Welcome back! I hope everyone is doing well and being safe. I myself will soon be vaccinated and can see my parents again thanks to the good weather this weekend!
Many thanks to Alysaldria for editing the chapter and helping me brainstorm when I get stuck!
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Chapter 32: I will burn the world down for you
"You really are a most remarkable young man," Shigekuni notes dryly, breaking the tension and ending the stand-off.
Ichigo snorts and flops back down into his seat, as ungraciously as Shigekuni has ever seen someone sit-down. He might even beat Kenpachi, which is a miracle in and of itself — though not a particularly positive one. His… husband seeks physical comfort through a hand on Ichigo's back immediately. Not that Shigekuni can blame him. This kind of strain on a weeks old bond would have driven a lesser man to insanity.
"I do what I have to do and anyone standing in the way better fucks off before I make them." He says it so calmly, so matter-of-factly. Like it's not a big deal. Just another day, just another task to cross off his to-do list.
Never in his long, long lifespan has Shigekuni felt such awe and respect for anyone before. He'd been impressed, yes, but it was always tinted with a hint of paternal condescension. There is none of that now. Rather than pat Ichigo on the head and carefully guide him through the world, he wants to unseal Ryujin Jakka and see what the child is really made of. Whether he can go toe to toe with an age-old warrior. Whether he can win. And what a thought that is! Never before would Shigekuni have doubted the outcome of a fight he participates in, the mere thought of losing laughable. Yet, that confidence fails him now. No, not fails. He is as confident as ever, but to go up against Ichigo would be like going up against nature itself. Already he can feel his blood pumping in anticipation for the gloriousness that battle would surely bring.
"Thankfully that won't be necessary," Shigekuni says with a kind smile – his wise and compassionate teacher expression. "The war can wait. Kurotsuchi's victims can not;"
"Visored." Ichigo interrupts absentmindedly.
All the heads in the room turn back to him. "I beg your pardon?" Jushiro inquires.
"We were known as Visored." Ichigo replies, his eyes focused in the distance. Caught in memories of a distant future no doubt.
Shigekuni lifts an eyebrow, wondering if the youth will notice he has misspoken. He doesn't, contrary to everyone else present. Going by his husband's expression, he's in for a talk. Hohoho, if only he could be a fly on the wall during that. His curiosity is getting the better of him.
"A fitting name," Shigekuni acknowledges. "but a name is the least of your worries, I'm afraid…"
He doesn't get the chance to finish his sentence as the double doors of the meeting room bang against the wall as a result of the unnecessary force used to open them. A group of Shinigami marches in, all clad in black and their faces hidden.
"Yamamoto-Soutaichou, under the authority of Central 46 we have come to apprehend the criminals Shiba Ichigo and Sousuke to await their execution with their fellow convicts."
'And so it begins'
Ichigo's expression darkens, reiatsu crackling along his skin like lightning. It tingles and excites Sousuke and he curses the Onmitsukido for their unwanted presence. If only the two of them were alone right now, Sousuke would pin Ichigo down to the nearest flat surface and relish in having all that power submit to him. Who would want to rule Soul Society, when they have the world quivering beneath teasing touches?
Sousuke steps closer to Ichigo, urging him to step down for now with a touch of his hand. Ichigo clenches his jaw in response, clearly not wanting to, but deferring to Sousuke anyways. He can guess why: Ichigo obviously still has strong ties to the other…Visored — of which Sousuke suspects he wasn't a part of in Ichigo's past — and he can't risk them getting killed if he resists now. Truth to be told, he doesn't want to risk Hirako's life either, not now that they've finally found common ground and are really starting to work as a team. Ichigo's abilities are beyond words, but even he can't take on all of the Onmitsukido without casualties. And it wouldn't solve their problems with the Central 46 either. Only worsen them in fact.
