I made it! Geez, I struggled SO hard with this chapter. It just didn't want to write itself.
Many thanks to Alysaldria for making my chapters readable.
Please enjoy and leave a review on your way out!
Chapter 34: For here comes the Human Child
"Ouch!"
"Get out of my way!"
"I'll get out of your fucking way when you get your fucking foot out of my face!"
Sousuke wants to facepalm at the whispered yelling that's happening behind him. It seems some people just don't get the meaning of a stealth mission. And, unfortunately, his own Captain is one of those people. Sure, they are all squished together in a space way too small for even half their number, but it's not as if the situation doesn't warrant it. They cannot escape this thrice-damned prison without their Zanpakutous and the only way to get them was to sneak past the guards scattered throughout the different floors of the tower and get to the locked vault at the base. Thankfully, the scarcity and predictability of the patrols means their descent went relatively fast.
Until now. More Onmitsukido are present on the ground floor and they cannot hide behind Kido spells. The guards would notice those immediately. So, when they heard footsteps in the distance, they all dove into a small room hidden behind a nondescript door. It turns out they've found the janitor's closet and luckily all fit inside. Though they still might get found soon, if the arguing doesn't stop.
"Will you all shut up before we get found out and thrown back into a cell? We are on borrowed time as is, because the moment a guard passes either of our previous cells and sees the gigantic holes where doors used to be, we're all fucked," Sousuke hisses, his voice a mere whisper.
The bickering stops abruptly. 'Good,' Sousuke nods to himself. He stretches his senses to assure himself that the part of the corridor in front of the door is empty. It is for now. Aside from two guards in front of what must be the vault two corners further down, and a patrol a little further, the Onmitsukido are concentrated towards the front entrance. He stands up and turns, finding himself chest to chest with Ichigo, who is looking at him pensively.
Cupping the back of Ichigo's head, he draws his beloved in for a bruising kiss. He tries to pour all his love, desire, and desperation into that kiss. After this they need to spend some time alone together. But for now Sousuke sates himself on that one kiss. And damn their audience! Let them watch.
Ichigo makes a small noise in the back of his throat that only urges Sousuke on. One hand is nestled in Ichigo long tresses, the other is on his lower back. Keeping Ichigo trapped against his body. Not that Ichigo is trying to get away. If anything it feels like he wants to become one with Sousuke, with the way he plasters himself against Sousuke's front and clings to his shihakusho. It spurs on the blood boiling in his veins and it's with great difficulty he finally ends the kiss and rests his forehead against Ichigo's.
"You're going to do something stupid," Ichigo murmurs, the scowl audible in his voice.
Sousuke tsks back. "Nothing more stupid than any of your harebrained schemes. I trusted you then, will you return the favour?" he asks teasingly, already assured of the answer.
Ichigo huffs. "Be safe," is all he says.
Sousuke smiles. "Always."
Between one breath and the next, he swoops out of the room. The door softly falls closed behind him as he determinedly follows the corridor to its prize. Meanwhile, he gathers his reiatsu around him like a cloak. There are footsteps up ahead, but Sousuke continues to walk. The guards will not see him for Sousuke is not there. A corner, a patrol of four guards on their rounds. Their eyes glance over where Sousuke is walking but pay it no mind. Why would the guards pay any attention to that part of an empty hallway? There would be no-one there after all.
Another corner. Sousuke can see the vault door up ahead, as well as the guards in front of it. They are absorbed by their small talk, not noticing someone is approaching them. But then, why should they notice anything? There is no-one there after all.
Neither of them feels alright with the prisoners several floors above them. They are Captains and Lieutenants. Good Captains and Lieutenants. But Central 46 gave the order and they, the faithful soldiers, exist to carry that order out. Don't think about it. Don't question it. It shouldn't matter that those officers have never put a toe out of line before. That they were simply victims of a deranged lunatic. But it does matter. And neither guard feels at ease with their blind obedience. A sharp pain in their necks is all the warning they get. They are out cold without ever having seen their attacker. How could they have seen their attacker? There was no-one there after all.
'In. And out. In. And out.' Ichigo repeats the mantra as he waits anxiously for Sousuke to return. His senses are stretched across the ground floor of the tower, to follow Sousuke's progress as the other confidently moves along the hallways. His heart feels like it's going to beat out of his chest when he senses a patrol getting closer and closer to Sousuke. That foolish man just keeps going when he is going to be discovered any moment now! Except...he isn't. The guards and Sousuku cross each other in the narrow corridor without any hesitation or stutter in their movements.
How can this be?! Ichigo doesn't understand and it does nothing to calm his racing heart. He feels Sousuke walking closer and closer to two stationary guards — in front of the vault perhaps? —, and Ichigo is sure the alarm will be raised any moment. Yet, once again the guards don't seem to notice a thing until their presences dim.
