Chapter 10: Breaking Through

"Thank you all for gathering so quickly," Head Captain Yamamoto said to the assembled captains, "A very serious situation has arisen and it needs to be addressed at once. As you are aware, the Squad Six captain and vice captain have been missing for two weeks. Some reports placed them in Inuzuri. Our forces there have reported back and have found no sign of them there. This afternoon, Yoruichi Shihoin came to me with a disturbing report on their whereabouts. Yoruichi…"

Yoruichi stepped forward.

"Several days ago, I was visited in the living world by Byakuya Kuchiki. He told me that he had gone to Inuzuri to attempt to recover his powers, which were lost after his injury. While there, he was attacked by a hollow. Vice Captain Abarai arrived in time to rescue him and then stayed on to assist him in the recovery of his powers. But the hollow returned and took Renji, then demanded that Byakuya travel to Hueco Mundo and fight her if he wanted Renji back. Byakuya came to me for special training and we headed for Hueco Mundo. Unfortunately, the hollow and Sosuke Aizen set a trap for Byakuya and took him to Aizen's fortress. There is one other disturbing fact. Renji Abarai was hypnotized using Aizen's zanpakuto. Aizen used him as part of the trap which snared Byakuya. Byakuya and Renji must be rescued. We will need a full assault team to get inside the base to reach them."

"Most troubling…and difficult because Renji Abarai is currently hypnotized. No one has ever broken the hypnosis. This will be a very dangerous operation. Whoever goes must quietly enter Hueco Mundo, infiltrate the base, free Captain Kuchiki and Abarai, if possible, then escape. We will need an infiltration team and a squad to hold the escape route open. Are there any volunteers?"

Soi Fon stepped forward.

"Sir, the stealth force is well qualified for the infiltration and recovery, but we need clarification on the status of Renji Abarai."

"If possible," said Yamamoto, "You are to capture him and return him to the Sereitei, but it goes without saying that if he attacks you, you must be

prepared to defend yourselves…even if you must kill him to do so."

"Yes, sir."

Kenpachi Zaraki stepped forward next.

"My squad will open and protect the route in and out. There should be lots of fun involved in that."

"Very well," said Yamamoto, "You will leave first thing tomorrow.

___

Byakuya felt consciousness returning and realized rather quickly that someone was healing him. It was confusing considering his last memory was one of being beaten senseless. He opened his eyes and found himself looking up at Renji Abarai. His vice captain's eyes still had that hollow look to them. He would have flinched, but the kido field still held him.

"Renji?" he queried softly, trying to see if he could evoke a response.

"Be quiet," Renji said emotionlessly.

"Renji…why are you healing me?" he asked…not really caring about that, but wanting to get his vice captain talking.

If he could get Renji talking, maybe…maybe what? No one had ever broken the hypnosis of Aizen's zanpakuto. Renji was probably gone for good. But Byakuya had no other plan for getting free. He had to start somewhere.

"Lord Aizen requires that you be healed at the end of each day."

So he could live to be beaten again the next…nice.

"You're quite good at healing, Renji. I was lucky to have you with me in Inuzuri. It's probably good you're here. I wouldn't trust Aizen's lackeys to do it properly."

Renji continued working in silence.

"Renji, would you mind changing the bandages on my chest? The wound to my heart has been stinging. I worry it might get infected."

He still said nothing, but a few minutes later, he opened Byakuya's shihakushou top and removed the old bandages, studying the wound carefully.

"Do you see any signs of infection?" Byakuya asked.

"The wound is clean," Renji stated.

He began replacing the bandages.

"Renji, do you remember how I was wounded?"

Renji was silent.

"Ichimaru Gin tried to kill Rukia…and I saved her. You said that you would never forget that. You said that because of it, you owed me. Have you forgotten what you promised me, Renji?"

It might have been imagined, but Byakuya could have sworn that Renji trembled at his words.

"He won't help you," said a sultry feminine voice.

Great…just when he thought he was starting to have an effect.

"Why are you here?" he asked coldly.

"I wanted to look at you."

"Why?"

She smiled.

