Chapter 10: Inside the White Tower
Toshiro blinked and felt life come back into his cramped form as the door opened in front of him and Gin walked out of the room. As the silver haired shinigami turned down the corridor that led to Aizen's room, the tenth division taichou imagined that more information could be gained by following him than by sneaking into the room he had come out of. He tailed the former taichou on catlike feet, keeping himself carefully out of sight and his reiatsu cautiously masked.
They arrived at the room he had seen Kuchiki taichou taken into and Gin paused outside, removing a small device from his pocket and touching it to the door. Instantly, the solidity of the door seemed to fade and Toshiro could see into the room from where he was concealed. He caught a surprised breath as it registered what was happening.
Aizen lay naked and spread out on the bed. Byakuya knelt between his thighs, his mouth wrapped around his captor's hardened arousal. His eyes were closed and his face looked eerily blissful, considering his circumstances. Aizen's fingers sank into the noble's silken black hair and urged him to move faster as the traitor's eyes rolled back and he moaned delightedly.
Gin laughed.
"Hmmmmm…who knew that little noble brat would turn into such a hot tamale? He's just adorable…I am jealous!"
His smile widened as Aizen rolled Byakuya onto his stomach and laid down along his back, pushing down between the noble's parted legs. The leader of the hollows made a discontented sound as the noble suddenly caught his breath and turned.
"Wh-what…? What is happening?" he gasped.
Instantly, Aizen sent a shock of kido through him and Byakuya collapsed onto the bed. Gin stifled a mad giggle as the former taichou leaned over the noble, deepening his sleep as Kyoka Suigetsu pulsed softly, keeping him trapped in its illusions.
"Damn them," whispered Toshiro, ducking lower as Gin turned off the device and the door appeared to be solid again.
He tapped on it gently.
"Come in," Aizen said quietly.
Gin entered the room, but left the door open behind him.
"Are things going better with Byakuya now?" he asked, trying not to grin too widely.
"Not especially," sighed Aizen, glancing back at the lovely, naked noble lying in his bed, "He is a very strong shinigami, after all. It makes sense that he would be somewhat challenging."
"Have you fucked him yet?" Gin asked, his eyes glinting.
"I'm waiting until I have full control. He is progressing, but more slowly than Ichigo did. I think the power levels are comparable, but Byakuya is even more willful than the Ryoka boy…if that is possible."
"I do miss him, Sousuke," complained Gin, "My body still aches from…"
"Really, Gin," Aizen said, off-handedly, "You need to pick someone."
He slid out of the bed and began to dress.
"Have you taken readings on the dimension wall?"
"Yes, I have," Gin said, looking down at several papers in his hands, "The wall is as strong as we anticipated, but with the power focused through the tower, we should be able to make a hole of sufficient size for us to pass through. Not to worry. We will be able to get into the spirit dimension."
"Were our spies able to get any information out from the inside?"
"No…unfortunately," said Gin, "We know some bits and pieces from couriers we intercepted, but they are especially careful about making certain we do not find out too much."
"I see."
Aizen walked out the door and into the hallway.
"I'm going back to the control room to see what our little shinigami forces are up to today."
"Oh, sounds like fun," said Gin, turning to follow, "Can I tag along?"
"Oh, of course," Aizen said, smiling, "Get the door, will you?"
He started down the hallway. Gin paused and pulled on the door, but stopped it before it clicked. He looked around briefly and followed Aizen down the hallway.
Toshiro waited until the two enemy shinigamis were gone, then walked to the bedroom door and tried it. To his surprise, it opened and he slipped inside, closing it most of the way to hide the fact that it was still a tiny crack open. He suspected that if it closed all of the way, he would be trapped along with Byakuya. And he had seen quite enough of what that would mean.
He approached the sleeping noble and laid a hand on his arm.
"Kuchiki taichou…" he said softly.
The naked shinigami remained silent and still. Toshiro placed his hands on Byakuya's face, climbing on the bed next to him and using kido to bring him awake. The noble's dark eyes blinked in confusion and he sat up slowly, gazing at Toshiro with hazed, confused eyes and an uncharacteristically demure expression. Though a bit disturbed by Aizen's manipulation, Toshiro thought he would have had to have been blind not to notice how attractive Byakuya was. But he shoved the thought aside and set himself to the task of freeing Byakuya. Even though he was aware that it would give away the fact that he was there, he couldn't leave a comrade in such a position. He climbed off the bed and found a yukata, which he then handed to the confused noble.
"Get dressed," he said softly, "We have to get out of here."
Byakuya wrapped the yukata around himself and tied it at the waist. He looked back at Toshiro questioningly, but the tenth division taichou could see his eyes beginning to clear somewhat.
"Are you feeling better?" he asked.
"I am fine," Byakuya responded, still looking dazed, "but where are we going? Sousuke wanted me to wait here."
"I'm taking you back…to Renji."
