He sat, huddled in the center of the room, knees hugged to his chest, eye's closed, seemingly asleep.
He never moved.
He bearly breathed.
Then, finally, a sign of life.
The door opened and he looked up.
His skin was pale and swallow, like someone that hadn't seen the light of day in months, maybe even years. A twisted monster stood in the door way. It never spoke. It didn't need to. The man stood, agonizingly slowly. The creature motioned with a twisted hand.
The man laughed.
--
"Tell me what I want to know!"
"Hahahahahahah!!"
"Tell me and this will stop!"
He turned his head, the motion alone enough to tear the over-strained muscles in his neck and shulders. "Can't break me! You ain't good enough!"
"Insolent fool!"
Still cackling, "Stick and stones may break my bones, but you'll never break me!"
"Your Hallow can't protect you forever Kurosaki! Even you must know this!"
"Not gunna work 'cause Ichi's not here! I'm in charge and that mean's you're just wastin' you time!"
Aizen spat, "Fine! Take this fool away."
Two mutilated creatures untied the ropes that bound the body of Ichigo Kurosaki to the streching wheel. They grabbed his bleeding and cackling form and dragged it from the room, Aizen glaring at it the entire time.
--
"Did you really have to tear the muscles again?"
"Ain't my fault he's taken a liking to the steching wheel again this month," yawned Hichigo as he settled their body back onto floor. "And anyway, I don't see you taking any of that torture."
"Hey, you volunteered. Now give me back control of my body!" They wrestled for dominance,with Ichigo of course winning.
"Man King, your heart sure wasn't in that fight. You almost let me win there."
"Feh, you know the only reason I still fight at all is because it gives me something to do."
(Never knew ya ta be a quiter there, Ichigo.)
"Oh fer the love a... Stop that already. I told ya, it got old months ago."
"Wasn't me aibou."
"Like I believe that," grumbled Ichigo.
"Maybe yer just finally going bonkers!"
(Oh lay off'em ya stupid Hallow.)
"Isn't that Abari's voice?"
"Yeah. Why?"
"Hehe. He's been sounding off in yer head a lot lately. There something ya haven't been talling me about him King?"
"Oh grow up," he grumbled.
(Yeah, quiet being stupid.)
"Renji, not that I don't appriciate the support, but I really don't wanna be reminded a just how close to going as nut's a Aizen is I really am."
(Fine, have it your way.)
--
Eight days past with nothing eventfull happening. They were used to it by now though. The cycle was the same, always. Month of isolation, couple of days of torture, repeat. The only break in the monotany was the infrequent ocassions when they fed it. Sometime's it was once a week; other's, once a month.
So it was no real surprise when the small opening at the base of his cell door opened and a bowl of gruel was shoved through.
He sighed, reached for it, and swallowed the entire inetable mass at once. He cucked the bowl against the door with a mildly satisfying clunk before settling back into his almost confortable position.
The door opened again.
"Huh?"
A loaf of bread was shoved unceramoniously through.
"The fuck??"
Ichigo stood up and walked over to where the bread had settled.
"No way..."
"He actually gave you a loaf of bread?"
"Apperently..." He poked at it with his foot, almost certain it was some kind of booby-trap. "It's gotta be poisoned or something."
"No way. He want you alive, remember. Why would he start poisoning you now?"
"I dunno... You've seen how much worse he's gotten lately."
"True."
"Maybe it's spiked with some kinda truth seruim..."
Awww come on, King. If he had somethin' like that he woulda used it already."
(Ya Hallow's got a point there Ichigo.)
"Welcome back Renji," he grumlbed sarcastically. "And please for the love of Kami don't encourage him."
(I'm just sayin', if Aizen had the means ta make ya talk, he woulda used it already.)
"Yeah, 'cept he's fucking nuts."
"Yeah, but so am I and I wouldn't a waited this long ta do it."
"Thank's for pointing out the obvious..."
"Just break a peice off an eat it already. We both need the energy and you know it."
(Can't hurt.)
"Oh, now you're on his side then?"
(No, but he's making more seense then you are at the moment.)
"Ugh... I'm being tag-teamed by my Hallow and the crazy voices in my head..." He reached down, picked up the loaf, broke off a small peice, and ate it.
--
"See King. Told ya it was good!"
"S'only been an hour, idiot. Gotta wait at least a day to be sure."
(Be more overly cautious Ichigo.)
"I'm about three second away from killing you both right now, so how's about you shut the hell up and leave me alone!!"
(Fine.)
"Kill me and you die too aibou. Forget about that?"
