Compelled Betrayal
Prologue
Warning: First Person POV.
Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach. This applies to all chapters of this story hereinafter.
-- -- -- --
I said to myself many times before accepting Aizen's bargain that this was the only way to gain power. Power is what I wanted. He promised me this many times over, and to others he delivered.
It was finally my time, and I was tightly bound in unbreakable ribbons. I could feel it, I could feel the intense power of the small round object that Aizen sealed all of his pride into. I was going to have it! I could feel the awesome power of Hogyoku through my veins! I would be invincible.
"Awaken, my new arrancar. Tell me, how do you feel?", A stern voice resounded through the room. I could feel his presence. I could feel the presence of other shinigami, and even the presence of those like me.
"I feel, great! I mean, I feel great Aizen-sama!", I praised . I looked at my hands. They were hands, not paws. I was standing, and not crawling. My power was on another level from when I was a simple hollow.
"That's good to hear, Ggio Vega.", Aizen smiled, amused at the way I had taken the transformation.
I noticed at my feet, a short sword rested in an encasing, "So then this is my?"
"Yes, your Zanpakutō. Proof that you are what you believe you are.", Aizen snapped his fingers, and five higher ranking arrancar entered the room.
"So you see, my dear arrancar. You will now have the choice of being chosen by a superior. If in case you are not selected by them, you will be killed on spot.", Aizen walked out of the sight of the Espada who entered the room. They began scanning my potential.
"Aizen-sama!? You're not serious are you? Wait a minute, you gave me power and now you're just going to kill me?", I reasoned.
The first of the Espada walked up to me. He looked as if he was half-asleep. He yawned, and shook his head no, "This isn't what I was looking for. Spunky, I have to say... Not enough for me though."
A second female did not even move, instead she tossed me out the door as trash quicker than I could even say trash, "No, I will not enlist him as my fraccion."
Aizen smiled, and with a few words, nearly made grovel, "That is two Espada who do not see you fit to fight. Three more, and you will be executed."
I began to shake as the next man walked up to me. He was short, had green eyes, and a very emotionless tone, "He is trash."
My eyes widened at the sound of the word 'trash'. I was beginning to believe that my life was over. My legs could barely support themselves as the next Espada walked up to me. He was taller, and much more feral than the others in the room.
"What's wrong with this runt! He's shaking in his boots. I don't want any wussy arrancar serving under me!", is all the man said before he took off.
At this point I dropped to my knees. I was dead, I had been given this great power only to lose it. I began to sob, and Aizen pushed me over the edge with another comment.
"One more chance at life, if rejected once more... Death is all that awaits you."
I saw the next Espada approach me. He was old, and decrepit. He had a crown of bone on his head, and many scars marked his face. A true testament of battle. The only thing keeping me up were my hands, I was no where near as experienced as he. It was hopeless. I was sprawled pitifully on the floor, kneeling with my hands on the floor.
"Kneeling? To me?", Barrigan Luisenbarn rubbed his chin thoughtfully.
His voice scared me even further, and I could feel Aizen's reiatsu increasing. It was over! I closed my eyes in preparation for my death.
"I believe you have a place in my kingdom, boy."
My eyes shot open, and I began to cry. Aizen's face curled into a sickly smile. I believed this man to be my savior. He saved me from the torment of fear.
"You will follow me, boy. From now on out you will refer me as 'Your Majesty'."
I could not even begin to thank this man, I immediately returned his wishes, "Yes, your majesty Luisenbarn Barrigan!"
"Very good.", Barrigan said with satisfaction, "Serve me well, and I will reward you with endless bounty. Let me warn you, Ggio Vega, if you ever once force me to walk a path not stained with the enemies blood I will kill you myself."
"Yes, your majesty. I will pave the ground with the blood of your foes!", I vouched for his approval. Indeed he did nod, and from that day forward I was one of his fraccion.
Though, many days later, more and more arrancar joined the ranks. I may have been Barrigan's first fraccion, but I wasn't his last. Corrupt arrancar, greedy for power slowly began devising a plot to remove me from sight.
I ask you to listen to my story. A story of fools that ruined my chance for glory, and my just revenge upon them.
- - - -
It was a month later on a ominous eve. It wasn't the weather, but Barrigan's general disposition. I was in my quarters, the best place to be when Barrigan was punishing one of his fraccion. I would have to ask Avirama what he had done to provoke his majesty...
His majesty yelled so loud, that everyone in our compound heard. It was normal to fear his wrath, and I could hear Poww praying hard. He had so much fear in his heart, that he prayed to Barrigan. A sad, but truly devoted way of praising his majesty.
