Chapter 2: We Meet Again, Little Blossom

XXXXXXXXXX

(My deepest gratitude to everyone giving love to this new story. :) Thanks going out to Dude4anime1 (This one is TheDrunkenWerewolf's birthday request, so it's her fault entirely! But now that I've passed 300 stories, I have made a promise to myself to finish two stories for any one new one. That should get my muse under control.), GanymedeLullaby (I'm glad you are enjoying the story. Mayuri creeps me out a little, but he is fun to write!), Will Hell Minna - Sophia Isobel (You look a little mind blown. I like it when a story surprises people. I hope it was a good surprise.), Caroline9999 (Update granted!), Picklez80 (More tasty chapters are on the way.), Wildwind13 (That's a lot of wicked!), Timewaster123456789 (Thank you for the thoughtful reflection! Glad you like it!), Aizefan6969 (YAY!), Sariniste (You've got it! More of On Top and To Die For are coming along also. I haven't forgotten those.), Hellcat (Heehee, I will do my best.), and SeshomaruFreak (Ha ha, XD The muse can't be contained!) Enjoy the new chapter and have a happy and safe 4th of July! Love to all, Spunky)

XXXXXXXXXX

A solemn looking male receptionist looked up from his desk as the doors to Central 46 opened, admitting the handsome, steel-eyed, raven-haired leader of the Kuchiki clan, and taicho of the Gotei 13's sixth division. On the Kuchiki head's left stood Urahara Kisuke, former taicho of the twelfth division, and at Byakuya's right, stood a slightly younger member of the Kuchiki household, a slender, sapphire-eyed man who wore the uniform of the Kuchiki house guards, but also wore the marker of a house healer.

"Kuchiki taicho," the receptionist greeted Byakuya, "we were told to expect you. Your visit has been cleared. If you will follow the left hallway. Take the lift down and check in with the guards at the check point."

Byakuya nodded briefly and led his two companions into the hallway. Kisuke waited until they were out of the receptionist's hearing, then he turned a pale grey eye on the Kuchiki leader.

"So, Byakuya-san, are you going to tell me now why you asked me along on this visit? You've been kind of quiet about that. I mean, I get that you want to check in and make sure that our ol' buddy, Aizen, got the privileges you suggested to the council, but you could've had anyone come and do that. Why are you here, and why did you bring me and…?"

He glanced at the young man on the noble's other side and saw a little blush rise on his face.

"This is my cousin, Tetsuya," Byakuya said, glancing at the blue-eyed man.

"Your personal bodyguard and healer," Kisuke recalled, "I wondered why the reiatsu felt familiar, but I didn't recognize his face."

"Tetsuya is always close to me, but he is usually not seen," Byakuya informed the curiously looking shopkeeper.

"You want Aizen to know you aren't screwing around, here," Kisuke concluded.

"Tetsuya is here in his capacity as a protector, and as a healer," the Kuchiki leader explained, "I received word that Aizen's wounds from the final battle of the war have not healed."

Kisuke nodded.

"He has regeneration, but that would be inhibited by the reiatsu suppressing bonds, meaning that his regeneration would occur slowly, and much more painfully," the shopkeeper concluded, "But, honestly, why do you care about that? He's caused your family a lot of trouble, ne? Especially Rukia."

"You also caused Rukia a fair amount of trouble," the noble reminded him, his tone still calm, but slightly accusing, "by placing the hogyoku within her and making her a target for Aizen to use in his plans."

"Yeah," Kisuke agreed, smiling ruefully, "I did apologize to her and to Ichigo for that."

Byakuya gave him a disapproving look.

"None of that is important right now," he said shortly, "The simple fact is that the injuries that man sustained were a result of his efforts to aid Ichigo and Renji in defeating the quincy tyrant. At minimum, he should have been completely healed before being returned to Muken. That he was not seems a reflection of the one placed in charge of Aizen's unconscious body at the time of his recovery by our forces."

"Right," Kisuke said, smirking, "My good ol' buddy, Mayuri. I'm sure he had fun with that, and I'm pretty sure he took pleasure in knowing Aizen would suffer. But I have to ask you again, Byakuya-san, why do you care at all about that? Anybody'd think you'd also want Aizen to suffer for the pile of shitty things he did to everyone, including you and your family."