"No, but I can sure as hell knock you out for awhile you..."
Ichigo stopped midsentence when the door opened for a third time that day.
"My Master request's your precense in the throne room."
"The hell? Has it been a month already?"
"My Master request's your precense in the throne room."
Ichigo stood, "I guess you're not going to tell me anything..."
Another of Aizen's pets entered the cell and grabbed him by the shoulder, "Move human trash."
"Aren't you the one that's usually in the torture chamber laughing at me?"
"Oh yes. And I must say, I've missed the day when you screamed in agony for all those glorious hours. Your Hallow lacks the entertainment value."
"So sorry to dissapoint you."
The thing growled a warning and Ichigo quieted.
--
"Welcome Kurosaki Ichigo," greeted Aizen as they entered the throne room. "Please, sit." He guestured to a rather comfortable looking chair that was positioned directly in front of his throne.
"I'd rather stand if It's all the same."
"But I insist." The creature that had escorted him shoved him bodily into the chair. "Much better."
"What the hell do you want you fucking maniac?!"
"Such language from such a young boy. Please, we can dispell with the use of such crassness. This is a civilized court."
"Civilized my ass."
Aizen ignored the last bit of vulgarity and continued with, "I have a deal for you."
"Deal eh? Pass."
"You haven't even heard my terms."
"Like I care. You haven't got anything I want."
"Oh? I think I do."
"Doubtfull."
"What would you say if I told you that I am offering you your freedom."
Ichigo blinked. "My freedom?"
Aizen nodded...
...and Ichigo laughed.
Hard.
Like, tears streeming down his face, lungs about to explode kinda laughing.
Hell, Hichigo was about to drown himself he was tearing so hard as he rolled on the wall of the skyscraper he'd been standing on.
"Please, laugh all you wish. I daresay you've earned a good laugh, what with everything that you have been through over the past year.
"Freedom pant that's a pant good one!"
"I wasn't joking Kurosaki."
"Riiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiight..." they both drawled, still cackling like rabid monkeys.
Aizen allowed them to laugh themselves silly for a few minutes longer before saying, "Can we continue?"
Ichigo, red-faced and out of breath, pulled himself back up onto the chair. "Thanks Aizen. I really needed that."
"You are quiet welcome. But I was serious when I said that I am not joking. Will you at least listen to my proposal?"
"Yeah, yeah. Sure."
"In exchange for your freedom, all I ask is that you win a fight."
Ichigo blinked, "A fight?"
"To the death."
"Ahhhhhhhh. Makes sense." He nodded thoughtfully before continuing, "And just for the sake of argument, who would I be fightint if I agreed to your little death match? Ichimaru? Or maybe Tousen?"
"Neither. Unfortunatly, Ichimaru fell to that inpudent little child Hitsugaya Toshiro last month. And Tousen was killed by Komomura and Zaraki during the last incursion by your Shinigami friends three months ago."
"Ahhhh. Good riddence I say. An Espada then?"
"Wrong again. My Espade are far too busy in the human world to be bothered with fighting you. Although GrimmJow would love another chance to defeat you."
"I'll just bet he would. So then, who would I fight?"
"Why, it's very simple Kurosaki. You would be fighting me!"
"You?"
"Of course! Why would I give anyone else the pleasure of killing you slowly and painfully?"
"Right... And what, still for the sake of argument mind you, would happen if I refused?"
"Then you would forit your life. And my dear pets would so love it if you did. They've been informing me of all the creative ways they have to make you scream."
"I just bet they have. So what's the big catch?"
"Catch?"
"Yeah, how are you going to make it so that you have every single possible advantage?"
"Ahhh yes. My only condition is that you refrain from the use of your Hallow and his powers."
"Well, much as I do hate him, I don't think that forcing me to forgo use of my Hallow powers, when you so obviously will be using yours, if just a tad bit unfair."
"And what makes you sure I won't limit myself in a similar fashion?"
"You're an egotistical maniac with a God complex that lives for the torment and pain of any and all things that you don't control."
"Fair point, Kurosaki. Fair point." He grinned, "Seeing as you have no chance either way, I shall allow the use of your Hallow powers."
"Still haven't agreed to it."
"So you'd rather I set a play date for you with my pets?"
"I didn't say that either."
"Then what is your problem."
"Do I look like I'm in any shap to fight you?" He gestured at his broken and mangled body.
"True, you aren't in the best of fighting condition. But that's never stopped you before, now has it?"
"Fine. I agree to the damn fight."
"Excellent!"
