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Undisclosed Devotion	By : horrorgal Category: Bleach > Yaoi - Male/Male > Ichigo/Ishida Views: 7352 -:- Recommendations : 1 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach, nor the characters. I do not profit from this story.

Chapter List
- 17
- 18
- 19
Chapter 18

It was by chance that Chad saw the shinigami following them, his reflection in the dusty dome mirror that hung from the hallway ceiling. His face was mostly obscured by a dark hood, but nothing hid his murderous intent. Chad gave their follower no indication that he was aware of his presence, walking casually by Orihime's side. His hand brushed hers, a innocent clasp of hands that any couple would share. He gave her delicate fingers a light squeeze to get her attention. She looked to him and it only took a very slight movement of his head for her gaze to go over the mirror they were getting close to reaching.

They were both aware now, but soon they would walk under and past the mirror, and their view of the shinigami would be lost. He was unsure if he should have Orihime lower the shield. It was the only thing protecting their backs and if she did, it was unknown if their vision would be blurred by hallucinations once more. A few more steps. He had to make a decision. He gripped her hand, right shoulder turning slightly. The look in her eyes told him she understood what he needed her to do. He let go of her hand and turned, pulling his arm back, fist tight in it's attack form. The shield lowered just as the burst of energy shot from his armored fist, speeding directly at the shinigami. His aim was solid, but the enemy was faster as he rushed out of the path of the attack.

The immense blast sent deadly debris through the air. Orihime brought the shield back up around them just as chunks of cement, metal and glass flew in their direction. Chad saw the cloaked enemy begin to leap up through the hole in the ceiling. As most shinigami, his movement was incredibly agile as he disappeared from sight. Trying to attack would only cause more needless destruction that could bring the whole building down around them.

"What should we do?" she asked, her shield still covering them like a protective cocoon.

"We can't let him get away, but I can't keep attacking like this either."

"I'll do what I can to help," she said as she let the shield fall.

"We might start hallucinating again," he said, watching for any change in their environment. "Our only option is to end this quickly, but I have to get close to him somehow." He lifted Orihime in his arms and ran head long, avoiding the fallen remains of the wall and ceiling, pushing hard against the floor with his feet to jump high and land above where the shinigami had fled.

He had seemingly vanished once again, but Chad knew he was close. He put Orihime down and they moved along, this corridor even more deteriorated than the last. He was amazed how quickly an abandoned building could fall into ruin. Orihime, once again, brought the protective cover of Santen Kesshun around them, both for protection and clarity, but their surroundings remained unchanged. Perhaps the hallucination was losing it's hold on them, with or without the protection of her shield.

"Do you think the girl's shield will stop me?!" The voice came from a short distance away, but Chad could not see the owner of the taunting voice. The corridor before them forked off into three different paths. Left, right, or straight ahead through a set of double doors. "You two were never our targets, but since you want so much to associate yourself with the Quincy, you give us no choice." He paused. "Perhaps I should kill the girl first to get her out of the way."

Chad refused to take the bait and run mindlessly towards the sound of his voice. "Stop hiding and come out!" he called.

"I could say the same of you, hiding behind that shield."

Maybe he wasn't so confident about getting past her barrier as he claimed to. The more Chad listened, the more he realized the shinigami wasn't staying in one spot. He could be trying to get behind them again, or just trying to get further away, but he did not hold the thought that the enemy might be afraid. Methodical was the word that came to mind. He had yet to really fight one of these men one on one since the attacks started, but he didn't think they were on par with a Captain or even a Lieutenant. Perhaps none of them had even achieved bankai.

"Come out and fight me!" Chad challenged. "She doesn't need to be involved." Chad could feel the heat of her stare.

"Chad, I'm not leaving," she whispered. He knew she was determined, but they couldn't just keep standing here like this. "I refuse to keep getting put aside, not with all the training you and I have been doing. You all can't keep protecting me like this," she insisted.

"I know," he whispered back with the hint of a smile, "just drop your shield, and be ready." She nodded and the glow of Santen Kesshun disappeared.

