Answers to Questions Asked

Hei had to admit that the woman known as Ino Hiroshi done remarkable work. Order business had saw her visit the barracks of the Fourth Division and when her task was done he had introduced himself, apologized for presuming to ask a favour of a total stranger, and asked for her assistance healing Naoko, Yori, Hoshi and Kazeshini fully so that they could return to duty; for he would sorely need the help in the coming hours. She had only nodded, smiled, and asked to be taken to them. It was why Hei was now standing beside her as the blond-haired woman knelt over the sleeping form of young Naoko Izuru, with the others off to the left.

‘The girls wounds where quite extensive,’ Ino concluded with nothing more than a cursory glance at her patient. ‘The Fourths medics do good work… but, as usual, I’m afraid to say that they left some things unfinished. Did they say the young girl was to recover through bed rest?’

‘They did. But our members are quite stretched, and if we are to do our duty properly we need them awake now. There’s also another reason however…’ Hei whispered the last. ‘May I secure this conversation, Mrs. Hiroshi?’

Ino regarded the young Taira clansmen before her coolly with all the calmness of a born leader. ‘Hmmm. Very well then, Mr. Taira. Speak your mind.’

Hei made the necessary preparations. He had long ago been shown by a mysterious hooded man in the Rukongai how to fold his spiritual energy in such a manner that it prevented others eavesdropping on your conversations. It was certainly a very handy ability and one he had saw fit to teach others; specifically Itazura, Yuri, Fox, and a handful of others still, such as Captain Kori and Captain Shin who found it particularly helpful.

‘It’s about Kazeshini,’ he proceeded to tell her everything regarding Naoko’s expedition into Rukongai. It was the only honourable thing to do: Kazeshini was, after all, a member of the Ryū Order as much as he was of the Gotei 13. ‘We have come to the conclusion that the men behind the attack have spiritual energy in the league of your husband, Kenji Hiroshi. At present we do not know their goals nor do we know what their motives are. I tell you as a warning, lady, that the Ryū Order could become a potential target.’ He had never been to Horiwari but Itazura and Mariko spoke of the realm highly. That was all the reason Hei needed to defend it.

Ino worked on the youngsters throughout the explanation. When he finished she had already finished restoring Naoko, Yori, and Hoshi to perfect working order. Now all that was needed was to await their awakening.

‘… I thank you for the information.’ She said at last. ‘But I’m afraid I have nothing to offer you in-turn. This is the first I -- or the spy network of the Order for that matter -- have heard, I’m sorry to say.’

‘Helping these four is thanks enough, Mrs. Hiroshi.’ Hei even inclined his head respectfully.

‘Please, call me Ino. As for Kazeshini however, his wounds were far more extensive than the children’s where. I’d like to take him back to Horiwari with me.’ Hei merely nodded. He had a fair guess she also wanted to learn more from him. ‘I’ll be sure to pass on anything I learn. Which division did you say you where with again?’

Hei suddenly puffed out his chest and said with the greatest pride: ‘The Eleventh, Ino, under Captain Tadashi Kori.’

‘A good man,’ Ino remarked with a warm smile. ‘You do him credit. Farewell and thank you, Heiwajima Taira.’

With that Ino turned to Kazeshini’s sleeping form. She inhaled sharply and crossed her palms over his bare chest. Her forehead grew furrowed and her eyes narrowed as spiritual power began to focus around her palms. But whatever it was she was doing Hei could not say. It certainly wasn’t any form of healing Kidō he had ever seen. Black wisps began to crackle around her palms and Hei stepped back towards the door. ‘Kūkan to Jikan,’ she whispered. Then it happened so suddenly Hei was left blinking and in utter wonder. Ino Hiroshi and Kazeshini were no longer there. Not even their spiritual signatures could be felt!

‘I have to learn how she did that,’ he said to no one in particular.

‘Do what?’ A raspy and quite groggy voice asked.