"Renji…" Byakuya whispered, his eyes clearing more, "Renji…"
"It's okay," Toshiro said reassuringly, "You are still confused because of your exposure to Kyouka Suigetsu."
He touched the noble's wrists and released the seal on his spirit energy.
"We have to get out of the tower," he explained, "Aizen is planning an attack on the dimension wall and we are the only ones who can warn Soutaichou."
"Sousuke said…that I cannot leave the tower," Byakuya said softly, "You see, anyone who has been in contact with the tower…loses their natural shielding. I wear a pendant that protects me from the loss of that shielding for as long as I am in the white tower. If I leave, then I will be overcome. I have been worn down to the point where I have no natural shielding left…I cannot return to the Seireitei, nor can I enter the living world. I would be forced to stay here."
"Is there a way to restore your shielding?" asked Toshiro, suddenly realizing that his own shielding was likely already affected.
"I don't know," said the noble, "Perhaps, you should leave me here…and you should attempt to gather more information."
"Kuchiki taichou!" said Toshiro in amazement, "I can't leave you here! Aizen is going to…"
"I will resist as best I can. You must focus on finding a cure…a way to restore our natural shielding…and then we must take what we know quickly to Soutaichou!"
Toshiro stared at Byakuya, lost in indecision. He recognized, of course, the need for him to remain free and undiscovered, but at the same time, he was sickened by Aizen's treatment of the noble.
"Do not concern yourself with what is happening to me. There are greater things at stake here than my comfort. Aizen is not hurting me. He is, in fact, moving slowly and being exceedingly gentle. And you have allowed my mind to clear somewhat. I can let Aizen believe I am still controlled until the time comes when I can free myself…but just remember, freedom is futile if you do not learn how to restore our natural shielding!"
Toshiro nodded, swallowing hard as Byakuya slipped out of the yukata and leaned back against the pillows.
"Now…place a decoy seal on my powers. He will think I have no powers, but I will be able to break the seal when I need to."
Toshiro leaned forward and put the false seal in place. He gazed at Byakuya silently, guilt nagging at him.
"Hitsugaya taichou," Byakuya said quietly, "This is all you can do for me. Go now, before you are seen."
The tenth division taichou, swallowed the awful, guilty feeling and slipped back out of the room, still not closing the door all of the way. He heard footsteps and ducked into a corner as Gin reappeared in the hallway. The silver haired shinigami placed his hand on the doorknob, but paused as he heard Aizen's returning footsteps. He clicked the door shut and turned down the next hallway, shaking his head and muttering as Aizen returned to the room with Byakuya and closed and locked the door. Sighing in annoyance, he turned back towards the control room. This time, Toshiro followed him. As they moved through the hallways, the tenth division taichou kept his distance, but watched carefully. Gin moved in the direction of the control room, but then turned off before and entered a different room. Toshiro paused outside the room, listening at the door. Everything seemed calm and quiet inside.
He left the room behind and walked back to the control room, reaching out with his senses, then carefully trying the door. It opened and he peeked inside. Finding the room empty, he walked in and closed the door, then began a careful search. He located papers that detailed information on the dimension wall and a simulation program on a compuer. He set the simulation in motion, then watched in dismay as an image of the white tower appeared on the screen. As he watched, a group of taichous and fukutaichous surrounded the tower, and began the ritual to lock the tower into an inter-dimensional cell. A huge light emerged and wrapped around the shinigamis that circled the tower. It pulsed sharply and began to draw the power out of them and sucked it up into the tower. Aizen Sousuke appeared at the top of the tower with Byakuya at his side. Together the two turned the power of all of the gathered taichous and fired a mind-numbing blast at the dimension wall. Toshiro's heart froze. It was a very clever trap, from beginning to end…and the shinigami taichous were about to walk directly into it! He knew he had to get free immediately and warn them.
"Well," said Gin's voice from behind him, "It has been a long time…Toshiro."
XXXXXXXXXX
Kisuke watched the computer screen as the readings from the receiver were slowly translated and sets and columns of numbers filled the screen. He pored over readings of Ichigo's physical, emotional and mental state during his captivity, his face paling as he read the results.
"Bastards…" he muttered, checking the results again.
He reset the receiver to see if it had been able to record anything of what had happened and blinked in surprise as Aizen Sousuke's face appeared on the screen. He could see that Ichigo must have been kneeling between the traitor's parted thighs and the motion of the relay suggested what was happening.
"Very good," Aizen said approvingly, "You see, when you please me this way, we are both happy and comfortable. It is only when you are defiant that I take your pendant and you feel the pain of the pressures around you."
Aizen's hand reached down and his fingers worked into Ichigo's hair. He tightened them and held the youth's head down, tilting his own head back and moaning contentedly. Ichigo's body convulsed in protest and he gagged and choked. A hand reached down and massaged his throat gently.
"Relax and swallow, Ryoka boy. It will get easier as you learn. And when you pleasure me, I will certainly return the favor. Gin, give him his reward for his good behavior."
