Chapter 4: Sleeping
Kisuke dropped down beside the still form of Kurosaki Ichigo, checking quickly to ensure he was breathing and his heart was still beating. He was able to allow himself a short sigh of relief at that point, but he was well aware that such basic life signs were not a guarantee that the youth was not harmed. Even so, as he looked, it did seem that his body was in perfectly normal condition. He would probe deeper with kido later, but preferred that Ichigo be awake for such a thing, and likewise preferred that if his body needed rest after his ordeal, that he be given that rest. He turned instead to the two who had found him.
"Orihime, Uryu…Ururu said that you were the ones who found him. Where and when did you find him? Was he awake at all?"
"We found him in the park near here less than an hour ago, near a poorly closed garganta," reported Uryu, "It was still open at the edge…as though he might have just crawled through it."
"He was already unconscious and he never really came awake…" Orihime told him, "but he did seem to have a nightmare or something while I was healing him."
"Yes," agreed Uryu calmly, "He let out a scream that could have awakened the dead."
"Hmmm…that sounds a bit suspicious, ne? But after whatever he might have gone through…"
He leaned over the youth, checking his body in more detail and again came to the estimation that there was nothing wrong with his body. He shook Ichigo gently, but there was no response. He only seemed to be sleeping rather deeply. Kisuke gazed at him, thinking, then sighed in frustration.
"We'll give him the night to sleep it off and if he worsens or doesn't wake by morning, then we'll try waking him using other means."
He turned to Orihime and Uryu.
"Come on, and don't worry. I'll have Tessai come and sit with him. I want you to join the rest of us for tea. Maybe if you relax a bit and we put our heads together, we can figure out what happened to him. Because something tells me that he didn't just fall asleep in the park."
"What do you mean?" asked Orihime worriedly.
"I mean that he disappeared while investigating a very dangerous section of Hueco Mundo with Abarai Renji. Renji reappeared miles away…also unconscious. Renji was unharmed…and maybe Ichigo is too. I'm just concerned about the facts here…that Zangetsu was found far away from the fortress, not with Ichigo and in a deep sleep also. I'm also concerned about where exactly Ichigo was while we were searching for him. I want to know why his sleep is so deep…and your report of that dream he had makes me curious…curious and a little worried."
He fell silent, considering the turn of events, but feeling a sense of calm returning, now that Ichigo was physically present and they could turn to the task of making sure he was okay. He wanted to tell himself that everything would be fine…and there was nothing he could put his finger on that would make him not fine…still…
"Orihime," he said quietly, "what injuries were there that you had to heal?"
"Oh, nothing major," she said, following him to the dining room, "Just cuts, bruises and scratches. Actually, I was surprised he was in such good condition. A lot of times when we find him in strange circumstances, he's all banged up."
"Hmmm…" Kisuke said, thinking, "Thanks. Go on in. I'll be there in a sec."
A little too neat, maybe…or maybe I'm being paranoid. Maybe I'm looking for trouble that's not there. It's just that with Aizen Sousuke involved, it's hard to tell. He's so damned good at throwing those curveballs…
"Mr. Kisuke, are you coming?" asked Ururu, from behind him, "Tessai has just served the tea. He said he would watch Ichigo while we have our tea."
Kisuke nodded, only half paying attention as he turned and followed the girl into the dining room.
XXXXXXXXXX
"Well…" said Gin, studying the demolished cell and laboratory, "he certainly did make a mess of things. I think we need to use more binding spells for Byakuya when we bring him here. It seems as though he broke free rather easily in the end."
He studied Aizen's displeased expression.
"Although, you have to admit…it was a successful test, overall. In fact, since we have more than an adequate number of cells, I am thinking that we could have a more varied collection."
Aizen's lips quirked slightly.
"That is what Soutaichou is apparently expecting…and truly, why should I have all of the fun?"
Gin laughed wickedly.
"Right…so shall I prepare for just the taichous or shall we take some of the fukutaichous too?"
"Tousen would likely enjoy seeing Hisagi Shuuhei again…although he might not see the same potential in his incarceration here as you or I."
"Well, I'm sure we could open his eyes to the possibilities, given time…"
"Yes…very well, Gin, then fukutaichous too. Why limit ourselves? You have a soft spot for Matsumoto, ne?"
