Chapter 12: Exploration

(This chapter has been amended slightly, so the story will also divert a little from the original. I had written myself into a corner, so this should 'unstick' things so I can finish! :) Enjoy the chapter!)

Sousuke Aizen gazed down at Byakuya, studying him carefully as the Squad Six captain glared back at him, then moved on to examine the less hateful, more wary Bya. He switched back and forth between them, checking the readouts on the monitors around them and seeming to come to a decision. He moved to Bya's side and caught his eye.

"Byakuya," he said calmly, "you seem to be afraid of something. What do you fear?"

"Do not speak to him," Byakuya advised Bya, "He only seeks to play mind games."

A slow smile played over Aizen's lips. He reached down and released Bya's restraints.

"Come with me," he said quietly.

Bya remained frozen on the examination table, his eyes wide and his chest heaving softly. Aizen studied him for a moment, then nodded to Gin, who opened the door to the examination room. The monitors attached to Bya squealed and beeped in response, prompting the blue-haired Espada to grin crookedly at him as he entered the room.

"Grimmjow," Aizen said softly, "You said you were acquainted with this one…"

"Yeah…" the sixth Espada said gruffly, "We've met."

"Go and make him comfortable in my quarters…and wait there for me…"

Bya caught his breath and shivered as the blue-haired Espada dragged him to his feet. Byakuya's glare became deadly.

"What are you about, Aizen?" he hissed angrily, "Are you proving once again how low a snake you are? How you've become so accustomed to slithering along the ground, you've lost your backbone? Why don't you play your games with me, instead? Afraid you can't intimidate me?"

He gasped as Gin struck him across the face. Aizen and Gin turned in surprise as Bya gave a pained cry and put a hand to his face.

"Interesting…" Aizen mused, "Grimmjow…"

Grimmjow gave Bya a shove and the noble stumbled out into the corridor, leaving an agitated Byakuya behind. Aizen turned to Gin.

"Monitor this one while I am gone. I want precise records of everything he experiences."

Gin smiled and nodded, then watched as Aizen flash stepped away. He turned back to Byakuya, tightening his restraints and watching the monitors.

"I guess I don't have to tell you this might hurt a bit," Gin said, grinning, "But I have a feeling that what's really gonna hurt is knowing what Lord Aizen's going to be doing to your weaker half."

His smile widened wickedly.

"You know that's why he chose to do it to him, ne? Because you're the stronger one?"

"Hmmm…if you truly believe that," Byakuya said in a low voice, "then you are as stupid as you look."

Gin's expression darkened and he raised his hand to strike the noble again, but stopped short.

"Ah…never mind. Ain't worth it, is it? After all, the real prize will be seeing you feel what Aizen's putting him through. This is going to be fun. Only thing to be sorry for is that I'm not there to enjoy him too. Such a lovely, gentle…vulnerable creature, ne? Well, maybe that will work in his favor. After all, Lord Aizen has a thing for little lost creatures. Remember his Hinamori?"

"Do you remember how it ended?" Byakuya asked, "All who place themselves near Aizen will feel the sting of his betrayal…even those such as yourself…Gin."

The silver-haired shinigami frowned.

"I said I would enjoy this," he said in a deadly voice, "and now I will truly embrace it. Prepare yourself, Captain Kuchiki, you and your inner child are about to experience the destructive power of Lord Aizen. He knows what he has, you see. He'll take that one apart from the inside…and when he is done with that other, both of you will wish for death."

XXXXXXXXXX

Grimmjow laughed wickedly and pushed Bya in the direction of Aizen's bed. He flash stepped forward, but gasped in pain as he found himself at the receiving end of a devilishly hard kick. Even as he fell back, he felt three more lightning fast strikes that left him gasping.

"Little bitch!" he hissed, raising his reiatsu.

Bya caught his breath sharply and flash stepped towards the window. A dismayed cry escaped him as an arm caught him around the waist and dragged him back from it.

"Where are you going, sweetheart?" the Espada asked, his fingers digging into the noble's soft skin, "You may have broken my nose, but I'll break you in half!"

"Let me go, you bastard!" cried Bya, struggling and kicking.

Grimmjow howled as a heel connected with his groin and he dropped to the floor. Bya flash stepped towards the window again, but as he moved, a flash step sounded, and he found himself caught again…this time in the grip of Sousuke Aizen. He caught his breath sharply, staring up into the calm brown eyes of his captor, wide-eyed. Aizen's spiritual pressure rose and Bya felt suffocating power close in around him. He bit back a soft sound of discomfort as Aizen gazed down at him.

"Bya, is it?" he asked softly.