Therefore, it's an uncommonly placid Ichigo who allows the Onmitsukido to take his Zanpakutou and bind his arms behind his back with reiatsu-suppressing handcuffs, as well as a collar around his neck. Sousuke smilingly undergoes the same, ignoring the dirty looks and stares he can feel burning into his back. A pedophile is still worse than a monster, huh. Good to know.
The shock of their bond going quiet is jarring to Sousuke's senses. It feels like being thrown in an ice-bath without warning. Like losing one of his senses all of a sudden. Or having a limb cut off. His heart aches and a headache is setting in, a dull throbbing sensation behind his eyes. A frantic Ichigo is wrestling with his handcuffs and the guards that hold him in place. It takes a jab from a Zanpakutou for his beloved to go still. How Sousuke wishes he could rush over and reassure Ichigo of his love and devotion. That he could rip those blasted bindings from both their wrists and necks, and relish in the magic of their combined souls. But he can't and it hurts!
"What crimes are these upstanding members of our society accused of, that they don't even get a trial?" Yamamoto-Soutaichou interjects. Is that a hint of desperation in his voice? It figures that Ichigo would win over the Captain-Commander with his rebellious behaviour.
The leader of the squad turns back to the four men standing around the table. "It is forbidden for Shinigami to acquire the powers of Hollows. Should they do so, they will be dealt with as all Hollows are."
"They are victims!" Kyoraku cries out. "They didn't choose to gain these powers! Kurotsuchi experimented on them!"
"Irrelevant," the leader answers, his voice emotionless.
The Captain-Commander makes a sharp movement with his hand in Kyoraku's direction. "And what will become of Kurotsuchi, if I may ask?"
"Kurotsuchi Mayuri has been taken into custody and will return to his cell in the Maggot's Nest to sit out the rest of his sentence." is the immediate answer.
In other words, no repercussions at all. If Kurotsuchi can escape once, he can escape twice, and the innocents are left to suffer in his place. How typical, Sousuke thinks bitterly. A true sign of how corrupt Soul Society has become. Perpetrators are let off with a slap on their wrist or a nominal fine, while the innocent and poor are left to rot, burdened under fines they will never pay off or incongruous sentences compared to the crimes.
Ichigo has realised this too and is seemingly trying to burn a hole the squad leader's head with just his glare. Sousuke has never seen so much hate in his beloved's eyes. He's seen anger and frustration, yes, but never pure, unadulterated hate. It doesn't suit him, Sousuke decides.
Without wasting another moment the Onmitsukido whisk them both away. They are led through the empty streets of Seireitei to a singular white obelisk, which towers above the other buildings in its vicinity. Sousuke can see Ichigo trembling ever so slightly from the corner of his eye. Whether from fear or anger is difficult to say, especially with their bond cut off. Funny, how easily he has come to rely on his direct link to his beloved's feelings. Now he is back to his previous guessing game of interpreting Ichigo's eyebrows — his biggest feature that always betrays his feelings.
In the distance Sousuke can barely make out the shape of an enormous halberd. The sight fills him with dread and he fights against the tears gathering in his eyes. This can't be the end! Not so soon after he's found heaven. Mentally he pulls himself together. No! It won't be the end. The Captain-Commander will free them in time and prevent this atrocity from going through. He must believe that they will be saved. That their future together stands a chance.
'Zangetsu! Shiro! Old Man!' Ichigo panics as the handcuffs and collar click into place and he is cut off from his soul. He regrets not putting up a struggle, it's not like these grunts would have made much of a challenge. But then…the other Visored might suffer a faster death and he cannot risk that. On top of losing his connection to his soul, Rukia's and Sousuke's presences disappear from the back of his mind and that is almost more painful.
He feels so alone, even though Sousuke is but a few feet away. It's too far a distance, too wide a gap for his battered mind. He can't think, only feel the pain and be thrown back into another time, when he'd been just as helpless and alone.