Gin frowned.
"No…" he said, his eyes flicking to the nearby window, "I'm afraid I've entirely lost interest. But, you know, Abarai Renji has been trying so hard to get close…and I am developing a real appreciation for all of those lovely tattoos. I almost asked if I could keep him before."
"I might have said no, before. I worry that you might be so entertained by the short term pleasures that you would forget why we are doing this."
He looked around the destroyed lab again and sighed.
"Yes, we have important work that is waiting and Kurosaki Ichigo, though having proven useful, has also slowed things down by escaping. He will, however, find out soon that physical escape might have been possible, but that there was more to his captivity than just imprisonment."
"You're just angry because he escaped before we finished training him completely. You were looking forward to having his full subservience. We just didn't count on him having such a strong will…and so much resolve to resist. But it's good we ran into this now. Kuchiki Byakuya and some of the stronger ones will likely give us an equally difficult time."
Aizen smiled a bit too sweetly.
"I am willing to be patient…at least for Byakuya," he whispered, his eyes gleaming, "and I'll be even more patient knowing what this is all leading up to."
"But isn't it a bit worrisome that Ichigo could remember something and give us away?" asked Gin, "I mean, Soutaichou has already cleared the surveillance groups of taichous. They are already wary of the tower. And what about the secret mobile corps we sensed?"
"If the secret mobile corps wants to come in, then let them in, by all means," Aizen said calmly, "We'll just use the extractor to suck the reiatsu out of them and send their empty shells back."
"Well, they haven't tried to break in yet," said Gin, "but they are making rather a nuisance of themselves, skulking about the shadows. They've even questioned a few hollows in the area."
"We left none who knew enough to be a threat alive. The only way to know about the tower is to get close to it…but those who come into contact with it, will fall victim to it as well."
Gin chuckled softly.
"As Ichigo knows and Kuchiki Byakuya will soon realize," he said, smiling.
"How long until Byakuya begins to experience symptoms?" Aizen asked, gazing out the window.
"Any time now," Gin said, studying Aizen quietly, "but he will likely brush them off at first. It comes on gradually to make it less likely to cause alarm…until it is too late."
"Are you sure that his contact with the cage was enough to make him vulnerable?" Aizen asked.
"Of course," said Gin, nodding in affirmation, "As I told you before, any physical contact with the tower or the cage initiates it. That's why I took Abarai outside and spirited him away. Ichigo, I brought inside. You and I are immune to the effects as long as we wear these charms," Gin said, motioning to the pendant that each wore, "The subordinates here wear charms that will only work inside the tower, so they cannot leave."
The conversation was interrupted as a hollow appeared suddenly in the room and bowed before them.
"What is it?" Aizen asked.
"We have detected the setting of explosive charges around the fortress," reported the creature.
Aizen exchanged glances with Gin.
"I guess our Soutaichou views this place as a threat now, ne?" Gin said, smiling.
"Apparently so," agreed Aizen, looking pleased.
"So what shall we do?"
Aizen's lips curled into a cruel smirk.
"We'll let Soutaichou know he is correct."
Gin's smile widened.
"How would you like that message conveyed?"
Aizen gazed at the monitors as they captured the image of a second division officer placing an explosive charge near the tower.
"Capture and drain that demolition unit," ordered Aizen.
Gin's eyes slitted open in surprise.
"The entire unit?" he asked.
Aizen nodded.
"I want him to realize his exact position," the leader explained, "If he sends taichous, I will capture and use them…and if he sends weaklings, I will drain them and drop the dried husks of their remains on the sand at his feet."
"Interesting," remarked Gin, moving toward the control panel and taking aim on the second division members outside the tower, "I wonder what his response will be…"
XXXXXXXXXX
Renji felt Byakuya stir restlessly in his arms and slipped his fingers into the noble's soft, black hair, gently running down its lengths. He kissed his sleeping lover, smiling as his eyes blinked open. He saw a flash of jumbled expressions and a moment of confusion, then the dark eyes settled on his questioningly.
"Did you have a nightmare, Byakuya?" Renji asked, studying his now-calm features in the darkness.
"A nightmare?" the noble repeated, "I…don't think so."
"You seemed uncomfortable," the redhead went on, "Are you feeling all right?"