Hours passed, and Barrigan finally calmed down. I decided to use the rest of the night to train my body and soul. I moved from my room, and headed down the hallway. I spotted Avirama heading back from Barrigan's throne room. Curious, I asked him about his experience, "Redder, what's going on?"
Avirama was obviously depressed, "Vega, mind your own business...", he seemed to have multiple marks across his face.
"Did his majesty punish you with violence? What could you have possibly done to provoke it?", I asked
"Well, I trust you more than the others. I think I will disclose what happened. You see, there comes a point in every man's life that he needs to relieve his stress with the... opposite sex...", Avirama blushed, "Mila-Rose is a fine lady, so I tried to court her."
"That's great, but what's the problem?", I asked.
Avirama sighed, "I was caught. Not by his majesty, but by her leader. I brought disgrace to his majesty, and was justly punished."
I smirked, "Well, don't get caught next time."
I was his senior when it came to knowing the bits and pieces of Las Noches, "You could try that at Stark's compound. He won't complain about anything. I mean Anything."
"But Ggio! If he finds out again, I will be put to death!", Avirama shuddered at the thought of decapitation by Barrigan's mighty axe.
"I admire you Redder, at least you like someone in this death trap.", I smiled, and continued to the training grounds with my hands behind my head.
The training grounds were rarely ever inhabited. Other arrancar were usually satisfied with their level of power. I wasn't, and I spent many days working on my foot work. Swords were a great finishing tool, but the real battle did not stop at the strength of a blade.
After awhile of martial arts training I noticed a couple of voices, "Hah, that's why you suck at everything you do Di Roy!"
It was Edrad Liones, Di Roy, Granz, and Kufang. They were berating the weakest member of their group, Di Roy, and forcing him to work out in the training area.
"How pathetic", I thought. There was no doubt in my mind that they would haze me when they spotted me.
"Well well well... If it isn't Vega. I was hoping you wouldn't be here at this hour.", Shawlong Kufong frowned, and raised his finger in my direction. "Why don't you practice on him, Di Roy? If you can beat him, I promise to never doubt your endless power...", Kufong said sarcastically.
Di Roy clasped his hands together, "It's a deal, I'll kill this half baked punk!"
The overconfident arrancar pulled his sword out. I shrugged while easing into a stance.
Di Roy seemed to have enough wits to charge me with a blade. I grabbed his hand before he could swing and sweeped the floor with my right leg, tripping him and causing his superiors to laugh.
"Damn it, pull out your sword. Fight like a man.", Di Roy charged again. This time he slashed horizontally. I easily dodged the sword with a light jump, and while still in the air, I kicked his face. He smashed against the wall, and fell into the adjacent room.
"Come on, Di Roy? Are you serious?", I asked. It wasn't unusual that they all attacked at once, and beat me down, "It would be easier doing the usual."
Edrad Liones adjusted his glasses with a malicious grin on his face, "Not this time Vega."
Yyldford Granz gripped his zanpaktou's hilt, "This time it's one on one!"
"Wait a minute, are you serious?", I asked the bloodthirsty Granz, "If Grimmjow find you sprawled all over the floor, beaten, won't you get in trouble?"
"Cocky brat...", Shawlong Kufong made it clear who was in charge, "Though I admire your fighting spirit, I believe that you will not walk away without a few limbs missing."
Granz pulled his sword and fell into a offensive sword stance, "Enough talking, let's fight Vega."
Granz was on another level from Di Roy, his first charge forced me to remove my sword from it's sheath. His strokes lacked in strength, but made up for it with speed. I could easily block every strike. Speed is my specialty, "Don't underestimate me Granz!" I used footwork to dodge a piercing attack, and while he was still in the middle of that attack I lodged me knee into his upper stomach.
Granz had the air knocked out of him, and he struggled to regain his breath. I didn't plan to let him though. I dropped a kick on his head from above and effectively incapacitated him.
"One on one, right? Who's next?", I confidently spoke. Kufang seemed troubled, and signaled to Edrad to attack.
Edrad grinned, and disappeared from his spot beside the leader. He reappeared behind me, and I turned to block a deadly attempt to kill me. I was surprised when I received a gash in my back. Kufong had joined the fun, and attacked me while I was busy with Edrad. Using the element of surprise and my brief lapse of concentration, Edrad grabbed my arm and slammed me into the wall.
I could feel blood running down my face, and my back, "Bastards, what happened to one on one!?"
"All is fair in war.", Edrad explained. Kufong began moving towards me with his sword ready for a finishing strike. Luckily, the cut in my back was shallow and no nerves were severed. I managed to pick myself up. I fell back into a defensive stance. I was really in trouble when Di Roy broke through the wall behind me, and grabbed my arms.