"So? Shall we get started, or do you want a few minutes to gather your pets?"
"No, no. We shant fight today. I shall give you a month to rest and recooperate. I suggest you use the time wisely."
He nodded to the ceature that stood behind Ichigo. It grabbed Ichigo by the shoulders and forced him to stand.
"Oh and Kurosaki. The bread wasn't poisoned."
--
"Told ya, King."
"Shut up!"
The creature kicked Ichigo to get him moving. "So Kurosaki, you shall be fighting my master."
"And?"
"It will be such a delight to see you fall."
"I'll just bet. Well, you can tell your nut-job of a master to shove-it. I'm only doing this because I'd rather take him on then get eaten by you sorry excusses for leftover Hallow parts."
"Do not insult the master!" the thing screeched as it slapped him.
"He's your master, not mine."
"Pitiful human filth. You will learn respect. Even if it's is during your last breath." It heaved Ichigo through the open door of his cell and slamed the door shut, locking it tight.
"Kami I hate that thing..." he grumbled as he rubbed his sore jaw. He pushed himself up off the floor and stopped dead.
They'd cleaned his cell.
"Holy..."
"Daaaaaaaaaaaaaaaamn... this place wasn't even this clean the day they though us in here!"
"Yeah..." He walked over to the bed and sat down. "Oh man..." he groaned, eyes shut. "That's so much better then the damn floor..."
His nose twitched and his stomache growled. "Is that sniff food I smell?" He opened his eyes and looked across the room. A fairly large table inhabited a space that had previously been empty. It was covered with food and drink of all types. "Real food..." he sighed dreamily. He almost got up to get some when his rational mind spoke up. "Ugh... it's probably spiked..."
"That's what you thought about the bread aibou! He even said it wasn't tampered with! And you know he want's this fight. You could see it in his eyes. What kinda sense does it make to poison a guy you want to have a real fight with?"
"Why the hell are making so much sense this week?"
"Dunno. Guess when I start going bonker's I make sense. I'm the oposite of you ain't I?"
"True enough."
"Come on, King. We need ta get back some of our energy already. I'm not saying ta stuff yer face or anything, just eat something."
(Listen to him Ichigo.)
"Your back again?"
(Can ya be any happier ta hear me there, Ichigo?)
"Not really in the mood to deal with my insane voices right now."
: Stop acting like a child and eat something Ichigo. :
"Did you...?"
"I think so??"
"Zangetsu??"
: Who else would I be? :
"But... where are you? I don't see you anywhere!"
: Can you be any more blind? I'm right in front of you! :
"You are??" He looked around for a minute before spotting the glint of light off steel. He shoved several plates of food away and finally found Zangetsu. "Eish, they had ta bury you didn't they..." He reached down and picked up his sword, feeling the welcomed warth that spread through his arm andinto his soul, filloing the void left when he was separated from his fighting partner.
: Much better. :
"Kami it's good to have you back Zangetsu."
: I am pleased to be back. I see you and Shirosaki have managed to survive without killing each other. :
"Oh yeah. We're best buddies now!"
"Shut up!" He growled as he retreated into his inner world to speak face to face with them. "Don't make me beat the crap outta you again."
: Behave. Both of you. There's much work to be done and not much time to do it in. :
"Work? You mean training right?"
: Partially, yes. But we must also plan for the upcomming fight. :
"Okay. Fire away."
: Why are you looking at me? :
"You don't have a plan?"
: Of course I don't. You must create one yourself. :
"Awww come on Zangetsu, you make better plans then I do."
: I thought we had moved past you realying solely on my power. :
"Ha! You keep that up King and I might just decide ta challenge you for real again."
"Ugh... I hate you both."
: I suggest that we take a break for now. Sleep on it Ichigo, and we can continue in the morning. :
"Probably the best idea," he nodded.
"Uh aibou? Can you let me have control for a little while. I really wanna go ta town on the food."
"Sure, why not. I need some time to practice my stances again."
"Thanks!"
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AN: God I hate this... nothing like what it should have been...
Yeah, I had written this once before, but then this new computer I'm being forced to work on deleted all the work I had done and I had to start over. Not fair. I already had three chapters of it written too. Ugh... i want my old computer back...
I dunno, the original version was better. More angst without getting emo-ish, and less stupidity. Dialog was better too. Aizen sound more like a mad evil-genius and less like a bat-shit insane dictator.
slams head against wall
I know it sucks, but please don't flame. It's bad enough that it's already summer here, and I'm out of sunscreen. Third degree burns from evil flames are the last thing I need.