"Very well." His voice came from behind them, and as they both turned, the hooded figure was already poised for attack and rushing towards Orihime, the tip of his blade coming at her.

Chad saw the protective wall come up just as the shinigami thrust out the blade to impale her. It all happened so fast, but Chad saw every movement clearly. The blade touched the shield and in the next instant there was a flash, the explosion of Shiten Koshun throwing him back with the impact. The attacker screamed in surprised pain, and Chad took advantage of his dazed reaction. He moved in, his fist landing solidly against his stomach, the blast throwing his enemy through the wall with the force of the impact. Chad ran forward, through the damaged wall to follow his opponent and threw another punch to the shinigami's chest. He could feel bones break as it connected. The man was unable to yell, only emitting a raspy gargle as crimson spilled from his gaping lips. His body flew like a rag doll and slammed hard into another wall.

Chad watched him slide to the floor; saw his eyes look up at him with a mixture of fear and hate as the last of the life in him drained away. He stood there watching him, fist still clenched so tight that he felt like his own bones might snap with the tension. The shinigami's reiatsu vanished as he passed. His intent hadn't been to kill, but once he attacked Orihime, it was all he could do to stop himself from attacking with every bit of strength that he could muster.

"Chad?" Her soft voice was somewhere behind him. He uncurled his fist and looked back at her. She had stepped through the damaged wall, but was keeping a safe distance. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah." He looked at the fallen man again. "He's not though." His anger had dissolved to numb indifference. It was obvious he would have stopped at nothing to kill them both. He wasn't sure if any of these Quincy killers would live to see another sunrise.

She came and stood beside him, clasping his hand that was now free of it's protective armor. He hadn't even been aware that he let his power recede back. "What should we do now?"

"We'll take his body out to Urahara, and come back in to help the others if we're needed." He knelt and lifted the body in his arms. The far off sound of another battle caught their attention. "We should hurry," he added.

