Chapter 2: Resistance
(Warning...angst ahead. Keep tissues and chocolate handy...)
"It's going to be some battle, ne?" said Ukitake taichou, shaking his head as he followed Byakuya and Kyouraku taichou out of the first division, "but I wonder if it's such a good idea for our forces to be separated like that. I understand the need to assist the substitute shinigami in retrieving Inoue Orihime, considering the danger of Aizen having free use of her abilities."
"That is a frightening thought," agreed Shunsui, frowning, "but we really don't have much of a choice. We have to defend the target area in Karakura Town, but we also have to rescue Inoue to interfere with whatever use Aizen was putting her to."
"It is that unknown that makes rescuing the girl necessary," agreed Byakuya.
"But it works out for you in that it will also give you a way to assist Rukia and Abarai Renji," said Juushiro, looking relieved.
"Luckily," said Shunsui, glancing at Byakuya, "because of Inoue's power and what it could mean for the battle, Soutaichou does not feel the need to punish those who broke orders and went to Hueco Mundo on their own."
"That is fortunate," Byakuya agreed, his eyes betraying nothing of his thoughts.
"Well," said Shunsui, yawning, "I'm going to go and rest up."
"I had best do the same," said Juushiro, turning to follow, "Good night, Kuchiki taichou."
"Good night," said the noble, turning towards the sixth division.
He walked silently down the darkened street, turning several corners before closing in on the sixth division office. He was surprised to see that the lights were off and the door was locked, but imagined it could indicate that Tetsuya had, for some reason or other, returned to the manor. He unlocked the door and stepped inside, turning on the lights. There was no sign in the room of anyone having been there recently. He felt a soft twinge of regret as he looked down at Renji's empty desk and sighed softly, promising himself inwardly that when Renji returned from Las Noches, he would cease dragging his feet and say something about the increasingly warm feelings he was experiencing towards his spirited fukutaichou.
"Kuchiki taichou?" said a sleepy Rikichi from the dark hallway.
He could just make out the tattoo over the boy's eye. He felt another nostalgic twinge and took a quick breath.
"Rikichi, has Tetsuya been by tonight?" he asked softly.
"N-no sir," the youth said, yawning, "No one has come through the office tonight."
"Hmmm," the noble said, frowning.
"Is…is something wrong sir?" Rikichi asked.
"No," said Byakuya, "Everything is fine. Go and rest. Our squad will be starting area patrols tomorrow."
"Hai," Rikichi said, turning away.
He stopped just outside the door to his quarters and looked back at Byakuya, who stood in the dark office, still considering what to do.
"H-has there been any word, Kuchiki taichou?"
Byakuya shook his head gently.
"But I sense that they are alive. And right now, that is reassurance enough."
"Hai sir. Renji and Rukia are very strong," he said, a shine of sadness in his eyes, "They will be all right. They will come back safely."
"Yes," said Byakuya quietly, "I will make sure of it."
He watched as the youth slipped into his quarters and closed the door, then left the sixth division and stepped back out into the empty streets. He felt a touch of relief at seeing a hell butterfly, and expected it would explain why Tetsuya had gone back to the manor. He was surprised when it was not Tetsuya's voice that issued from the floating messenger.
"Kuchiki-sama, there seems to be some sort of oddness with Tetsuya-san's Arashi. He returned to the manor without his master, which is not unusual, but as our stable attendant tried to remove his tack, he suddenly became very agitated. We tried calming him and summoning Tetsuya-san, but he won't calm and Tetsuya-san cannot be found."
Byakuya burst into flash steps and was at the manor in a matter of minutes. He ran through the gates and flash stepped down to the barn, where he could hear Arashi's sounds of equine distress. He ran into the barn and past the wary attendants.
"Arashi," he said soothingly, stepping forward, "Arashi, I am here to help."
The anxious stallion continued to toss his head and stamp nervously, but he allowed Byakuya to approach him and reached out his warm muzzle to nudge Byakuya hopefully. The noble stood alongside Arashi and wrapped an arm around the horse's head, encouraging him to lower it, so that their faces were close together. The closeness with Byakuya seemed to calm the frantic beast and he loosed a deep sigh and leaned towards the noble.