"What the hell!?", I yelled. Kufong smiled as he stood in front of me with his sword over his head, ready to strike.
"How unsightly.", Avirama grabbed the back of Kufong's jacket and swung him over his head. Kufong landed head first on the floor.
Edrad charged at Avirama, "More trash from Barrigan's corner."
I was able shake Di Roy off of myself, and knock him out. Avirama clashed swords with Edrad.
Kufong managed to recover, and moved to attack Avirama the same way he had attacked me. I used sonido, and appeared at Avirama's blind spot.
I was able to repel Kufong's sneak assault.
"Tch, It seems I miscalculated.", Kufang locked swords with me. While his sword was locked, I struck his stomach with my foot. It caused him to lose balance, and I used the opportunity to disarm him. Kufong then attempted to use his own martial arts. His martial arts were much less refined than mine, and I eventually found an opening and used my kodachi to strike his shoulder.
Kufong, with a new shallow slash on his shoulder, moved away from me, "Edrad... Time to go. We'll get Vega later."
"Right, evacuating.", Edrad said. Edrad used resounding steps to grab both Granz and Di Roy, and then appearing beside Kufong.
"You will get yours...", Kufong sneered. Within a second, they were gone.
Avirama cracked his knuckles, "Running off with tails between their legs. Pathetic."
"Thanks, Redder.", I was grateful. I wasn't grateful often, but if Redder hadn't been there I would have kicked the bucket.
"I envy you, Vega. You jump into battles that you can never win, and still seem to live through them.", Reddas said as he walked off. I was sure that his intent was to repay the favor from earlier this evening.
I cracked a smirk, and chuckled. Fate had a strange way of sparing me in life and death situations.
I took my battered body, and settled in for the night in my quarters.
- - - -
I spent a few days thinking about the experience I had in the training area. I felt as if I was continually being watched.
It was hard to relax while under the watch of unknown assailants. Not that they were unknown. I knew who they were, but I just couldn't find them. Paranoia maybe? Shawlong said he would be back, but I didn't know when. It really affected me in normal everyday activity. I couldn't sleep deeply, not that anyone could in Hueco Mundo could. I was more cautious, and I was always looking behind me.
Three days after that event, I was in the training grounds again. I was sure the event was over, but I couldn't have been more wrong.
"Hey, Ggio!", Parduoc yelled to me from the door of the establishment, "His majesty wants to see you. Boy does he sound pissed. What did you do?"
Nirgge was a good friend in the few months that we had known each other. He may have been rude at most times, but he was reliable.
"Huh? His majesty wants me?", I thought for a moment about what he could want me for. Certainly not punishment, "What do you mean what did I do!?"
"Barrigan-sama has a few choice words, I couldn't imagine what could have brought this on. You are his favorite after all...", Nirgge rubbed his nose, and signaled for me to follow him.
"Well whatever, the quicker the punishment the better.", Nirgge said. He was punished the most out of all of the arrancar that served under Barrigan Luisenbarn. I could feel that he was relieved that he was not at the end of the flail.
I followed him, as I did not want to keep 'his majesty' waiting. For it's true when I say that the longer you keep him waiting, the harder the punishment.
Took the two of us seven minutes to finally reach the throne room. When we entered, it was unusually dark. Barrigan was barely visible on his throne. Both I and Nirgge dropped to our knees in reverence.
"You are dismissed, Purduoc.", said a deep voice that carried time with it.
"Yes, your majesty.", Nirgge left while glancing at me empathetically.
"Ggio Vega, do you know why you are here?", Luisibarn asked me. I nodded negatively, and he seemed unimpressed. "LIES!!", Barrigan had yelled at the top of his lungs, and the room shook against the roar. I flinched at his voice. He was enraged it seemed. I probably would not leave with less than having my hollow remains forcibly removed and reattached. My body went from bowing, to a Prostrate position.
"I have just received word from Aizen, and confirmation from Carias that you have Hogyoku hidden in your quarters.", Barrigan frowned at me, "I would have never guessed that one of my own, and not only my own but my best fighter would betray Aizen."
I rose my head to look at Barrigan. "You're majesty, I have not done a thing!", I reasoned with the man but the only reply I received was one that meant to silence me.
"SILENCE, I will not tolerate disrespect in this throne room!", Barrigan began a violent rampage, throwing insults and other choice words at my direction.
After a while of insults, Barrigan calmed down, "I am ashamed that my strongest would carry out such an act. While I would normally spare you the axe, this time I cannot. Aizen is watching this execution, and therefore you must die."
I looked up at Barrigan, my eyes a visage of fear. He took note of my fear, and smiled, "You have a ten second head start."