She followed beside him hurriedly. "Whatever they did to us, I think it's starting to wear off," she said, looking at their surroundings as they made their way out. Chad could see what she meant. From the walls, to abandoned wheelchairs, everything around them had a strange aura, as if everything was fading but couldn't quite disappear. They could see the truth over the lie that was trying to deceive them. "I hope it's the same for everyone else." She tried her bracelet again.

~~~

Renji wasn't keeping track of how many hollows he was taking down, but he was starting to think they were as fake as the forest they were running through. It was harder to ignore how soaked through his shihakusho was. Rukia ran alongside him, her short hair caked to her cheek. She had a agitated expression, eyes focused on their target that was still running ahead of them. He spotted another hollow coming from the left. Rukia's attention moved to it's bulky form.

"Ignore it! I'm almost certain these things can't touch us!"

"Almost certain?" She sounded unsure.

"Can you feel his reiatsu?" Renji asked her of the fleeing shinigami, panting as he continued to race beside her.

"Yes."

"Same here, but I can't feel a damn thing from the hollows that keep getting in our way." The current hollow that just emerged was turning towards them to block their path. "Just a hunch, but I don't think he really called in help."

"It looks so real though," she said. But he was right, she couldn't feel anything coming from it. "Why didn't I notice sooner?"

"We're relying on our eyes too much and ignoring our other senses. Focus on him, and him alone."

"Good point," she responded, just as Orihime's voice chimed from both their bracelets. They were both too focused on their target to answer her, but at least they knew they were working again. A short conversation passed between her and Urahara. One enemy was defeated. Welcome news, but they had their own problem as the hollow before them stood as solid as a brick wall, roaring at them defiantly.

"Just keep running." he said. Even as he spoke, he tightened his grip on his zanpakuto to defend himself, but he did not stop running straight at the foul looking creature. He had to believe that it wasn't there. When they reached one of it's bulky legs, there was not a solid impact of bone, but empty space. "Son of a bitch, I knew it!"

The cloaked figure altered his direction through the trees, that now seemed to waver before them like a desert mirage. It was strange to witness the transition from forest to hospital corridor in a matter of moments. Water still poured on them from above, the hospital fire sprinkler system being the reason. Rukia hastened along, wondering if they had been running in circles this entire time through the layout of the corridors.

"Renji, keep after him," she said, before she broke off from his side to go in the opposite direction. She found a broken out window and jumped through, taking to the air. She concentrated on the enemies reiatsu, keeping track of his movement through the building, Renji's not far behind him. If she judged his course correctly, she could bind him and stop this chase. Capturing was the main objective, unless they resisted violently. As much trouble as these shinigami had caused, she did not want to kill unless she had to. They had to answer for what they had done.

She saw Urahara, along with Yoruichi standing near the treeline. Chad and Orihime were heading their way, the limp body of the shinigami in Chad's arms. He looked dead, but she pushed the thought aside and renewed her focus on the shinigami's position in the hospital corridors. She chose her spot to head the enemy off, quickly moving in through another window to prepare for his arrival. She kept herself hidden and silent in one of the patient rooms, waiting for the right moment to strike. She heard his harsh breath and soft curses as he neared, and Renji's yells for him to stop and fight.

In concentrated silence, Rukia used the Eishohaki incantation just as he neared her position. A flash of light and he was ensnared in the seal, his voice raised in a panic as he tried to break free of the powerful spell. She stepped out from her position and approached, nodding to Renji as he ran up to join her. The shinigami's hood fell loose to reveal a rather young face. He looked almost innocent if not for the cold hatred in his eyes and filthy curses he was spitting at her. She had never seen this man before, but it filled her with relief at the knowledge it wasn't someone she knew.

"You're making a mistake, you bastards! We're not the enemy. The Quincy are the ones you should be after! Do you understand what I am saying?!" His body twisted and contorted to fight against the seal that bound him. He looked almost rabid as he spat and yelled at them. Renji looked at her and shook his head. Like her, he had had enough of this idiot. She muttered another incantation and his yells were muffled by another seal over his mouth. This only seemed to infuriate him more and he thrashed more violently than ever to get free. Renji threw an elbow against the back of his head, and Rukia watched his body go limp as his eyes rolled to whites.

"He's delusional," Renji said.

"Agreed," she answered. "Still, I want to know what has caused this vendetta against the Quincy. None of this makes sense." The sprinkler system halted it's shower, but it gave her little comfort with her troubled thoughts. "Let's take him outside. I've had my fill of this place."

"Urahara, Ryuken and I have found one." Isshin's voice sounded through the communicator.

"Excellent. Did he give you too much trouble?"

"No. We found him dead. Appears he preformed seppuku with his own zanpakuto. I guess he chose the easy way out."

Renji stopped lifting their prisoner and looked at Rukia in shock. She felt it too, but urged him along, helping him with the seal bound man. Such strong conviction to do something so desperate to get away without answering for his crime. Her confusion deepened with this news, but they would figure it all out later when they were able to question their prisoner. They carried him from the building in uneasy silence.

~~~

Isshin broke the connection and sighed, looking at the slumped over body of the dead man. They both avoided the blood that was pooled around him on the floor. He had seen many dead men in his time, but never one that had taken his own life. He wasn't sure what to feel about this development. It was certainly unexpected after the whole charade since they entered the hospital. Ryuken stared at the body, his expression neither cold or bitter.

"Perhaps I should be happy, but I only feel pity for this fool," he said. Such murderous intentions and in the end he could not face what he was a part of."

"That or he feared failure. There is no way to know."

"The only thing they have accomplished is killing innocent people. This war they think they are fighting is just an attempt at genocide."

"It's almost over now, Ryuken. It's up to our sons to finish it."

"I'm not so certain this will be the end of it, Isshin. I have this sick feeling in my gut, and I cannot rid myself of it. I know you can feel it too."