Hearing of the corruption of the Central 46 is not a surprise, but the rage that wells up in him is a welcome reprieve from his desolation. He latches on to that anger, that hate. These people, who think themselves so high and mighty are the cause of so much pain. The Visored's pain during their banishment, Rukia's isolation and hopelessness, Tousen's growing resentment which twisted him away from the righteous person he truly is. They rip families apart without a second thought and blame victims for the crimes of their offenders.
Why do they even exist? It would be better to simply kill them all. Rip them limb from limb until nothing remains. Maybe then they would understand the pain they've inflicted throughout the years.
'Years to come, and not even in this timeline,' a voice whispers in the back of his mind. He swats it away. It's right and he knows it, but for now he wants to relish in his fury. His sense will come back sooner than later, so he must savour the fire burning through his veins for now.
The walk through Seireitei passes Ichigo by in a daze. Only the glare of a white building flashing in his eyes pulls him from the storm that rages inside of him. His eyes are met with a familiar building. At first he can't place it, but then a solitary shape on the horizon behind the blinding tower jogs his memory and he doesn't know if he wants to curse until he is blue in the face or burst into laughter at the irony of the situation. It figures he would end up in Rukia's prison and be sentenced to the same manner of execution. What a fucking mess!
He can't even comfort Sousuke, who is visibly upset by the sight of the giant knife-spear-thing, or be comforted by him. And their guards don't stop to let them take in the sight. Instead, they are rushed along through the thick stone doors and up countless stairs. And he really means countless. He tries to keep up a mental map in the beginning, but everything looks the same and after a while it just fades into a blur. Up and up and up.
Before long the exhaustion gets to them both. Being in possession of vast reiryoku-reserves naturally leads to reinforcing limbs during any kind of exercise. Only now they don't have that advantage and the pace set by the Onmitsukido is gruelling. Ichigo is somewhat better off, being used to living in the Human world and regular intense activities — aka gym class —, but he's flagging quickly as well.
This only stokes his resentment further and spiritually he pulls on anything, anything that could help. It's a desperate move, one he doesn't expect will result in anything. So, when power fuses into his muscles, he almost falls to his face in surprise. How could this be?! His reiatsu is sealed off! His reiatsu…He is such an idiot! Ichigo wants to facepalm at his own shortsightedness. His Hollow and Shinigami side may be beyond him right now, but he's a Quincy too. And Quincy use reishi, not reiatsu!
Carefully, Ichigo tries to get the hang of pulling reishi into his body. He can't use too much lest the guards get suspicious, but not enough and it won't make a difference. Once he has mastered this, he tries to redirect the flow of reishi in the air towards Sousuke. It's an even more difficult process and it takes far too long in Ichigo's estimation, but ever so slowly he helps Sousuke regain his breath and strength. By the time they have reached the top and the guards make them halt, Sousuke doesn't look like he is on the brink of death anymore.
Ichigo can't rejoice in his victory for long, because they are soon thrown into the cell without much fanfare and are pushed hard enough to lose their balance. Without their hands to break the fall, their faces take the brunt instead.
The door closes behind them with a heavy boom and the clicking of the locks sounds loud to their ringing ears. Darkness swells around them, taking yet another sense away. The room is pitch-black, except for a small beam of light that falls through a high and narrow slit in the wall, barely big enough to be called a window. By coincidence or not, the beam of light illuminates Ichigo's face as he stares up at its origin. On his knees with his hands behind him and long hair arranged in a veil around his body.
'Yes! Use me! Use us! Use our powers at last as they should be used! Not mere destroying everything unwanted in our path — rejecting the realities that no longer suit us! Disintegrating and destroying whomever dares to stand in our way and threaten those we love — those we'd gladly lay down our lives for! We are more than that!
We are the Maker who shapes the world in our image. We are the Judge who decides between Life and Death. Who decides who is beyond redemption and who can be brought back and healed. We are the Healer, the Leader, the Inevitable End!
You want to protect those you've welcomed into your heart. Let us be the umbrella with which you protect them from the evils around. Make us into the shield and the sword both. Break the world down and then build it back up again to your wishes! Become what you were always meant to be!'