"I am fine," Byakuya assured him, settling back on Renji's shoulder and closing his eyes.
Renji smiled and slid a hand down the noble's long, slender back, curling his fingers around his lover's firm round bottom and pulling him closer. Byakuya's eyes snapped open and Renji felt an odd sense of something being wrong as the dark gray eyes fixed on him, looking somewhat hazed.
"Bya?" he queried, watching curiously as the noble blinked several times and his eyes cleared.
Byakuya dropped his head onto the redhead's shoulder again and seemed to fall asleep again almost instantly. Renji shook his head lightly and settled his face against Byakuya's, closing his eyes. He jumped awake again, startling his lover out of sleep as well a few minutes later, when a hell butterfly flitted into the room and began to deliver its message.
Kuchiki taichou, said Soutaichou's stern voice, Word has reached us that the demolition unit assigned to the white tower has fallen under some manner of attack. It grieves me to risk your capture, yet again, but you and Abarai Renji are the closest officers. Others will join you at the site. Go to Hueco Mundo and determine what is going on…then use the incoming squad members as necessary to assist the demolitions unit.
"Shit," muttered Renji, "that sounds bad…"
"Let's go," Byakuya said, sliding out of bed and beginning to dress.
XXXXXXXXXX
Kisuke sat quietly with his back against the wall, watching closely as Ichigo slept. He glanced away for a moment to where Yoruichi lay curled in cat form and sighed softly, then returned his eyes to the deeply sleeping shinigami. He bit his lip, thinking deeply.
Nothing seems wrong…nothing at all. Why do I have such a strong feeling that something is wrong? I wonder if Yoruichi was right when she said that it was my emotions for the boy that were causing me to worry…I do have feelings for him…and they've only been growing steadily stronger. But why would they affect me like this now…when there's no obvious sign that anything is wrong? I'm like a nervous, first time parent looking in on an infant at night to make sure he's still breathing. Ichigo is no child…no one weak or needing that kind of worry. What's wrong with me?
He caught sight of something dark, floating in the air and watched as Yoruichi lifted her feline head and fixed her golden eyes on a hell butterfly that hovered in front of her.
Shihoin Yoruichi, said Soutaichou's voice, we have received a distress call from our Squad Two forces in Hueco Mundo and are sending Kuchiki taichou to address the situation. We ask that you accompany him to the site to see to his protection, as we perceive a threat to him and other taichou level officers. You are to make certain that nothing befalls him in that place.
Kisuke frowned.
"That guy doesn't know the first thing about manners, does he? Ordering you around like…"
He stopped, staring, as Yoruichi shifted to shinigami form and flash stepped out of the room. He left Tessai sitting with Ichigo and moved quietly down the hallway, watching as Byakuya and Renji appeared near Yoruichi.
"You got the call too?" Renji asked her.
"Yes," Yoruichi confirmed, "Soutaichou has asked me to act as Byakuya's bodyguard."
"His bodyguard?" Renji mused, "But that's…"
"If that is Soutaichou's order," Byakuya said shortly, "then we will obey it. Come."
"All right, Taichou," Renji said, touching his arm, "but just so you know, I'm not leaving you alone there for a moment either."
At his touch, Byakuya caught his breath sharply and pulled away, a jumble of expressions striking the usually calm features. Renji, Yoruichi and Kisuke stared as the noble regained his usual composure again, almost immediately.
"Taichou, are you…"
"Let's go," muttered Byakuya, turning away, "We need to reach that base immediately!"
Kisuke followed them down into the training room, watching the noble closely as the garganta opened and the three disappeared into it. He stared as it closed, his mind spinning.
Okay…I can understand worrying more than necessary about Ichigo. Let's be honest here…I have feelings for the kid. But…Byakuya? And it's not just me. Soutaichou sensed something too, or he wouldn't have insisted on sending Yoruichi like that. Something is really not right here…and we aren't going to understand what until we get some answers from Ichigo. I guess I've got no choice, but to wake him now. We need to know what's going on…
He flash stepped back into the room where Ichigo slept and knelt next to the bed, reaching down to gently shake him.
"Ichigo…" he called softly.
He drew back in surprise and dismay as the youth's eyes flew open wide and his mouth opened into an ear-splitting scream.