He was uneasy, but he couldn't acknowledge it, not here in the cold basement of this dying building. "Grab those sheets." He pointed to the dusty ones that covered old equipment and chairs. "We should wrap him up before we carry him out to the others." Ryuken did as he asked and they went about the gruesome job in silence. They wrapped his zanpakuto with as much care before they climbed the steps to the nearest exit, Isshin carrying the body, Ryuken carrying the blade.

~~~

Ichigo and Uryu heard everything through the connection, but they had yet to find Saburou. Ichigo was sure the bastard would have made an appearance by now, especially when they had still been in the grip of the hallucination. It would have been the perfect time for him to attack, and yet, nothing. Uryu was getting visibly more frustrated the further they went, and Ichigo couldn't blame him.

"Maybe he ran with his tail between his legs," Uryu said.

"Urahara and the others would have seen him if he went outside the building," Ichigo assured him, but was starting to wonder himself.

"They've lost and he knows it. His companions are down. It would be like him to run like a coward with those odds against him." He kicked a box out of his way with a exasperated sigh. "The bastard just keeps toying with us."

"He's still here. He has to be." Ichigo put a hand on his shoulder. "We should head further downstairs. If he does have a lab, it has to be down there. It could be where he is hiding out."

"You're right," Uryu said. He took a deep breath and regained his composure so smoothly that it was like he had not been rattled at all. Ichigo smiled slightly and looked around the room, deciding which would be the best way to go. "There is another stairway just past these doors, if I am correct," Uryu said and continued on with him.

~~~

Since leaving the lab, Saburou had felt a shiver up his spine that he could not explain. It was so distracting, that he couldn't even seem to make his way to Kurosaki and Ishida, and to make things even worse, the hallucinogenic had worn off a lot sooner than it should have. Something was amiss here and for the first time he felt uncomfortable in this place he had taken as his own. The slightest noises put him on edge and shadowed corners seemed even darker somehow. In truth, he felt like a mouse in a maze with a cat somewhere in hiding, just waiting to pounce on him.

Every way he went only seemed to take him farther away from his targets. It was impossible, yes, but he felt his perception was off somehow. He tried to pick up what the disturbance was, but he couldn't pinpoint what was causing him such anxiety. Staying in one spot did not help, nor did moving quickly. Whatever it was, shadowed him at every turn. Through it all he had heard sounds of battle in other areas of the hospital. Perhaps his accomplices were having better luck than he was.

"As amusing as it is to see you wander around like a scared puppy, I am growing bored."

Saburou failed to contain a yelp as the voice cut into him. He knew that voice well, and the cold shiver was now like a icy bone finger dragging cruelly down his back. He gripped his sword and turned in a circle, looking in every direction to see where Mayuri was hiding. Words failed him as his breath rasped, making his fear more than obvious to his stalker.

"The Captain Commander ordered that you be captured. Should I capture you?"

His sword hand wavered as he spun towards the sound of the voice. "Stay away from me!"

Mayuri stepped away from the wall, eyes rolling to look at him with cold disdain. "You always were a sniveling little weasel. So much so, that I paid you no mind. A mistake on my part." Mayuri grinned, but to Saburou it looked like a wicked sneer. "One I will not make again."

"Why should you disapprove of my actions?! You know yourself that the Quincy are dangerous if left unchecked!"

"You seem to think I care about any of that. Are you that stupid?" To Saburou's great displeasure, he took a step forward. "Don't bother to answer. I know you're stupid. So stupid, that you stole from me, and made me look like a fool."

"You..can't.."

"I can, and I will gut you like a pig. You can try to fight, but you look more like you want to piss yourself than cross blades with me." Mayuri tilted his head at a unnatural angle, musing in silence for a moment. Saburou felt as if his feet were glued to the floor, his heart pounding in his ears as cold sweat rolled down his temple. This man was going to kill him, and he could do nothing about it. "Run if you wish." He was grinning again, that cold, heartless grin.

"Please, if you would only listen to me." He wanted to run, even if it would not save him.

"I will give you until the count of ten to start running, or if you have the balls enough, to lift your sword to defend yourself."

"Please!"

"One...two.."

"You said the Captain Commander wanted me alive!"

"Three...four.."