"Good, Arashi," Byakuya said softly, "Now show me…"
He felt the connection that Tetsuya had taught him to make with Arashi open and several images formed in his mind. The first was an image of Tetsuya and Arashi, watching as Byakuya walked in through the entry gates at the first division. The second showed Tetsuya sending Arashi away and turning to enjoy the beauty of the lovely moon. The last was not an image, but a sensation. He felt a pulse of Tetsuya's strong reiatsu, then the sudden cessation of it…then a deep emptiness.
Byakuya took a breath and focused deeply, trying to sense the direction of Tetsuya's reiatsu.
I sense nothing at all! This is why Arashi is so beside himself. I can still sense the reiatsu of Rukia and Renji in Hueco Mundo, but I do not sense his at all! Something has happened!
He turned to the stable area guard.
"I want you to put the household on high alert. Tetsuya's reiatsu has disappeared."
"Sir," said the guard worriedly, "You don't think that…"
"I do not know what to think," Byakuya admitted, "I know the elders do not approve of him, but I do not think that they would harm him, knowing what action I would take. I think this is something else…"
"Could it be part of the disturbances Aizen is using to unsettle the Seireitei?" asked another guard.
"I am not certain," said Byakuya, "I want a guard detail to retrace Tetsuya's steps and see if they sense anything that might tell us what happened."
"Sir," said a young stable boy with rumpled brown hair and wide brown eyes, "Would it help if someone walked Arashi back too? Maybe he could sense something we might miss."
"Mind your work, Naoki-kun," said the lead stable attendant, "There are other animals you are responsible for."
"But I am Arashi's groom!" Naoki objected, "and I exercise him. He will let me ride him to where they were!"
"Do as you are told," the lead attendant said firmly.
Naoki's eyes fell and he lowered his head.
"Hai."
He started to turn away, but stopped as Byakuya's hand touched his shoulder lightly.
"S-sir?" he stammered, gazing up at the noble with wide eyes.
"You made a wise suggestion, Naoki-kun," Byakuya said, regarding the young boy with a warm expression, "Please see to it personally."
"Hai, Kuchiki-sama," the boy said excitedly, "Arigato!"
He launched himself with surprising agility onto the tall stallion's back and Arashi trotted out the door.
"Are you sure that is wise, Kuchiki-sama," asked the lead attendant, "He is very young…"
"Tetsuya is close to the boy. I think he reminds my cousin of someone he knew before. He gave Naoki his name after rescuing him from a fire in the Rukongai…and he has personally overseen the boy's shinigami training."
"Should I go along and watch out for him?" asked one of the guards, looking in the direction the boy had gone.
"No," said Byakuya, "Arashi will look after him. Just focus on attempting to track Tetsuya's movements this evening."
"Hai Kuchiki-sama!" said the guards, bowing, then flash stepping away.
XXXXXXXXXX
"Now then," said Gin, adjusting several levers and knobs, and pushing a few buttons on the console in front of him, "Let's see just what we are dealing with here."
He leaned over Tetsuya and checked the restraints on the unconscious shinigami's wrists and ankles, then loosed the tie on the white yukata he had been dressed in upon becoming a 'guest' of Las Noches. The silver-haired shinigami closed his eyes for a moment, taking in the soft breath of sakura that rose up from the captive's bared flesh and letting out a soft chuckle of approval.
"Oh, so they all smell this good…" he sighed, placing his hands over the noble's naked chest and sensing the location of his spirit centers.
He placed an electrode over each and then connected the gathered electrodes to the computer. Returning to the noble, he placed additional monitors on his forehead, and one slender arm.
"Hmmm," he muttered softly, "Quite a lovely little creature, aren't you? If Aizen-sama can't find a use for you, then I think I might be tempted to find a use for you myself, ne?"
He slid a hand down the soft skin of Tetsuya's chest and abdomen, brushing his fingers over the electrodes and 'accidentally' touching a sensitive nipple, then watching closely as it hardened. His eyes raked the sea of pretty flesh and his hand snaked down lower, moving down from his navel, following the line of fine hairs to the nest of black curls and lightly teasing the soft genitalia.
"Why don't you stop all of that fooling around and just fuck him already?" said a gruff voice from the doorway, "You really think an unconscious man is going to appreciate foreplay?"
