Fly to Flames

Minato lay silent in a bed, covered up in bandages all around his bare chest and up his arms, as a man with neck-length purple hair sat in a chair beside him.

"You were foolish to jump into a confrontation with an unknown entity like that. Haven't you learned anything under my father?" spoke the young man, who wore a white haori, symbolic of a being with the title of Captain in the Gotei 13. This man was Captain of the Ninth Division, Suzaku Kawahiru.

Minato remained silent.

"Another minute, and you would have died from your injuries." the Captain continued.

But Minato paid no answer, prompting Suzaku to merely release a sigh.

"Those men were from the Dukhvoin Soyuz. They are a Quincy organization." he explained, drawing attention from Minato who was avoiding eye contact the entire time. "The Gotei 13 and the Dukhvoin Soyuz have a ceasefire agreement between one another, in order to prevent full-scale war from erupting in the Human World... like it did a thousand years ago. I'm sure my father told you about the Quincy Blood War." Suzaku continued, with Minato nodded softly as he struggled to sit up.

"Shishō told me... that Quincy upset the balance, between the physical and spiritual worlds, because they destroy souls. So... why is an organization like that even allowed to remain?" Minato then asked. Suzaku merely shut his eyes. "It is unknown, but somehow, they have figured out a way to handle Hollows without destroying their souls. The Department of Research and Development confirmed that many years ago. Regardless, Shinigami are bound to the task of defeating Hollows and protecting the Human World. Having the Quincy attempt to upstage us is not acceptable. Captain-Commander Kyōraku, however, believes the blow to our pride is worth avoiding entering another bloody war with the Quincy... One that could cause even greater damage to the Human World. But even so, the two organizations view each other as rivals. And threats." Suzaku concluded.

"However, I know that doesn't matter to you. I doubt you really care who they are." Suzaku added.

Minato looked up at him. "...Why did they take Rūka?" he finally asked, a question that had rested on his shoulders like a heavy burden ever since his defeat.

At this, Suzaku sighed once again. "Rūka is a Quincy that was aligned with their organization. But she sided together with you, along with Team Kuramoto, at the SnS Tournament. She became your, a Shinigami's, ally. And the Dukhvoin Soyuz view this as the highest form of treason and betrayal. They most likely captured her for execu-"

But before Suzaku could finish, Minato reached out and firmly grabbed the collar of the Captain's shihakushō, causing blood to slowly drip from his shoulder, as this motion caused one of his wounds to reopen. "You need to rest. You're going to die at this rate."

"Cut the shit!" Minato yelled. "Even if she is considered a traitor by them, she became our ally! My ally! Why the hell didn't any of you save her?!" he added in pure rage, but was met with Suzaku slapping away the injured Detective's hand.

"Didn't you just hear me? We have a non-aggression pact with them. They sent a formal request to the Captain-Commander, requesting to apprehend a criminal of theirs, and in favor of keeping the peace, Captain-Commander Kyōraku granted the request without a fight." Suzaku answered, causing Minato's eyes to widen as his face shuddered with shock.

He lowered his head, causing Suzaku to stand up as he stared directly down at his subordinate. "You are my father's student, and thus, I'm sure you're reckless like he is. But if you attempt to mount a rescue, you will die before even reaching her prison cell. The Dukhvoin Soyuz, like the Gotei 13, is composed of several divisions, each with a commander that possesses the same level of strength as one of our Captains. At your current level, you wouldn't last a moment with any of them. After all... you saw what the strength of a single commander of theirs was capable of, right?"

Minato then thought back to his defeat at the hands of Director Kyun. Only two arrows of light... That's all it took to take the Spirit Detective down and drive him near death. But Minato merely clenched his sheets with his fingers, his body trembling as he grit his teeth, refusing to admit defeat.

