Chapter 4: Starting Over
Tetsuya felt warm, rough fingers touch his face and in his groggy mind assumed he had been brought out to serve another customer. He suppressed a groan and registered a stinging on his skin and the light scent of soap that clung to his flesh.
If he bathed me, then it must be a customer. He never bothers until it will make him money.
But he knew better than to offer any resistance. Any show of will was punished promptly and with enough force to warn against future misbehavior. But it was hard, Tetsuya found, suppressing his independent side, even not remembering if he had been that way before. There was no before anymore, nor an after. There was only darkness and cold with short spells of warmth that was always marred by the rough, cruel hands that used him. It was no way to live, but he knew there was some reason why he must not die.
But, that reason...
"Hey, you going to wake up now, beautiful?"
A jolt went through Tetsuya's thin, abused form and his eyes flew open. He cried out in pain as it registered that light was coming in and he squinted and blinked until the room came into focus.
"You are awake. Good. I brought you some soup, bread and tea. I hope you're hungry."
Tetsuya reeled at the sound of his own voice as a tormented sob escaped him and everything seemed to return in a blast of light and sound. He started to fall back onto the bed, but found himself captured in strong arms and looking up into Renji's affectionate red-brown eyes.
"Renji!" he croaked, still getting used to using his recovered voice.
"You remember me!" the redhead said, grinning, "Finally!"
"Of course I remember you!" Tetsuya cried into Renji's shoulder, "Renji! I can't believe you're here!"
"I've got you. You're okay now," Renji said soothingly, "We got you all out."
"B-byakuya? Rukia?"
"They're all right," the redhead assured him, seeking his lips and kissing him hungrily, "You guys were a little messed up, but you're all going to be fine now."
"Thank goodness for that," Tetsuya sighed as Renji brushed the tears away from his eyes, "but where are we?"
"Right, you were pretty much out of it when we got here. This is Urahara's shop."
"We're in Karakura Town?" Tetsuya said, looking alarmed.
"No, no, it's okay," Renji assured him quickly, "We're not in Karakura Town. Kisuke escaped the living world and brought his shop into the Dangai. We entered a pocket dimension and are concealed in the oblivion, where Ywach can't see or sense us."
"Is Ichigo here? Or the others?"
Renji's face fell and he shook his head sadly.
"The ones that went up there didn't come back. We aren't sure exactly what happened. Kisuke has heard through his spies that they're all alive, but that Uryu is being controlled by the king, Orihime and Chad are prisoners and Ichigo disappeared somehow. We aren't sure what happened, but Kisuke's determined that we're going to find him and beat the king. Only thing was, we were having a hard time staying clear of the king. That's why Kisuke brought us here...and, Tetsuya, it's why we've teamed up with Sousuke Aizen."
"Sousuke Aizen?" Tetsuya repeated in a shocked voice, "He is here?"
"He's the one responsible for rescuing you. And he's the real reason the king hasn't captured us. He has some royal blood and is a transcendent, so Ywach can't foresee his actions the way he can everyone else's."
"That does make it advantageous to have him on our side," Tetsuya mused, "But he is hardly trustworthy."
"Yeah, I agree. But who would you rather see sitting on the throne, a guy who just wanted to rule the three worlds or one who wanted to put them in chaos and murder all of the noble lords and Gotei soldiers?"
"I suppose we have no choice," Tetsuya said unhappily, "What does Byakuya think?"
"I don't know. He wasn't really himself when he arrived and I came in and stayed with you while Kisuke unsealed your vision, speech and memory. We can check in with them in a little bit, but first, you have to eat. Kisuke wants you three operational as quickly as possible."
"I notice my powers are limited," Tetsuya said, glancing at the silver band on his wrist.
"That's only to make sure that you don't injure yourself while you're still recovering. Your spirit centers were badly burned...I guess from the battle you were in."
"I barely remember," Tetsuya confessed, "There was an attack on the evacuation compound and we were fighting. We were being overpowered by them. The elders ordered Rukia and me to get Byakuya to safety. I don't remember what happened after that. I just know we woke up in that...that place and we were that man's prisoners. He blinded us and made it so we couldn't speak, so that we wouldn't be able to escape him and he made us serve him."
"Yeah, well, you're free now. No one's going to be doing that stuff to you anymore."
"It wasn't anything like being with you," Tetsuya recalled, shivering in Renji's embrace, "The customers were rough people and that man allowed them to be more rough with Rukia and me. He was only particular about them damaging Byakuya."
"That's all over now," Renji said, hugging him tightly, "No one's going to hurt you anymore. I won't let them."
"Thank you, Renji," Tetsuya sighed, seeking Renji's hungry lips.
The redhead kissed him several times, then paused and looked at him questioningly.
"Hey, what happened to your fleabag horse? He wasn't with you?"
"Arashi is with me," Tetsuya corrected him, "It's just that when my powers were affected, he was pulled back into my inner world. He will emerge when I reach full power again."
"We'll have to throw him a party," Renji joked, "Damn it, I'm so glad you're all right! I know it's been really hard for you, but you'll be okay now."