"I suppose a savage like you can't understand the added stimulation of taking one's time," Gin said, caressing the captive shinigami's awakening length, "Sexual response is a cycle, a gradual stoking of pleasure, meant to be savored. It actually isn't that different from pain. The only difference is in the way the body translates the information."
"I guess I can understand that," said the blue-haired Espada, grinning, "I do like a little bit of a struggle before I go in for the kill."
"Beast…" sighed Gin as Grimmjow laughed.
He looked down in surprise as Tetsuya moaned and strained against the kido field that worked in addition to the restraints to hold him down. The sensitive flesh under Gin's hands quivered warningly and the shinigami's dark blue eyes opened and struggled to focus.
"What in the world?" murmured Gin, freezing in place, "You aren't supposed to be moving…or even awake!"
The captive shinigami's eyes went wide as he took in the type of room he was in, the scientific implements, and the shingami and hollow that glared down at him. Tetsuya's mind spun into the past.
"Which shall we use as the control?"
The older boy in restraints next to Tetsuya's bound form looked down at him with a sad expression. Seven-year-old Tetsuya looked back at him through tear-filled eyes and he mouthed the other boy's name.
"Naoki…"
"It's all right," the other boy mouthed back.
He looked up at the two men, who stood near them, preparing two syringes.
"We'll just let fate decide," said one of the men, taking the two syringes and dropping them into a bowl.
He closed his eyes and shook the bowl, then with his eyes still closed, took a syringe and handed to the other man. As the men held the syringes ready and turned toward the two restrained boys, Naoki's fingers stretched and gently touched Tetsuya's.
"Don't be afraid," he whispered, "Don't let them know they frighten you."
Tetsuya bit his lips and held still as the men reached them and the sting of the injection registered in his mind.
"Be strong," Naoki continued as the men walked away, "We are stronger in our hearts than they are. That is why they fear us…Tetsuya-kun."
His fingers continued to touch Tetsuya's as the compounds they were given slowly worked their way into the boys' systems. Within a few minutes, Naoki was sweating and shivering. He began to groan and thrash within the restraints.
"Naoki-kun," Tetsuya cried in alarm, "Naoki-kun, are you all right? Naoki-kun!"
One of the men returned and released the older boy's restraints, allowing him to sit up. Naoki moaned fitfully.
"It's wrong for you to hurt us like this! To treat us like animals! You are monsters!"
He cried out in pain and held his midsection.
"Naoki-kun!" Tetsuya cried louder, tears running down his face, "Help him! Please help him! Please! Don't let him die…don't let him die! Naoki-kun!"
Out of the corner of his eye, Tetsuya saw one of the men preparing a second syringe…a red syringe that was only ever used for one purpose.
"NO!" he screamed, "Naoki-kun! STOP!"
As the man reached the two, the room began to shake around them. The men looked around in dismay, then looked back at Tetsuya and their eyes went wide and frightened. The smaller boy's body began to glow with bright white light that spun around him, growing steadily outward.
"His spirit energy is sealed away!" yelled one of the men as the two backed away.
"This isn't reiatsu!" cried the other, "This is…"
His eyes flared.
"You little idiot! This is your life force! You're going to…"
"It's too unstable!" cried the other, "Get back!"
Power exploded around the two boys, shattering Tetsuya's bonds, blazing a path outward, capturing and incinerating the two scientists and destroying the laboratory. Tetsuya screamed as rending pain tore through him and he struggled to regain control of the errant power. Naoki moved in closer, shivering at the burn of Tetsuya's out of control life force, but refusing to leave him. He slipped a hand into Tetsuya's and spoke to him calmly until the power began to fade and he was left panting and shaking in Naoki's arms.
"Tetsuya-kun," the other boy said, "We have to run. Others will come and they will know we had something to do with this. Come, Tetsuya-kun! Run!"
The two joined hands and burst out of the destroyed laboratory, hiding in the shadows and then breaking for the forest. A steady rain fell from the sky, wetting the ground and making their bare feet splash in the puddles. They ran silently, side by side, Naoki staggering slightly, but managing to keep his footing.
"Good, Tetsuya-kun," he panted, "W-we are going to get away. We are…"
He broke off as a tall youth appeared on the trail ahead of them, followed by a large number of older shingamis. The two boys slid to a stop in front of the other youth and began to back away. As they stepped back, Naoki cried out in pain, grabbing his midsection and falling onto the muddy ground.