Aizen's face disappeared as Ichigo was pushed down onto his stomach. The youth made a pained sound and winced, then his body was jolted repeatedly by Gin's heavy thrusts. Sickened, Kisuke shut down the images and sat, clenching his fists and forcing down the power that swelled inside him. He had known it must have been like that, of course, but seeing the raw evidence…
He started to get up and heard shouting in the front of the shop. He shook his head and flash stepped towards the sound and found Kon in Ichigo's body, carrying an unconscious Ichigo.
"You want to tell me what happened?" he asked the mod soul.
"It was scary!" shouted Kon, "Damned scary! Ichi came in and he tried to get back into his body…but he made this awful sound…like it hurt really bad and he passed out!"
Bring him in here," Kisuke said, motioning towards a bedroom.
Kon carried the unconscious shinigami into the bedroom and set him on the bed. He moved back and watched with wide eyes as Kisuke leaned over the unconscious youth and scanned his spirit centers carefully. He checked the state of Ichigo's natural defenses and sighed in frustration.
"What is it!" cried Kon worriedly, "Is he going to be all right?"
"He'll be all right as soon as he's in one of the protective chambers," Kisuke said in a low voice.
He lifted Ichigo into his arms and carried him to the room where Soi Fon laid in one of the chambers. He opened the chamber that Byakuya had occupied and set Ichigo gently inside. He closed the chamber and adjusted the settings, then stood, looking down at Ichigo's face. He rested a hand on the top of the chamber and his eyes grew angry and tormented.
"Don't worry about it," he said softly, "I'll find a way to fix this. I will, Ichigo. Rest…"
With an effort, he pulled his hand away and forced himself to walk out of the room. He went down into the training room and found Zangetsu. He knelt and placed the zanpakutou across his thighs. He drew his own blade and balanced it tip down in front of him, closing his eyes and focusing.
"Benihime," he intoned softly, "Benihime, I really need to find a way to wake Zangetsu. I need to understand all of what was done to Ichigo and if there is a way to undo it."
There was a pause and he felt the soft swell of his zanpakutou's power.
"I can awaken him," her voice said softly, "but we cannot communicate with him…unless…"
"Unless what?"
"There are two ways to join with another shinigami's inner world. The first way is through being born twins, which causes the inner worlds to overlap."
"Well…since there isn't time, or a way to have Ichigo and I enter the cycle of rebirth and try to be reborn as twins, I hope your next suggestion is more workable…" he muttered.
He felt the fiery touch of his zanpakutou spirit's eyes.
"The other way to join with another shinigami's inner world occurs when two souls fully reveal themselves, mind and heart, to each other as they join their bodies, and are fused together as soul mates. This is not something that can be forced. The shinigamis involved must share a deep love bond…and once their inner worlds are joined, they will never separate again. But if that bond is successfully made, the two could speak directly to each others' zanpakutou."
"Well, hell…since Ichigo doesn't even have a steady girlfriend…"
"I was saying that you should form this bond with him," Benihime said reprovingly, "You have grown close to the boy. You are, in fact, the only one I sense of all of his friends who has a chance of forming this bond with him. But realize that if you do, the two of you will have to open yourselves to each other completely…and in so doing, the effect that touched Ichigo's soul and caused him to lose his natural shielding would likely begin to affect you…and me. It would begin a race against time to unlock the secrets of what happened and act to undo its effects. It is very risky."
Kisuke sighed softly.
"But what other choice do we have?" he asked softly, "Benihime…what if Ichigo will not agree to this? What if he doesn't feel the same about me as I do about him? What if he can't return my feelings and reveal himself completely…or what if we begin…and I can't reveal myself to him?"
Benihime laughed softly.
"My, you are full of insecurities, aren't you? Not sure of Ichigo's feelings? Of your own? Then, I think you have some thinking to do. Just don't take too long. The clock is ticking on whatever is happening in Hueco Mundo…"
"Yeah," sighed Kisuke, "Tell me something I don't already know!"
He fell silent then, feeling the weight of Zangetsu across his thighs and wondering if it was possible for him to dare to make himself that vulnerable. There was no question that he loved Ichigo…deeper than anyone around him realized. But there was a reason that his love for Ichigo was not a widely known fact. It was part of who he was to never reveal all of himself to any one person. To do that would take intense trust…and Kisuke's ability to trust had been badly shattered. His mind went back to the trust he had felt for the leader of the Gotei 13, for the 'wisdom' of the councilors of Central 46…for his fellow taichous…and what had it gotten him. He had lost everything and been banished from Soul Society…
And now he was supposed to reveal all of himself to a reckless kid?
It was the definition of stupidity…
It was asking him to risk everything he had managed to salvage of his pride…his dignity…and of his deeply angered heart. No one knew exactly how much he had been wounded inside and, he thought, no one ever should…
No one…