Saburou's feet finally obeyed him. He stumbled and righted himself as he spun to run away from his former Captain, fear driving him. Maybe he could be fast enough to escape. Strained whimpers escaped him as he heard him continue his counting chant behind him, farther away, but not far enough. Saburou nearly screamed in anguish as he rushed up the stairway to where he knew he could escape outside.

~~~

"Do you hear that?" Uryu asked, halting to listen closer. It was coming from below them, two voices. "It sounds like Kurotsuchi. I can't hear what he's saying though."

Ichigo listened and nodded. "Why is he here? I thought when he didn't meet us at the shop, he wasn't coming," he whispered back to Uryu.

Uryu shrugged and they both strained to listen. They heard the yell of a man in true desperation. "You said the Captain Commander wanted me alive!" Heavy footsteps followed and their attention went to the stairwell close by.

"Lets go," Uryu said and started that way with him, the fast footfalls getting closer, and oddly, he could hear Kurotsuchi counting.

~~~

Saburou could see the floor above as he went up the stairs as fast as his feet could carry him. Just a few more and he would be close enough to a window to escape though. The others waiting outside, they wouldn't let him be killed. Not if they were following orders. His foot touched the top step and he saw Ishida and Kurosaki coming his way, just as he heard the coldly delighted voice behind him.

"Ten!"

Pain welled through his back and out through his stomach, then upward into his chest It was a agony he had never felt before. His mouth opened wide in reflex to yell, but a choked gargle was the only sound he could release as blood gushed from his throat and flowed from his mouth. Eyes wide in pain and shock, he looked at the Quincy, who looked just as surprised by this turn of events. He tried to speak, but it was useless as a pained hiss was all that he was allowed. He couldn't move his body, couldn't take another breath. He looked down to see the bloody tip of Kurotsuchi's zanpakuto coming out of his chest before his vision swam, the world going dark around him.

~~~

Ichigo stepped beside Uryu, watching as Mayuri pulled his blade from Saburou's fallen body. It had happened so fast, the attack so unexpected. This wasn't how it was supposed to go. Uryu moved from his side and stepped closer, looking from the body to Mayuri as if trying to piece together what happened, even though it was obvious.

"Why did you do this?"

Mayuri sheathed his zanpakuto. "It needed to be done, of course. Don't be stupid."

"I needed to ask him questions!"

"Saburou had a small mind. Honestly, does it matter what he may have told you, if he had answered you at all? The danger to your father and yourself is over now. If anything, you should be on your knees thanking me, boy."

"You pretentious son of a bitch!"

"Collar your Quincy, Kurosaki, before he has a unfortunate accident and ends up in my lab for observation."

Ichigo stepped forward. "Don't threaten him. Ever."

Mayuri watched them both, his sneer curling up into a more disturbing smile. "Ah, young love. How pointless and uninteresting." He looked down at the body at his feet. "I will take his body back to Seireitei, along with all the data I collected from the files in his lab. Inform Kisuke that I will give the Captain Commander my full report on my findings."

"Wait, you're just going to leave?" Uryu said as Mayuri was opening a senkaimon gate.

"I'm done here. The others can bring the scraps back," he said, nonchalantly picking up the corpse before stepping through the gate. It closed behind him and vanished before either of them could say another word.

"I really hate that man," Uryu said, barely containing his anger.

"I know. I'm not a fan either." Ichigo looked at the pool of blood on the floor and felt slightly ill. He'd seen more than enough blood before, but the way the man died, fleeing for his life is what didn't sit well with him. "There's nothing else we can do. Lets just get out of here."

AN: Ugh, I know it's been ages since I updated, and if I can manage it in the next month or two, I'm going to finish this story so I can try to concentrate on my others. Writing action scenes has never been my strong point. Every time I have a chapter that involves anything like that, I always question the quality of the chapter, but I do the best I can and move on. I do hope people are still enjoying what I write. I don't seem to be getting a lot of feedback lately. Not getting reviews is fine, but sometimes when I don't get anything for a long while, I kind of lose my motivation and I don't write for long periods. Not good for the people waiting for chapters, I know. I don't like the long stretches of time without putting any work out too. Either way, I do enjoy writing when I can. Again, if there are mistakes, I apologize.

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Undisclosed Devotion