"I know that," Tetsuya said, smiling as they kissed again, "I'm always safe with you, Renji."
XXXXXXXXXX
"How are you feeling, Miss Rukia?" Kisuke said, smiling as he checked the young woman's vital signs.
"Better now," she answered in a somber voice, "But...you said that Byakuya is all right? What about Tetsuya?"
"They're both doing well too," Kisuke said reassuringly, "Renji's in taking care of Tetsuya and Sousuke's with Byakuya."
"Is that supposed to make me feel better? Because it doesn't. I don't trust him anywhere near my brother!"
"Yeah, he's not someone to place all your bets on," Kisuke agreed, "but like I explained to you, he's all we've got."
"I don't find that very reassuring at all," Rukia sighed, "But you're right. We need someone powerful to help us confront him."
She paused and swallowed hard, her heart pounding.
"Kisuke, where is Ichigo?"
"Ah," the shopkeeper said uneasily, "I knew that was going to come up. You are friends after all."
"The best of friends," Rukia said sadly, "Kisuke, what happened to him?"
"The truth is I don't know. No one seems to know. But I have a suspicion."
"You do? What do you think happened?"
"Well, I haven't been able to get into the royal realm, but I do know that the former king always carried with him an item...a prism called the king's prism. It contained the suspended souls and voices of the former kings and consorts and acted as a guide and a source of protection for the king. From what I hear, Ywach didn't find the prism when he killed the king. The prism has disappeared and Ichigo has disappeared. They were both in the presence of the dying king when Ywach attacked, so I think where we find one, we will find another. I believe the key is to get Aizen, who has royal blood, into the royal palace. I suspect that only he can recover the prism. Maybe he can find Ichigo as well."
"We have to go into the palace?" Rukia mused, wide-eyed, "Are you crazy? That man and his army will kill us!"
"Seems that way," Kisuke agreed readily, "But you know, we've been the underdog more than a few times and pulled it out, right?"
"Yes, I suppose." Rukia answered hesitantly, "I just...I'm really worried about him."
"You should be more worried about getting yourself better," the shopkeeper chided her gently, "Don't worry. We're gonna find Ichigo. You're not the only one worried about him. You know that."
"Yes, Ichigo told me just before this all started that you two have been seeing each other for a while."
"He did, huh? He had to be careful because he wasn't ready to tell Isshin."
"Where is he? Where is Isshin?"
"I don't know," Kisuke confessed, "But he's used to taking care of himself. He may have his own plan for dealing with Ywach. It's anyone's guess. Getting back to the problem at hand, I want you to eat up and rest a lot. I've put a limiter on you, Byakuya and Tetsuya because something burned the crap out of your spirit centers and if they're not awakened carefully, you could blow them out and be left completely powerless."
"I'll be careful," Rukia promised, accepting the plate of food he offered her, "Oh, where are Tessai and Jinta and Ururu? Are they here too?"
"Yeah, they're here. You'll see them around. Just, please focus on resting and eating. We don't have time on our side. Every day we wait is one more Ichigo spends missing and our worlds spend suffering under that tyrant."
"But...how do you know we're not just going to be trading one tyrant for another?" Rukia asked pointedly.
"Eh...hey, look at the time!" the shopkeeper exclaimed, standing, "So sorry to chat and run, but I've got some tests to run. Take care now!"
"But...!" Rukia objected as he disappeared out the door, "Damn...I really don't feel good about this."
XXXXXXXXXX
Byakuya woke to the feeling of a familiar presence. But unlike previous times, this time he knew where the feeling came from. The past, it seemed, had somehow been returned to him...unfortunately including the more recent past.
I would not want the family to see me now. I've fallen so far.
But there is no more 'family.'
There are only the tattered remains of what used to be the soul king's prized clan...the clan whom the first king's consort, Hajime Kuchiki, founded. To think it would end with this disgrace.
"Are you going to open your eyes?" a calm male voice asked.
Byakuya took a steadying breath and opened his eyes, then suffered a moment of disorientation as he reacted to the light around him.
"Kisuke was able to break the kido that prevented you from seeing and speaking properly. He also healed you completely and he said that you should be remembering things better now."
"I am remembering too well, I think," the noble said, frowning, "I would ask why you are here, but I suppose that you were sent to rescue me. I am grateful, but you will excuse me if I do not suppose that my situation has improved very much."
"Well," Aizen said, smirking, "At least you're not being used as a whore by that peasant."
"I was used as a whore by you, if I remember correctly," Byakuya said, narrowing his eyes.
"I had to act the part," Aizen countered charmingly, "I wouldn't have wanted Master Toru to realize I was going to abduct you."
"You could have killed him and freed all of us without resorting to that," the noble argued, "You did such a good job of lying to everyone and sneaking around before."
"Yes, well, Kisuke and I agreed that it would be better not to attract attention...to complete our mission as quietly as possible so as not to draw the usurper's attention."
"I don't trust Kisuke Urahara's perception of things much better than I trust yours," the noble said dourly, "He, like you, always seems to have his own agenda. And I imagine that he was less concerned with rescuing me and more concerned with saving his lover."