‘That was fast!’ Hei was amazed. Ino Hiroshi really did do great work! ‘Mrs. Hiroshi of the Ryū Order rid you of your weakness and fatigue, and fully restored your spiritual energy. She also did the same for Yori and Hoshi.’

‘… What about Kazeshini?’

The worry in her tone was evident so before she worried herself without cause Hei answered quickly by explaining events in detail up until she woke. He had to start from the beginning to account for the awakening of Yori and Hoshi.

‘I’ve got a job for each of you…’

‘That can wait until later,’ Hei turned to see the silver-haired head of Itazura Kori walk through the door. Blood poured from twin wounds in his left arm while the young man himself wore a pained expression. He was accompanied by Yuri Hiroshi. ‘We’ve got a serious problem.’ It must’ve been. Itazura’s arm must’ve been paining him greatly, yet he came with this news before seeking treatment.

Thankfully he didn’t need to wait longer for the treatment. ‘Please, continue sir. Yori and I can fix this up.’ And so the two youngsters began working on Itazura’s arm.

‘I forget sometimes that my father sees the uses of Kidō… Thank you both.’ Itazura then regarded Yuri with a down-trodden look. ‘You wanna break the news?’

‘You focus on getting that wound seen too,’ Yuri replied. He took a quick inspection of his surroundings and nodded in agreement. ‘See that you’ve already secured this place. Good. What I’m about to tell you isn’t something I want too many people knowing.’

‘You might want to park your ass on a seat,’ Itazura interjected. The use of vulgar language betrayed his annoyance. It was something he rarely did now since he took a seated position within the division.

Hei took his advice however and sat down. ‘Please, continue.’

‘A man we all knew as a friend and trusted colleague has been the root of all our problems.’ Yuri revealed. ‘Estelle Hakuya has been helping me with my investigations, and this is something that she found out after Yukimura Kori expressed concerns about the Advanced Spear Units recent dead. In her investigation she encountered something that baffled her: the presence of a man who should never have been there.’

‘A presence that arrived at the scene before the Arrancar my mother reported to me and Fox,’ Itazura added.

‘Who’s the man?’ Hoshi asked of them.

‘Zenshin,’ Yuri and Itazura said together. ‘The same Zenshin who attacked me today in the barracks of the Twelfth Division,’ Yuri sounded disbelieving. Hei couldn’t blame him though. It was hard to believe. ‘If my hunch is right then Zenshin was the one who altered the Senkaimon records as well, meaning he likely aided these Arrancar getting into the Soul Society. I also think that he is responsible for the deaths of our squad-mates.’

Silence stretched for a good five minutes before Hei mustered the courage to break it. ‘… How are we to prove any of this? From your explanation all of this is theories and conjecture.’

‘But his spiritual power was found at the scene!’ Yuri answered.

‘It could have been there for a long time,’ Itazura said in reply.

‘Hei is right.’ Yuri said finally when the others began to argue. His voice cut through the arguments like a knife through butter. ‘We’ve got nothing concrete… except that he attacked me rather than trying to capture me. As far as I’m aware from the information I’ve been able to gather, Zenshin’s zanpakutō cannot be countered-’

‘It can.’ Itazura cut in. ‘You need to alter the flow of the spiritual power covering your skin incredibly quickly to reduce its overall strength. If you do that it doesn’t turn you to stone – all it does is turn the top layer of spiritual energy into a crumbling powder. All you need to do is shake it off.’

‘That furthers my point. He didn’t mean to take me alive.’ Yuri countered to which Itazura had no argument. ‘Meaning he has something to hide. And luckily, we have a means of meeting him without brining suspicion down on us.’

Hei knew where this was going. ‘You mean to report regarding those Arrancar, correct?’

‘Bingo.’ Itazura said from his seat. ‘And Hei… you’re the man for the job. I’m too pissed off right now. I’d only blow it, and Yuri has other leads to follow up. I’ve got something the kids can give me a hand with too.’

‘Then it’s settled,’ Hei said finally. ‘I’ll head off immediately.’

And so the friends began a dangerous game…

Next Story > Dangerous Games.