"Because you are beautiful. I like to look at beautiful things."

Yes, right before she devours their souls.

"I am not a thing. I am a person. I have a name," he said shortly.

"Byakuya Kuchiki, the beautiful soul reaper," she said softly, "And I am Nikira."

"I heard."

"You are angry at me."

"You violated the rules of our game, Nikira. You said that if I found you I could fight you for the return of my vice captain. You lied. You never intended to give him back. You were only using the game to trap me. What I don't understand is why you used Renji. There was no need. You could have taken me on your own. I even offered to go with you if you simply released my vice captain. You are deceitful and therefore, ugly. Leave me. I sicken at the sight of you."

She stepped forward until she was beside him, then reached down to touch his face. Unable to move, he closed his eyes.

She cupped his cheek gently and leaned forward, bringing her mouth to his. As she did, Renji stood and pulled her away. Nikira pulled away from Renji, staring in surprise.

"You are not to touch the prisoner, by order of Lord Aizen," he said sharply.

"But I helped to capture him. I want to enjoy him," she objected.

"He belongs to Lord Aizen," Renji said, sitting back down beside Byakuya.

Byakuya smiled.

"I guess you aren't the only one in Hueco Mundo whose word means nothing," he said softly.

Nikira's reiatsu flared and she disappeared from the room.

"Thank you, Renji," Byakuya said quietly, "I know you didn't do that for me, but I appreciate it just the same. I can't stand her touch."

Renji said nothing. He simply sat next to Byakuya, staring down at him with vacant eyes. Byakuya closed his eyes and tried to sleep, but his dreams were troubled. He dreamed over and over of Renji attacking him, striking him, telling him not to close his eyes. Finally, he came awake, a cry of fear escaping him.

"Are you injured?" asked Renji.

"I had a nightmare, that's all," he said, trying to slow his racing heart, "I can't sleep."

Renji looked at him oddly for a moment, then placed a hand on his forehead. He released a burst of blue reiatsu that sank into Byakuya, sending him into a dreamless slumber. As his eyes closed, Byakuya was sure that he saw something flickering in Renji's eyes.

___

Renji Abarai was as much a prisoner as Byakuya, only the manner of his torture was not physical. It might have been looked on by anyone else as some kind of good fortune or reprieve. But to Renji, feeling his body react to his captain as if Byakuya was an enemy, was a harsher punishment than any of the beatings he had already endured. The worst of it, though, was when he was forced to hurt Byakuya, when he was forced to make Byakuya open his eyes… It made him feel sick. He wanted to scream. But Aizen's hypnosis made him see Byakuya as his enemy, to treat him with coldness, to act as though he was nothing.

The whole thing was made even worse by the way Byakuya was treating him. Despite what Renji was being forced to do, Byakuya was treating him with respect…even kindness. He knew that his captain was trying to break through the hypnosis. It was an impossible task…but Renji had to believe that if he and Byakuya continued to reach out for each other, eventually they would be able to connect and defeat it.

Renji felt a sickening chill as he remembered Byakuya being tortured…or more honestly, torturing Byakuya himself. Each time he had struck the captain, he had felt the recoil of his body, but Byakuya had been incredibly strong. He hadn't made a sound. Renji hadn't been that strong when he was beaten by Gin. He had screamed in pain. He hadn't been broken, but he hadn't defied them with silence the way his captain did. Renji knew that they probably wouldn't have beaten Byakuya as badly if he had cried out…but he loved his captain's defiance. He loved Byakuya's strong spirit. If his captain wasn't going to give up, then neither was he.

In the meantime, he looked for any ways to help Byakuya that he could. While he had to obey Aizen's orders to discipline and heal Byakuya, there were gray areas…like when Byakuya asked him to change the bandages on his chest wound…and when he was able to stop the captain's nightmares so he could rest peacefully. Aizen hadn't ordered him to do those things, so he could still do some things for his captain. It was all a matter of trial and error.