"Oh, you're good," Aizen said, smiling, "Your sister is Ichigo's bet friend and hadn't figured it out, but you..."
"Ichigo and I are friends as well. He admitted his feelings for Kisuke while we were in the royal realm being healed."
A pained look crossed his face suddenly as he thought of the ones who had helped them.
"Did any of the Royal Guards survive?" he asked solemnly.
"They survived, but they are being made to serve the usurper. They won't be able to help us. I am our entry into the spirit realm...and you are going to help us regain the king's prism."
"Me?" Byakuya queried, his frown deepening, "How am I going to find the prism? I am not even of the royal realm. I have only a vague knowledge of the palace and cities there."
"It is not your knowledge we will need, but for you and the one who is next in line for the throne to be accepted," Aizen explained.
"Accepted by who?" Byakuya demanded, "And I suppose you think you will be the next king? I would rather die than see that happen!"
"Would you rather have the worlds remain in chaos and what few nobles are left hunted? Killed? Forced into prostitution by men not worthy of being within their sight, Byakuya? Is that what you want?"
"And you think you are the better option?" Byakuya argued, "You walked among us for over a hundred years, Sousuke! My grandfather was fond of you. My father said you were a good man and you were comforting to me when I lost my father! You were lying to us the whole time! Lying to our faces and plotting behind our backs. You used my own sister to tear my family apart! You turned my own vice captain against me! How can you expect any of us to ever trust you again? What can we expect of this king? Will you be any better than that monster?"
"I won't try to have you eaten alive by your own petals," Aizen said dryly, "And as much as I wanted to lead, my aim was not to destroy everything, but to evolve beyond being a shinigami, hollow or human."
"Well, you've certainly succeeded," Byakuya said sarcastically, "And what can we expect from you now? Will you take me to the spirit dimension and make me a noble whore?"
"I was thinking more along the lines of royal consort," Aizen answered, looking amused.
"Are you out of your mind?" Byakuya snapped, his eyes blazing, "I would never submit to you like that! Not after what you did! And I would be thrown into the depths of hell itself before I would consider lying down with you! To be bonded to you and have children with you? You have got to be mad! I have had enough of this. I am getting out of here before you come up with any more insane plans!"
He surged to his feet, only to be roughly grabbed and shoved back against the wall. Aizen pressed forward, bringing their faces close together.
"Has it escaped you that Ywach went to extra trouble to put a high price on your head, Byakuya? Did you know that there was good reason for him to want you dead?"
"Of course he wanted me dead. I am one of the clan leaders."
"Oh, you know it was more than that. He went to great trouble to find your family and meticulously slaughter them with special fury. I know there was a terrible battle and that the ones they did not kill, they tortured to try to find out where you were going, then they killed them even more painfully than the rest."
Byakuya's face paled at the memory of the battle and he went quiet for a moment.
"The reason you are being hunted and the reason that Kisuke Urahara is working with me is that Ywach cannot foresee my part in his future. I am a transcendent, like him, and I am also of royal blood. I am the rightful heir, though the king had disowned me."
"And he was right to do so."
"But the king and all of his other heirs are dead," Aizen said coldly, "And if you want a world in which you and the other clans can rebuild, then you need to accept your place...the piece of the future that Ywach did see."
Byakuya froze.
"He saw...me?"
"You will be the royal consort that will help me to overthrow him, Byakuya. You will be the bearer of future kings!"
"I can't do that!" Byakuya gasped, one hand coming to rest on his abdomen, "I would die just thinking of being with you that way again!"
"Was it really so horrible?" Aizen asked, his expression softening slightly, "I wasn't cruel to you...and as I recall, you were quite responsive."
"I was playing a role!" Byakuya fumed, "I was barely in control of my mind! I wasn't even aware of my own name! I wasn't sure that Toru wasn't lying about me being noble at all!"
"And yet, you responded to me on a primal level. We connected and..."
"That is not connecting, it is an atrocity!" Byakuya said bitterly, "one that I want to forget. And I never want your hands on me again."
"Ah, well, that will make things awkward, but I will not force you."
"How then do you expect to have me conceive your heirs?" the noble asked furiously.
Aizen's smile grew devilish.
"Well, in actuality, we have already done that."
Byakuya stared at him speechlessly for a moment, then the hand resting on his slim belly began to tremble. His eyes widened and his reiatsu exploded, shattering the limiter on his wrist and making the windows in his room explode.
"You ANIMAL!" the enraged noble roared, "I'LL DESTROY YOU!"
The door opened suddenly and Urahara entered with Renji, Tetsuya and Rukia on his heels. They found Byakuya braced against Aizen, his eyes deadly and his reiatsu billowing dangerously around them.
"Hey guys," Kisuke said, trying to lighten the moment, "You know, it's probably not good for Byakuya to be using his full powers so soon. We should calm down...relax a little...have some tea."
"What's going on, Captain? Erm, I mean...well...what's he done that's got you so pissed?" Renji asked.
"This vile traitor who would be king, impregnated me!"