Ichigo buries his hands into his upper arms to keep them from shaking. Thankfully, the others have gotten the hint to be quiet. He doesn't think he would have been able to control his temper otherwise. No matter how much he loves these people like they are his family.
Now, the wait continues until Sousuke is back safely into the closet. Ichigo focuses on his breathing, his senses, and decidedly not on that kiss and its effects. Heavens, it had been hot! He hadn't wanted Sousuke to stop even though they had had an audience and it really hadn't been a good time to get swept away. Soon, they'll make time. Ichigo can't wait any longer. One way or another. In this world or the human world, they'll make time.
"Just let me know beforehand. I do NOT want to be there for your wedding night!" Zangetsu speaks up.
Ichigo nearly jumps up, but hangs on to his calm countenance with his mental fingertips. Inwardly he scolds Zangetsu, though it soon becomes more of a relieved rant. 'Zangetsu, don't do that so suddenly! Thank God you're back! I missed you guys. And don't call it that!' he ends with a hiss.
"Don't call it what? A wedding night? I'm just callin' it how I see it, King." Zangetsu teases back.
'It's not a… Nevermind. How are you doing?" Ichigo switches topics abruptly.
"Me? Not too happy we got cut off so suddenly. At least warns us next time you try on those fucking bindings, will ya? It felt like a whiplash, not being able to hear ya from one second to the next. The Old Man is pleased though. He hadn't expected you would have gotten it. Not this soon, in any case," Zangetsu dutifully reports.
'I didn't expect it either, but hey pressure and diamonds and all that, right?' Ichigo mentally shrugs.
Zangetsu starts cackling again, but Ichigo ignores him since the door is opening. Sousuke walks through and Ichigo feels the pounds of anxiety just dropping off. He feels light enough to float and doesn't hesitate to envelop Sousuke into a hug,
"My Ichigo, were you worried, love?" Sousuke asks and Ichigo can feel the smirk on his lips.
He huffs. "Shut up. You walked directly past the guards," Ichigo whispers into the cloth covering Sousuke's shoulders.
"Apologies, beloved. I didn't think to warn you in advance." He sounds genuine, so Ichigo nods his forgiveness into Sousuke's shoulder before taking a step back.
The other officers are perking up, clearly searching Sousuke's form for their zanpakutous.
"And?!" Hiyori demands, a tad too loud.
For a moment Sousuke observes her with a mocking smirk, arms held wide and clearly empty. Hiyori first deflates but looks like she's quickly winding up to another tantrum. Sousuke waits until she's bright red in the face before dipping his hands into his sleeves and somehow taking out a katana with a red grip.
"Yours, I believe?" He holds out the Zanpakutou and she rips it from his grasp, cradling the katana against her torso. Ichigo can't blame her, nor can he begrudge her her look of relief. To be separated from one's soul is a terrible thing.
One by one, Sousuke returns the Zanpakutou to their rightful owners from the seemingly infinite space in his sleeves. When he pulls out Zangetsu, Ichigo can feel the Zanpakutou thrumming despite the distance between them. When his fingers close around the hilt, it's like coming home. Sousuke's own hand still holds onto the scabbard and Ichigo looks up at him in confusion. Sousuke holds his gaze as he slides his hand purposefully down the length of Zangetsu. Even Ichigo can't misunderstand the allusion and he can feel the heat burning on his cheeks. Immediately, he looks away to break the eye contact, but he cannot escape Sousuke's soft chuckles.
"Let's move. If we wanna get out of Seireitei before anyone notices we're missing, we need to move." Shinji's voice disturbs the tension between them and Ichigo focusses back on the rest of the room.
"You want to leave Soul Society?" he asks in surprise.
"You don't?" Shinji retorts. "We are wanted criminals. If we're caught, we're not just goin' back into that cell, but we'll be dead soon." He sounds incredulous that Ichigo questions his order.
"I'm not planning on becoming a fugitive. When I said we were escaping, I meant getting out of this prison and dealing with Central whatever in person." Ichigo fires back calmly.
The guards buckle under the enormous spiritual pressure and offer no resistance to the officers that pass them by without a second glance. Shigekuni keeps his attention on the path ahead of them. The Captains and Lieutenants can deal with those little pests behind him. No one tries to stop him. None of the guards are powerful enough to stand up when he releases his reiatsu, let alone protest their entry.
The huge doors of Central's compound swing open before him and in silence he descends the spiralling staircase. There is no chatter behind him. Only the solemnity of silence escorts this trip. Each and everyone of the officers that swore loyalty to him and their home understands the weight of the situation. He is proud of them. They have exceeded all his expectations.
Finally, he comes to a stop in front of the doors that guard the Central Underground Assembly Hall. Shigekuni can hear the noise from inside. 'Good, that means he won't have to drag them from their beds.'