"As well as my fukutaicho," Byakuya added, frowning, "But if we all conducted ourselves based on our wants and needs, ignoring the rules and morality of our society, then how would we be any better than Aizen Sosuke? He assisted Ichigo in stopping Ywach. He deserves proper care as he serves his sentence in full. So, you will examine him to determine his needs and Tetsuya will heal him."

Kisuke gave Tetsuya another glance, then looked back at Byakuya.

"You know that Orihime could handle those wounds in a second," he suggested, "and you wouldn't have to risk a family member, especially one who's obviously close to you."

Byakuya gave the shopkeeper a measured look.

"Inoue Orihime spent a great deal of time in Aizen's care in Las Noches. You should know very well it would be far too upsetting for her, and dangerous for us, to expose the girl to him like that."

"You've got a point there," Kisuke conceded.

"Tetsuya is a talented healer, and he has never met Aizen, so he has also never been hypnotized by Kyoka Suigetsu," Byakuya explained, "In addition, we have taken precautions, so that if Aizen takes the opportunity to attack any of us, Tetsuya's power will activate and protect us."

A sly smile snaked across the shopkeeper's face.

"Well, that sounds like an interesting power," he acknowledged, "Are you going to tell me how it works?"

"No," Byakuya answered in a clipped tone.

"Ah, right," Kisuke chuckled, "As your personal bodyguard, Tetsuya needs to keep his powers secret, huh?"

Byakuya glanced at the shopkeeper, but declined to answer.

"Well, it's nice to finally meet you in person, Tetsuya," Kisuke said cordially, "I've felt your reiatsu plenty of times around Byakuya-san, but you're pretty good at staying out of sight."

"Thank you, Urahara-san," Tetsuya answered quietly.

"You can just call me, Kisuke."

The three men slowed as they reached the guarded lift.

"Kuchiki taicho, Urahara-san," one of the guards greeted them, "We were told to expect you. And your companion is?"

"Kuchiki Tetsuya," Byakuya replied, "He is my personal bodyguard and healer."

"Of course, sir. You may proceed."

The three headed onto the lift and began to descend through the prison levels. Kisuke noticed immediately that sudden change in Tetsuya's eyes and the presence of a mist of sweat that broke out on his pale flesh as the lift carried them down.

"You don't like this place," he said sympathetically, "Me either."

Kisuke looked on in muted surprise as Byakuya's hand touched his cousin's for a moment, and instantly, the younger Kuchiki seemed to settle again.

They were met at the bottom level, by another set of guards, one of whom led them to a heavy iron door.

"I was told to give you three keys," the guard informed them, "That's the most we can give at a time, for everyone's safety."

"We need to examine Aizen's entire body," Byakuya objected.

"It's the council's order, sir," the guard said, flinching at the press of Byakuya's thickening reiatsu, "B-but you can certainly free portions to check them, and then reset them and move on to the other areas. Just no more than three at a time."

"Very well."

The guard's hands shook slightly as he unlocked the door and opened it for them. He gave Tetsuya an unsettled look as the younger Kuchiki breathed a soft command, and his blue eyes glowed eerily for a moment. He extended a slim hand, and a large blob of what appeared to be water formed beside the door.

"Please do not disturb this," Tetsuya warned the guard, "It will allow the three of us to escape the chamber quickly if Aizen becomes unexpectedly violent."

"S-sure, right," the guard answered anxiously, stepping back.

He watched as the three entered the cell, then he closed the cell door behind them. Curious, he moved closer to the odd blob that still hung in the air, next to the closed door. He extended a fingertip, but quivered as he came close to touching the blob, and withdrew his hand.

"Creepy," he whispered, shaking his head and returning to his post.

Inside the chamber, Byakuya raised a kido light and led the other two men forward. They reached the steel structure that held the locks controlling Aizen's restraints, and Byakuya employed the keys he had been given. Ahead of them, the bonds on one of the prisoner's eyes, his face and his mouth released. Aizen breathed in deeply and blinked curiously, turning one brown eye on them. Then, he smiled.

"Byakuya. Kisuke," he greeted the two men.

His eye fell on Tetsuya next.

"And this is…?"