He gazed down at Byakuya, remembering their time in Inuzuri. It was not the best of situations, of course, but it had really opened a connection between them. Byakuya had shown considerable warmth toward his vice captain and Renji had not taken that lightly. Renji, in return, had taken care of his captain, offering companionship, motivation and healing as each was needed. He knew what his captain needed now. He needed to escape Aizen's fortress before the strength that was sustaining him finally gave way. The mechanism of that escape eluded Renji. As much as he wanted to help Byakuya, he really couldn't until he broke through the hypnosis. As the night passed, he sat quietly at his captain's side pondering just how he could make that happen.

___

When Byakuya woke next, he felt surprisingly well rested. He thought back to Renji's actions when he had awakened from the nightmares. His vice captain had not betrayed any emotion as he acted, but he had used a kido spell to help him sleep without dreaming. It wasn't something Aizen would have ordered or wanted. Aizen would have wanted Byakuya to be plagued with nightmares so he couldn't sleep and would, therefore, be quicker to succumb to the torture.

As it was, he had renewed strength with which to resist. He certainly wasn't looking forward to another beating, but he could fight it much more effectively now. Then it was ust a matter of holding out until someone came. He thought briefly about Yoruichi. As much as she teased and angered him, she had always treated him with some level of affection, even though he had never really returned the feeling. He did feel closer to her now…especially because she had helped him up to this point. He wanted to believe that she wouldn't forget him now, that she would come for him. He knew in his heart he would be eternally grateful, even if the words never passed his lips.

"Good morning, Byakuya," Aizen's voice said softly, "I hope you slept well."

The traitor stood over him, looking down with a deceptively friendly smile.

"I have come to you to offer you a way to avoid any further pain. If you yield to me…if you submit to my power now, I will tell them to stop…and no one will be allowed to hurt you again."

Byakuya narrowed his eyes disdainfully.

"I will never surrender to the likes of you, Sosuke Aizen. You are not fit to command a dog, let alone the likes of me."

He knew to expect punishment from Renji for that, but it was worth it. Aizen's face remained calm, but his words chilled Byakuya.

"You need to learn to control this defiance. Gin and Renji will be more than happy to help you do so. Byakuya, I will come to see you once every day. Every day, I will offer you the same thing, I will offer you an end to your pain…and a place at my side if you agree to yield to me. I take it that your answer is 'no' then. Gin, Renji?"

Aizen sat near Byakuya, watching as he was dragged from his bed and forced to his knees again. His eyes calmly observed as Gin began inflicting pain with the combination of lashes from an evil looking whip and kido. Renji kneeled in front of the captain, making sure his eyes remained opened and that he did not withdraw mentally. As before, the captain bore the pain without a sound. Aizen watched for a while without comment, but finally called a stop and motioned to Gin.

"Yes, Sosuke?" Gin queried, "You have a suggestion?"

Aizen nodded.

"Show him your eyes."

Gin switched places with Renji and handed Renji the whip. He knelt in front of Byakuya and opened his eyes wide, revealing frightening golden eyes that seemed to penetrate all of Byakuya's mental defenses. Byakuya gasped as he realized what was being done. He still remained silent for several more blows, but then the pain became too much and he gasped sharply and his body began to shake. He held out for a few more strikes, but finally, he could stand it no longer and he released the pain in a sharp, hissing cry.

"Stop for now," Aizen said softly, "I think we've made an impression. Heal him and leave him loose in his cell until tomorrow."

The kido field released and Byakuya fell forward onto his hands and knees, his head down and his arms shaking heavily. Aizen smiled down at him.

"Very good, Byakuya, you've taken a step forward. Perhaps by tomorrow, you'll show even greater wisdom and agree to submit to me."

He wanted more than anything to say something sarcastic, but his chest was heaving and his head spun with pain, so he settled for glaring at the traitor as he rose and left with Gin.

Renji led Byakuya back to his cell and followed him inside. Byakuya dropped onto the bed and let his mind wander as Renji loosened his clothing and started to heal him. He was angry with himself for losing control. He hadn't wanted to utter a sound.

"I was weak," he said softly, and buried his face in his arms.

He was too stunned to move when Renji's hand came softly to rest on his shoulder and he spoke three heartfelt words.

"Don't…say that…"