He descends the few steps that lead to the entrance and enters the Assembly Hall. The moment he crosses the boundary into the chamber the chatter quiets. How very telling. He doesn't pause at the bottom of the staircase, but starts to walk slowly around the two concentric tables where the forty so-called wise men and women are seated. From up high the disapproving gazes of the six judges try to burn holes into him. Once he's completed his circuit around the room he stops in front of the staircase, Chojiro at his side. The other Captains with their Lieutenants closely behind them have spread out through the room, surrounding the tables that hold the forty wise men and women. Resting both hands on his cane he waits for pandemonium to break out.
Predictably, he doesn't have to wait long. Within moments the esteemed members that make up Central 46 break out in indignant shouts and demands. "Captain-Commander, you have no right to be here!" "What is the meaning of this invasion?" "Take yourself and your undisciplined band of hooligans back to where you came from!" "This is an outrage!"
Shigekuni allows them to rage for several minutes undisturbed. For once, he can be proud of his officers. None of them so much as move a muscle. Not even Kenpachi. They are obeying his commands well. However, his patience is stretched thin already and when there seems to be no end in sight to the verbal deluge of indignation and misplaced righteousness, he bonks his staff on the floor once, loudly. The silence that follows is immediate.
"Listen up," Shigekuni says – He doesn't yell. He doesn't have to. –, "because I'll only say this once. For many years, centuries even, you've enjoyed privileges and duties thanks to my generosity. Both of those end today."
A shocked gasp echoes across the room. The shouting and yelling begins again, but he silences them all with a warning flair of reiatsu.
"This is not a debate. This is not negotiable. Today you've proven yourself unreliable. You've shown faulty judgement. You cannot be trusted with delivering fair trials anymore. Not after you sentenced seven innocent victims to death for circumstances beyond their control and gave the true culprit a paltry prison sentence," he continues.
"They broke the law. A law which is very clear about the consequences of breaking that law," one of the judges calmly responds.
"Did they now? And which law might that be, if I may ask?" Shigekuni wonders aloud.
Another judge sharply retorts, "Don't take us for fools, Captain-Commander. It is against the law for a Shinigami to acquire or try to acquire the powers of a Hollow. To do so means the immediate execution of the accused."
Shigekuni hmms. "Is that right? How odd. I don't remember making such a law. Nor do I remember seeing such a law added to our rulebooks. Do you, Chojiro?" he asks his Lieutenant.
Chojiro shakes his head. "No, Captain-Commander, I do not. Indeed, before this incident I fail to see why such a law would have been devised. No one ever even dreamed of this kind of experiment."
"Neither do I, Captain-Commander," Kuchiki-taichou — the new Kuchiki-taichou — speaks up. "And we of the 6th Division pride ourselves on knowing and following every law in existence. Besides, let's say this law exists and is to be followed. Why then is Kurotsuchi allowed to get off scot-free? Is he not even guiltier than those he forced those powers on?" What a sharp young man. Shigekuni will need to keep an eye on him.
"Kurotsuchi did not try to acquire Hollow powers for himself. By the letter of the law, he is not guilty and therefore will not receive punishment. We acknowledge he attacked several Captains and Lieutenants. The punishment for breaking that law is and always has been imprisonment in the Maggot's Nest."
The resentment coming from the officers is almost palpable. Shigekuni cannot blame them. Such corruption and right under his own nose!
"You will not relinquish your positions voluntarily then. Do I understand that correctly?" He asks although he already knows the answer and has made peace with the consequences.
"You do." The answer comes simultaneously from many different mouths in many different voices.
"Very well. You leave me no choice then." The sound of dozens of Zanpakutous being drawn at once rings through the chamber. "Central 46, for your failure in upholding your impartiality and the laws upon which Soul Society is built, I sentence you all to death."
"You cannot do that!" A desperate voice cries out.
Shigekuni laughs dryly. "And why not? I built this place from the ground up. Many of you I taught and trained and gave a new life in a place where you could belong. I am the Captain-Commander of Seireitei and my word is law."
No more words are spoken after he proclaims this. The only sounds present in the Assembly Hall are the sounds of death.
AN: just to clear things up, Sousuke — and a lot of other people in Soul Society who can pay for it — has "space-pouches" sown into his wide sleeves. Think Hermione's tiny bag that could hold a portrait in Harry Potter. I got inspired by Chinese BL cultivation web novels where this is commonly used. Btw if anyone is interested the novels by Moxiang Tongxiu are really good and they all have adaptions! Mo Dao Zu Shi/Grandfather of Demonic Cultivation = The Untamed on Netflix. Tian Guan Ci Fu/Heaven's Official Blessing, also on Netflix. Scum Villain's Self Saving System = Scumbag's Self Saving System on youtube. Do check out the novels, english translations are easy to find, because Chinese censorship sucks, but the novels are not censored whatsoever for some reason.