"Seireitou-shishō... taught me to uphold that which I consider important. If I remain standing still while someone I care for is in danger... then I might as well be dead. Because only someone that does not have a heart could stand idly by while allowing those transgressions to happen. And if one does not have a heart, it means that they are dead. Even if it kills me in the end... and it destroys my soul in the process... So long as I am alive, I must act. I have to move... and not just sit here, crying about what I could have done or what others could have done. That is... what it means to have a heart. And to be a martial artist." Minato remarked, reaffirming his resolve.

Suzaku turned away and began making his way for the door, but halted right at the edge. "I left the location of the prison base on the table beside you. That is where they will bring Rūka for her execution. I won't stop you. Unlike Hinata-chan and myself, you are not a soldier of the Gotei 13, meaning you are not bound by the non-aggression pact. If you choose to go, then go. But you'll die. That is a certainty. My father... and the other Kawahiru Dojang inhabitants are not around either, and there's no telling when they will return, so you have absolutely no support going in there. That's all I have to say." he finished, finally leaving the room.

---

After a couple hours, Minato's wounds had finally closed up successfully and he had gotten fully dressed, eventually making his way to the entrance of Seireitei where a Senkaimon was awaiting him. He stared into the bright light, remembering all that Suzaku had to tell him. He would not let this deter him. Rūka was his comrade and supported him the entire time. It was now the chance to return the favor and to finally protect his ally.

"Where do you think you're going on your own, Detective?" came a voice from behind him.

Minato turned to find Kōya Orihara, the source of the voice, and Itachi Shimura standing beside one another a short distance from him.

"Kōya... Itachi... Are you guys here to stop me?" Minato asked.

Kōya merely held out his hand, forming a hand gesture like a gun. "You and I have a score to settle, did you forget? I'm merely making sure you don't die before I get a chance to kill you. I could care less for the china girl's life." Itachi merely chuckled. "What he means to say is, we're your comrades. And so is Rūka. She is a member of this team. You will need help retrieving her." Itachi added.

Minato formed a light smile at their words, and nodded. "I appreciate it... But guys, I can't let y-" He was interrupted by a rock that smacked him in the back of the head.

"W-What the hell?!" he cried, looking around to see who threw it, only to find Hakkōda Kanō standing a ways from him, holding another rock in his hand.

"Don't tell me you were about to use that old, "I can't let you guys get involved in my fight", bullshit, huh?" Hakkōda mused, dropping the rock as he flashed closer to the group. "You're as good as dead if you go alone. Leader or not, I ain't letting the name of the man who defeated the great gang leader of Rukongai, Hakkōda Kanō, be tarnished by dying like a miserable dog. Not before I kick your ass myself!"

"Ha... Hakkōda..." Minato muttered softly.

Kōya merely narrowed his eyes. "If anybody dies first out there like a miserable dog, it'll be you, buffoon."

"Wha-?! What'd you say, shrimp?!" Hakkōda retorted, leaning his face near Kōya in comical anger, as they began trading back insults.

"I knew for a fact, they were all spread out from yesterday... They were all training and off doing their own things. There's no way they all just knew about this, and all gathered this quickly on mere coincidence. Suzaku-san... Did you...?"

Minato began to huff a little, drawing the attention of the others. But this slow huffing turned into a light chuckle, and then into soft laughter.

He then regained composure and faced the trio with a confident smile. "You know. There's a good chance we'll all die out there."

Kōya scoffed. "I don't plan on it."

Itachi merely smiled. "Perhaps."

Hakkōda grinned silently.

Minato nodded softly. "Alright then... Let's go, Team Kuramoto."

"Minato-san!" called out a female voice from the Seireitei streets behind them all.

It was a blue-haired girl in Shinigami garb running to them.

"Please reconsider this! It's foolish! You'll all... You'll all die!" Hinata kept shouting.

But Minato merely looked at her quietly, before finally answering.

"Hinata-chan... Please tell Suzaku-san, "thank you". And please take care of yourself, in case I do not return." Minato explained, with a smile that caused Hinata's eyes to widen a little.

After this, Minato leaped into the Senkaimon, and the other three followed him closely behind.

Hinata stared at the light of the portal in silence, and merely nodded in response, wishing her brother-in-training luck.

END