakuya!" He grinned maniacally at the prospect of a fight.

"Silence that arrogant tongue of your's!" Ryu yelled. "I will crush your feeling of superiority over me! I will show you that you have no reason to be cocky, you foolish imbecile!" She lunged at Ichiami, a spiked sword manifesting in her grip.

Ichiami grunted from the force before leaping off the roof. Ryu Kiba immediately followed, leaving Katsu and his own zanpakuto. The former glanced after his friend before his green gaze rested on Zankyo. "I really don't want to fight... Not like Ichiami-kun does, but it would be best to regain your respect, would it not?"

"Hn. You speak as if you believe you will win," Zankyo drawled. He pulled his weapon off his shoulders and reattached the middle as he spoke. Katsu's eyes flashed with ire.

"I never lose," he growled competitively.

"Then this will be your first time, I'm afraid. I am better than you, old friend. Your petty swordsmanship will never match up to my own," Zankyo taunted.

"What?" Anyone who happened to see Katsu now would be shocked as his usually calm demeanour melt away. The man's hands clenched into angry fists.

"I'll win!" He snapped angrily. "I'll beat you into the ground and show you who's swordsmanship doesn't match up! I refuse to lose to the likes of you!"

"Forget it!" Zankyo spat. He was no longer calm as well. "I won't be the one to lose! Prepare to be beaten!"
- 9
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- 11
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Zanpakuto Tales