"We are here to examine your injuries from the conflict and to heal any that remain," Byakuya said shortly.

"I see."

He watched closely as Tetsuya moved forward alongside Kisuke and Byakuya hung back to work the control keys.

"Give me his left arm and left torso," Kisuke directed the Kuchiki leader, "You can cover up his mouth and face, I guess."

Byakuya adjusted the position of the keys, and black straps covered Aizen's face and mouth, but left his one eye uncovered. The straps on his left arm and the left side of his chest peeled back to reveal barely changed wounds. Kisuke gave the prisoner a look of warning.

"Don't get any funny ideas," he said in a low, threatening tone, "If you attempt to attack Tetsuya or me, we'll be protected from you. And Tetsuya hasn't been hypnotized by your Kyoka Suigetsu, so he'll notice what you're doing, even if I don't. Tetsuya is going to heal your wounds. Just sit there and behave yourself. Pretty much everyone here doesn't give a damn if you get healed or not. You're lucky that Byakuya has a few more scruples than the rest of us, or we'd just let you hurt for a good long while."

Kisuke studied the still raw wounds briefly, then motioned for Tetsuya to move closer. Aizen focused his eye on the younger man, and caught his breath inwardly as he remembered.

His identity carefully concealed by Kyoka Suigetsu's power, he followed a black-eyed Kuchiki cousin past the iron gates of a secreted prison, hidden in thick forest, in an uninhabited section of the mid Rukongai. The man beside him led him through a dark corridor, then through a better lit hallway, to a small infirmary.

"I was told that you have some knowledge of the breeder males," the black-eyed man said, looking at him mistrustfully.

"I have studied them, yes," Aizen confirmed, "and you think you have found one? Or have you found a natural descendant?"

"He may be a descendant. I need to know if he is pregnant, and if he is, I want you to tell me if the brat is mine."

"Ah, that would be awkward for you," Aizen acknowledged, "A pureblood son fouling his lineage by mating with a mixed blood and a breeder male at that."

"You are being well paid for your silence," the black-eyed man warned him, "You keep your mouth shut about this."

"Of course, Orochi," Aizen answered, "And what do you wish for me to do, depending on what I find?"

"If the little abomination is pregnant, you need to conceal it."

"Whether or not the child is yours?" Aizen asked.

Orochi scowled.

"Yes. But if it is mine, you need to conceal that too. I don't want it getting around that we've made any more of these mixed bloods than there are. Better they think that his cellmate did it to him."

"Although, breeder males are executed immediately when discovered, aren't they?" Aizen asked.

"Yeah," Orochi said, glancing at one of the treatment room doors, "but Tetsuya won't be. Byakuya's making his move on the prison soon. I need Tetsuya protected from discovery until then."

"Of course. I will take care of it."

"Through that door."

Aizen nodded and walked to the indicated door. He passed through it and let it close behind him before turning eyes on the thin, scared looking youth who looked up at him through frightened sapphire colored eyes.

"Tetsuya," he addressed the restrained prisoner, "my name is Miki."

"Are…are you a scientist?" Tetsuya asked in a quivering voice, "Or, are you a…?"

"I am a healer," Aizen said kindly, smiling at him, "Orochi asked me to examine you."

Tetsuya started to relax, but then he spotted the sword that had appeared in the healer's hand, and was being held, tip down, in front of him.

"Don't be afraid. Just have a look at my sword."

Under the heavy bonds, Aizen's lips curved into a wicked smile.

Yes, we have met before, haven't we, Kuchiki Tetsuya?

He watched silently as Tetsuya's hands extended and blue light curled around the ugly wounds. Within moments, the stinging pain of the wounds faded, and the gaping hole in the left of his chest first filled in with blue liquid, then very slowly regenerated.

"You okay?" Kisuke asked Tetsuya, "Looks like this is putting a little strain on you."

"It's fine," Tetsuya assured him, "The heavy bonds, even though they are not covering the wounds, are still trying to suppress the reiatsu around them. This is slowing my ability."

"What method are you using?" Aizen asked curiously, using his reiatsu to speak, as his mouth was still covered, "That is not a typical healing method."

"I'd say that's not any of your business," Kisuke said brusquely, "Just sit there like a good little prisoner and be quiet. The grown ups are busy here."