"Naoki-kun!" cried Tetsuya, forgetting the others.
He fell at his friend's side, lifting him slightly and leaning over him to stop the rain from striking his face.
"Naoki-kun," he sobbed, "Naoki-kun!"
He felt a hand touch his shoulder.
"Don't hurt him!" Tetsuya pleaded, "They gave him something bad! Help him, please! Don't let him die!"
He looked down into his friend's eyes and was surprised to see Naoki was smiling through the pain, his eyes moving from Tetsuya to the boy standing over them and back again.
"Tetsuya-kun, the rumors were true!" he sobbed softly, "Tetsuya-kun, that is Byakuya-sama…come to save us!"
Tetsuya's eyes met the other boy's eyes and Byakuya nodded gently. A healer came forward and knelt next to Naoki as Byakuya motioned for the other shinigamis to come near.
"Go and free the rest of them," he ordered the men, "and then burn that place to the ground!"
He watched as the shinigamis flash stepped away, then knelt next to Tetsuya. Tetsuya gazed down into Naoki's eyes, still sobbing softly and squeezing his friend's hand.
"It's all…right now," Naoki whispered, his voice barely audible over the sound of the rain, "We've been…r-rescued. They…won't hurt us…anymore."
Naoki's eyes slid closed and Byakuya and the healer exchanged a look of deep regret. Tetsuya caught his breath sharply as Naoki's eyes closed and his last words burned themselves into the young boy's mind.
"You…were my best friend…Tetsuya-kun. We…will meet again."
He fell ominously still, his body going limp in Tetsuya's arms. Tetsuya tried to speak, tried to call his friend's name, but his voice failed him and he collapsed onto the older boy's chest, crying brokenly. He felt an arm wrap around his shoulders and was shocked out of his tears. He met Byakuya's eyes with a devastated expression.
"He…he taught me to be strong," Tetsuya managed finally, "so that we would be ready to fight when you came for us."
"You knew I was coming?" Byakuya asked softly.
"N-naoki said…that he heard it from a spy. They caught that man and killed him, but they couldn't make us stop hoping and praying you would come…or stop us from helping each other to get stronger. Byakuya-sama…wh-what will happen now? Will you keep them from hurting us now?"
Byakuya helped Tetsuya to his feet and smiled at how tightly the younger boy held onto his hand, even when they were standing. The two boys watched in deep silence as the healer gently lifted Naoki's body and carried it away from the half-breed prison.
"Tetsuya? Is that your name?" Byakuya asked, looking down at Tetsuya as the smaller boy nodded and wiped away the tears and raindrops on his face.
"I am Tetsuya…Kuchiki Tetsuya."
"We are cousins, Tetsuya-kun," said Byakuya, "and I promise you, I won't let anyone hurt you anymore."
Tetsuya's mind snapped back out of the past and into the nightmare of where he was.
"No!" he cried, somehow managing to struggle against the kido field. He pulled at his wrists and ankles until they began to bleed, "Let me go! Let me go!"
"Stop making such a fuss, now," Gin began.
He broke off as Tetsuya gave a scream of fury and the room began to rumble around them.
"What in the three worlds are you…" Gin gasped, "Stop! Don't do that! Don't…!"
Grimmjow stared and backed out of the room as white light erupted around the shinigami, shattering his restraints. Tetsuya screamed again and surged onto his feet, running heedlessly for the door. A white-clad shape rose up in front of him and he slammed into it, blindly.
"You must stop," said Aizen's voice as the leader of the hollows captured the out of control shinigami in his arms, "You are expending your life force too violently. Tetsuya…"
"LET ME GO!" the blue-eyed shinigami screamed, "You can't keep me here! You can't let them…!"
"They aren't going to hurt you," Aizen said, holding Tetsuya tightly, "I ordered them to assess your powers…that's all. They aren't going to hurt you, Tetsuya."
The noble tried to pull away, but Aizen continued to hold him tightly.
"Why are you so sure they are going to hurt you?" he asked quietly, "I told you I won't let them."
"A-as if I could…b-believe anything you say," Tetsuya hissed, quivering at the close feel of Aizen's reiatsu, "If they don't do it…then you will. You would kill me in an eyeblink, Aizen Sousuke! You don't care about me…or anyone. You're planning the destruction of a million living souls. Why would I believe for one moment that you would spare mine?"