Bya stared back at him wordlessly.

"I am curious how this happened to you. Why don't you tell me?" Aizen said quietly.

The noble merely frowned and glared at him.

"I see," Aizen went on, "You may be physically weaker than he is, but you have your own kind of strength, don't you?"

He touched Bya's face gently and the noble flinched.

"Do you even understand what you are? Do you know what a precarious situation you are in? I don't know how you got yourself into this, but you would be smart to accept my assistance in figuring it out before it is too late."

"Huh…" huffed Bya, "As though I would ever accept help from the likes of you. You would smile at my face while stabbing me in the back. I would rather take my chance on my own!"

Aizen's spiritual pressure rose and Bya's legs weakened beneath him. The leader of the hollows smiled.

"You are foolish not to accept my help…truly."

"You hate the noble families…because we are the servants of the king," Bya said, frowning, "You targeted my sister because of this. You betrayed us so that you could murder our king and supplant him yourself. You have nothing but contempt for my clan and especially me. Why would you think I would be stupid enough to rest my fate in your hands. I would take death's hand first!"

Aizen's face moved closer until his lips were inches from the noble's.

"You will take death's hand much sooner, Bya, if you continue to resist me. Now…I have asked you to tell me how you came to be like this. Do not keep me waiting or I will allow Grimmjow to repay you for the damage you did to him."

"And you think that your threats will frighten me into obeying you?" Bya asked quietly, "I will admit to my fear…but I won't be a slave to it. You have miscalculated in according to me the wrong kind of weakness. What I lack in physical strength, I make up for in strength of heart. Do as you will then. I have no reason to obey you."

"Grimmjow…" Aizen said softly, "Instruct Bya in why it is not wise to disobey me."

The sixth Espada's spiritual pressure rose until it was crushing. Released by Aizen, Bya dropped to his knees, gasping for breath. Grimmjow moved in close, glaring down at the struggling noble, then drew back and drove a foot into his stomach, lifting Bya and sending him crashing into the wall. The noble gasped in pain and groaned as he lifted himself, then Grimmjow appeared suddenly in front of him and struck him in the face, sending him tumbling to the floor again. Bya inhaled sharply and closed his eyes as the sixth Espada's weight dropped down on his back and long fingers curled into his hair and pulled painfully.

"Now…" he growled softly into Bya's ear, "You will tell Lord Aizen what he wants to know or I will follow through on what I promised you before."

He ran his tongue up the length of the restrained shinigami's pale throat. Across the room from them, Aizen smiled and nodded.

"Bya," he said calmly, "I will ask you again. How did this happen to you?"

Bya's breath came out in heaving gasps, but he only glared back at Aizen and held himself silent. Aizen watched closely as Grimmjow dug his nails into the shinigami's arms, tearing into his flesh and leaving small swells of blood on his torn clothing. He met the noble's pained eyes for a moment.

"Grimmjow…place him on the bed…and hold him."

Grimmjow laughed wickedly.

"You want him facedown or stormy side up?" the Espada asked.

Aizen blinked slowly.

"I think I will get the message across better if it is delivered in a more direct manner."

He watched as Grimmjow tore the noble's clothes away and tied him with kido restraints. Bya's face took on a distant, empty look and Aizen frowned. He undressed and moved in between the noble's parted thighs, gazing down at him thoughtfully. Then he reached for his blade. He smiled at the sudden increase of tension in Bya's body and the hint of terror that entered his eyes.

"Are you afraid now?" Aizen hissed softly, "You should be. You are about to pay for your arrogance and disobedience, Bya. I will have what I want from you, even if I have to pry it from those pretty lips of yours."

"Do as you will, then," Bya whispered in a choked voice, "You will only find that you have underestimated me."

He broke off, shivering as Aizen reached down and stroked himself until his erection was large and wet with readiness.

"I will give you one more chance to tell me what I want to know…and if you will not, Grimmjow and I will teach you the meaning of pain…and my zanpakutou will keep you in the throes of that pain until you give in."

Bya found himself unable to answer, but only stared up at the placid, unsmiling face of the leader of the hollows and shivered inwardly. Aizen studied his tormented eyes and heaving chest for a moment longer, then sighed in resignation.

"Shatter, Kyouka Suigetsu," he said quietly.

He dropped down on top of the noble, teasing his entrance lightly and bringing their faces close together.

"Byakuya told me that I chose incorrectly in deciding to interrogate you instead of him. And you, yourself said I had underestimated you, Bya. I hope, for your sake that is true…because when I begin, my hypnosis will amplify the physical and emotional impact of everything we do to your body. As I want to study the progression of what is happening, we will not permanently damage you…but we will cause you copious amounts of pain…and after we are done, the hypnosis will cause that pain to resonate inside you…making the scene repeat itself as though you are experiencing it again and again…until you give in…and I stop it."

