Prisoner of the Bount

Rescue

By the time the rescue team arrived at the mansion they found it practically in shambles. Ikkaku and Yumichica smiled at the laughter issuing from inside.

"They tried to capture our captain? Ha ha, fools. No one can contain Kenpachi Zaraki." Rangiku took some hope from the fact that Kenpachi was obviously alive and well. She ran for the entrance to the building Momo close on her heels. The main room was a mess, collapsed walkways and defeated bounts lay strewn everywhere. The lucky ones were still moaning, but one or two of them looked like they were close to death.

Rangiku glanced at Momo and they nodded in understanding. Rangiku ran forward and took the stairs to the upper levels while Momo searched on the main floor. Rangiku was surprised when she felt a familiar surge of spiritual pressure. Hope leaped through her lending strength to her limbs. She burst into the room it was emanating from and stopped. It looked like an ordinary room and as such she was confused. The furniture lay undisturbed. Several chairs and couches were set facing a coffee table in the middle of the room. A fireplace stood in the far wall and as her eyes rose above the mantle she realized what she had felt. Resting on pegs in the wall was Hyourinmaru. Her hope drowned in the rising despair as she stepped forward and lifted it free. She was holding back tears before she remembered that Hyourinmaru could help.

"Lead me to your master," she said softly to the blade. "Show me where he is."

In response Hyourinmaru began shaking. She took the blade by the hilt and struggled to hold it as the blade turned pointing down and to her left. She ran back into the hallway and jumped over the railing to the main floor following the direction that Hyourinmaru pointed.