As soon as I heard this, I immediately sound stepped out of the chamber as far as I could and began to run. "What the hell is going on!?", I asked myself. His majesty mentioned my stealing Hogyoku. That in itself is suicide! Why would I even attempt such a shameless act.
As I ran down the corridors, his spiritual pressure flared. As I ran, I was forced to stop and jump backwards as Barrigan's huge battle axe broke the ground where I was standing.
"Time's up."
I ran as quickly as I could while Barrigan moved mockingly slow. I turned left at a T-junction in the corridor, and saw Avirama Redder jogging down the hallway casually.
"Ah, hey Vega!", Redder called.
"No time to talk Avirama, too busy surviving!", I called as I rushed passed him. Avirama was confused until he saw Barrigan's axe flying through the corridor. Avirama ducked to miss it, and turned to see if it would hit me.
"I won't die like that!", I yelled while ducking. Just as the axe flew over me, a hand breached the wall and grabbed the handle of the spinning axe. I continued running as Barrigan slammed his axe down on the place where I ducked. He then burst out of the wall and continued his march towards me.
This was no longer a game as far as his majesty was concerned, this was a hunt and I was his prey. I spanned down the corridor like a bat out of hell until I came to an opening to the outside of Hueco Mundo.
- - - -
I stopped a moment to catch my breath and look back to see if Barrigan had caught up yet. "Did I lose him?", I said out loud. I turned when I heard a reply from the sands.
"Ggio Vega... It pains me greatly to have to kill you. You are undoubtedly my most loyal servant, and before I kill you I want to ask you 'Why?'.", Barrigan looked at me, his stony visage penetrating deep into my heart. I was too scared to lie, so I did the opposite.
To answer his question, I fell on my knees. "Your majesty... I did not take Hogyoku. Please believe me!", I truthfully said. Whether it was my tone of voice, my begging, my inability to retrieve such an artifact from the hands of Aizen, or his infinite wisdom, Barrigan seemed to agree with my statement. My fear eased a little at his change in composure
"It's hard to believe you could without being seen.", Barrigan slowly mused. He planted his axe in the sand outside of the large door, "Tell me Vega, who do you serve?"
"His Majesty, Barrigan Luisenbarn the First! Future Ruler of Hueco Mundo! King of all that he lays his eyes upon!", was the response that we were to say not in the presence of Aizen.
"Not any more... It saddens me to say that you escaped somehow. Your reiatsu was undetectable, and it would have seemed that you were lost somewhere in the sands of Hueco Mundo.", Barrigan seemed sad. He crossed his arms, his mind searching for an answer
I was confused, Barrigan-sama was not making any sense to me, "Barrigan-sama?"
Barrigan broke open a garganta, it's sound pierced the air, "Ggio Vega, from now on out you are dead to me. You are no longer a dragon of my court. Aizen has willed it, and it must be done."
It wasn't clear to me at all. I sat there looking at him for a while, wondering what he was saying. After a moment of silence, I was grabbed by Barrigan and thrown into the Garganta. On the other side, a night sky greeted me. "Barrigan-sama! Why!?", I asked.
"Hah, silly fool. If it hasn't occurred to you yet than you truly are unworthy of serving under me.", the garganta began to close, "Get out of my sight, Vega. Never show your face in Hueco Mundo again. This is my final order."
Then the gate closed. I assessed my surroundings to find that I was on a tall building surrounded by more buildings of the same height. I knew this place, it was Karakura town.
I assessed my surrounding with Pesquias, and scoured the city for anyone with reiryoku. It seemed there wasn't anyone around with a high level, so I sat down cross legged on the concrete.
I wanted to understand what had happened. Although I knew it was all so clear to me, I just couldn't muster the will to 'try to understand'.
"What just happened?", I wondered aloud. I could hear the rumble of human technology below. I could hear the Ryokans talking to each other, and having fun. To me, such things are impossible for an arrancar. After all, the real challenge was going to be evading the shinigami. I was in for a rough night.
- - - -
Rin Tsubokura was spinning in his chair as alarms blared in every corner of the 12th division. "AKON, AKON. WE HAVE AN ENERGY SIGNATURE IN KARAKURA!", Rin said with urgency.
Akon, a tall horned shinigami was contacting Mayuri Kurotsuchi, "I'm already on it!"
While the others were dancing around frantically Hiyosu, the oddest of the three in charge of sensors, was sweating beads.
"The arrancar have appeared!!!"
- - - - - - - - -
Next: Chapter 1 – A Rough Night
Thank you for reading the prologue of my new story. If you liked it, why don't you tell me how? Send a review and tell me all about it.