Aizen's eye narrowed and peered more intently at Tetsuya.

You have been under the influence of my Kyoka Suigetsu, so your mind is open to me.

Aizen breathed slowly and his brown eye drifted closed. As Tetsuya's hands hovered over his wounds, Aizen's mind reached through the connection, searching the young man's memory.

You have blossomed beautifully, haven't you? he mused, When we met before, your powers were sealed away, not allowed to develop. But I see that Byakuya trained you, himself, to use your abilities. Yours is an elemental zanpkauto, commanding water. When you use this power for fighting, you create waterforms, which you use to move yourself or others on the battlefield, much like chess pieces. Applied to healing, your waterform covers wounds or takes on the shape of missing limbs or organs and recreates them. Fascinating.

And useful.

He opened his eye again, watching as Tetsuya's power replaced his missing arm.

Tetsuya, he spoke into the young man's mind, you feel them, don't you? The other wounds on my body?

Tell them.

"Byakuya-sama," Tetsuya said, looking up from his task, "I sense that there are other wounds on the prisoner's body…and that they were sustained after his return to Muken."

"Huh," Kisuke huffed, "Mayuri's been having some fun with you, eh?"

"Heal them," Byakuya said, covering the areas Tetsuya had finished healing, and moving slowly from one region to the next, allowing his cousin to heal the raw gashes and deep bruises on Aizen's back and limbs, "Unacceptable."

"They are torturing him," Tetsuya whispered, giving Byakuya a haunted look.

Byakuya's expression darkened and his reiatsu thickened fitfully.

"That bothers you?" Aizen inquired, "But I suppose it does betray your sense of justice. Still, there isn't much you can do about it. They are cowards who have learned that if they stay back and do not touch me, they can torment me from a distance."

Byakuya sucked in a piqued breath, but gave no answer. He watched silently as Tetsuya finished healing the prisoner, then he set the locks back in place, securing Aizen. Without a word, he led the other two men out of the cell, where he found Mayuri scolding one of the guards.

"No one told me about this unscheduled visit!" he steamed, "I was placed in direct control of Aizen's care…"

"And you have failed to make sure that the prisoner was fully secured and properly cared for," Byakuya said sternly.

"He's been secured just fine!" Kurotsuchi snapped.

"Then, you are aware of the ones who have been sneaking into his cell to torture him and leave him suffering under his bonds, which, as you know, slow his regenerating ability?" Byakuya inquired calmly.

"What? Ridicuous! There's been no torture. No one is allowed in that cell…"

"You've done a poor job of monitoring entry here," Byakuya accused him, "and if people can slip in unnoticed, who is to say that they cannot be influenced by him and help him escape?"

"Preposterous!" the enraged twelfth divison taicho shouted.

"Is it also preposterous that you are conducting unauthorized experiments on Aizen?" Byakuya asked pointedly.

"Don't you dare accuse me, you…!"

"I will be conducting personal reviews of Aizen's containment," Byakuya informed his agitated comrade, "and monitoring his condition. These reports will be forwarded to the sages and judges here, for their perusal. Don't think, for a moment, that you will be allowed to continue this unchecked."

"Yeah," Kisuke snickered, "So, why don't you go back to my old lab, there, and play with your toys, okay?"

"This isn't the end of this, Byakuya!" Kurotsuchi hissed furiously, "You've overstepped this time. Kyoraku sotaicho…"

"Kyoraku sotaicho knows that, as the leader of the greatest of the noble houses, my word carries more weight than that of a mere peasant taicho, and a former criminal at that," Byakuya said sternly.

"We'll see about that," the twelfth division taicho huffed, turning away in disgust, "Nemu! Get over here. We're leaving."

Byakuya turned to his cousin, who reached out to touch the watery blob he had left outside the cell, causing it to burst and splash to the floor.

"Tetsuya, I will need you to accompany me on my visits here. We have to be careful, ourselves, not to give that man the slightest opening. He has not hypnotized you and he cannot while in those bonds. I know that, given your history, this place unsettles you, but…"

"I will be fine," Tetsuya assured him, glancing back at Aizen's cell door, "I will assist you as you wish."

"Thank you."

In his cell, under his bonds, Aizen laughed softly,

"No…thank you, Byakuya."