Bya caught his breath slowly and took a trembling breath.

"Sousuke Aizen…" he said in a shaky whisper, "I have lived inside Byakuya Kuchiki all of my life. I have lost nearly everyone I dared to love…and have been forced to do things that nearly tore me apart. I have suffered horrid torments upon my body in defense of my pride. There is nothing you can do to me that is worse than what I have already endured. Empty physical pain will not be enough to shatter me…but if you are foolish enough to believe it will, then I cannot stop you. You can make me hurt…bleed…even shed tears and scream…but you will not get what you want from me…not ever!"

Aizen's eyes darkened with fury and his reiatsu rose until Grimmjow shook softly with the force of it and he no longer smiled at what was happening. Bya continued to gaze into his captor's eyes, even as he found himself nearly unable to breathe from the crushing weight of his power. Aizen glared back and Bya could feel his mind working at something. Finally, the man's eyes sparked dangerously and he smiled down at the trapped noble.

"You're somehow still drawing strength from him, aren't you?" he said quietly, "Well, my friend, that is about to end."

He touched his blade again.

Thank kami…he'll be protected, thought Bya, I can focus on holding just this part of myself together…

"Now then," Aizen went on, "Are you still feeling cocky and sure of yourself, Bya? You have too much arrogance for one who is weak…and now alone. But you brought this on yourself."

Bya inhaled sharply as the leader of the hollows positioned himself, steeling himself for what was about to happen. But just as Sousuke Aizen prepared to make good on his threats, something blazing, furious and ungodly powerful began to burn inside Bya's frightened heart.

Aizen and Grimmjow froze, staring at him in surprise, then broke away and shielded themselves as immense power exploded wildly from Bya's restrained body, shattering his bonds, destroying the room and leaving him blissfully unconscious.

XXXXXXXXXX

"Not feeling anything yet?" Gin said, frowning down at Byakuya in surprise, "I know they must have started in on him by now…"

Byakuya felt the deep silence that had descended on his mind and felt a jolt of concern.

What happened? I don't feel a thing. It's like he has disappeared. I know he's in pain, but it doesn't reach my body! Kami…what are they doing to him?

"Oh…" said Gin, his smile returning, "I see. He wanted you to wonder. He wanted you to think hard about what they're doing to your weak, gentle other half. It's wicked, really, leaving you in such doubt. You must be nearly beside yourself!"

"Shut up, you vile traitor," growled Byakuya, his reiatsu flaring under the limiter, "You and Aizen are as stupid as I always thought you were."

They have no idea how strong he actually is. I only hope that he is strong enough to endure whatever they are doing. It's maddening…not feeling anything…losing that part of myself. But right now…what he has done…makes us emotionally invulnerable. But not physically. Bya…I hope you know what you are doing, protecting me this way…

He barely felt the impact as Gin's hand connected with his face.

"You need to learn some respect," he said in a low, dangerous voice, "or once we're done with him, we'll hurt you, too."

But to really break us, they would have to attack us both, I think.

He refused to answer Gin, but laid quietly, straining in his mind for some sense of what was happening to his counterpart. As he waited, his heart pounding nervously and the sweat rising on his skin, a hell butterfly arrived. Gin listened to the message, then turned and smiled down at him.

"It seems that your better half has become unresponsive. Lord Aizen is having him removed to the prison level. You will meet him there and heal him…and in the morning, Lord Aizen will question him again."

Byakuya held back a sigh of relief as his restraints were released and he was dragged to his feet and shoved back along the passageways to the prison level. He was left alone in the cell he had awakened in, surrounded in darkness and waiting breathlessly. Several minutes later, the cell door opened and someone else was shoved forward into the cell. He slumped to the floor as the door slammed shut behind him.

Byakuya crawled across the dark cell, not wanting to rise for fear of stepping on or tripping over Bya. He found the other collapsed by the door, breathing in short, clipped gasps and unresponsive.

"Bya," he said, shaking the other, "Bya…"

He pulled his look-alike's body away from the door, using a thin shaft of light that leaked in from a crack in the wall to illuminate Bya's face. He caught his breath sharply at the tormented expression and half-closed, haunted looking eyes.

"Bya…answer me!"

He leaned over the other, searching his body for injuries and staring in surprise as he found the other to be completely undamaged.

"Not healed. Just never damaged," he whispered, his eyes haunted, "Bya, what did that man do to you?"