Aizen looked from Tetsuya's tormented face to the shaken laboratory and back again.
"What happened?" Aizen asked Gin calmly.
"I don't know," Gin said, shaking his head, "One moment he was unconscious, and the next he was in fits and using his own life force to break everything within reach."
"The fucker lost his mind," Grimmjow growled from outside the room, "He could have killed us and himself."
"Did you cause him pain…or harm him?" Aizen asked, an edge of anger in his voice.
"No," said Gin, "There wasn't time for us to do anything to harm him. He just saw where he was and lost control."
Aizen looked down at the calming form in his arms.
"Why did react like that?" he asked quietly, "to just being in that room?"
"Why should I answer you?" Tetsuya fired back, "Why do you want to know?"
Aizen brushed the hair out of the blue-eyed shinigami's eyes and yielded a small smile.
"I want to know so that we can avoid you trying to kill yourself so violently in the future. I will be honest. I have not yet decided how to use you, Tetsuya. But I will tell you that I don't intend for you to be hurt. You are more useful to me alive."
"Then I am better off dead," Tetsuya sighed, collapsing against Aizen's shoulder and quieting.
"Well, before you kill yourself, will you tell me why you reacted like that, Kuchiki Tetsuya?"
Tetsuya considered for a moment, then closed his eyes and yielded the truth.
"I was a prisoner in Itamigiri," he said softly.
"Itamigiri," Aizen mused, "the half-breed prison? You hardly look old enough. You must have been…"
"I was imprisoned with my parents from the time of my birth until Byakuya-sama freed us and destroyed the prison when I was seven years old. My parents died there. The half-breed children were taken to laboratories like this…and used for experimentation. Hundreds of half-breed children died there."
"My apologies," Aizen said, rising and lifting Tetsuya into his arms, "I wasn't aware. So you can see how I wouldn't have known you would react so strongly. If you will agree to tell me about your powers and to demonstrate them for me, I will promise that you will not be hurt while you remain my captive. Will you agree to this?"
"It doesn't matter what you do to me," he whispered, "It can't be worse than that place. I won't give you anything willingly."
Aizen gazed at the exhausted shinigami for a moment, then turned away from Gin and Grimmjow.
"I will be in my quarters," he said, looking back over his shoulder, "I want the two of you to monitor Karakura Town and I will check in with you later."
He didn't wait for an answer, but flash stepped away, still carrying Tetsuya. He reached his quarters and entered, closing the door behind him then releasing Tetsuya. The blue-eyed shinigami settled onto his feet unsteadily and tied his yukata back in place, then sat down on the edge of the bed. To his surprise, the leader of the hollows ignored him completely and walked into the bathroom.
"I would not suggest leaving," he said before closing the door, "You will not be able to escape, and you might get hurt."
Tetsuya heard the shower turn on and ran his eyes slowly around the room, taking in the warm earthen colors, Aizen's soft, masculine scent, the quiet sounds of the guards at the door. He remained on the bed, his heart calming somewhat as he waited for the brown-eyed shinigami to return. Some time later, the shower turned off and Aizen stepped out into the room, his light calming scent filling the room. He walked to the bed and climbed in, then reached for the light.
"You'll sleep better if you lie down," he commented.
"I'm not sleeping with you," said the noble in a low, warning voice.
"I said you wouldn't be hurt…"
"If I told you what you wanted to know. I haven't agreed to tell you anything," Tetsuya argued.
"But you will. Lie down. I won't touch you."
"How do you know I won't kill you in your sleep?" asked the noble.
Aizen blinked sleepily and smiled at him.
"Try if you like, but you will fail. Lie down, Kuchiki Tetsuya. You are safe with me tonight. In any case, you need to restore the life force you consumed earlier. It restores itself much more slowly than reiatsu. You really do need the rest."
"I told you. I'm not sleeping with you."
"Would you rather sleep with Gin?" Aizen asked calmly, "I doubt you would be able to close your eyes for a moment. Don't make me tell you again. Lie down."
It was a small thing in terms of resistance, but it pleased Tetsuya in some small way that rather than carrying out his threat, he merely resorted to inducing sleep. As the stubborn noble collapsed onto the bed, Aizen laughed softly and closed his eyes.
"Good night, Kuchiki Tetsuya."
