Chapter 7: Broken Throne

I don't want to go back, Tesla thought, sickness swelling up inside him as he stood slightly apart from the little group of shinigamis, watching the darkness of the garganta open up in front of them.

It wasn't just that he didn't want to face his troubles, his fears.

No, that place…Las Noches…it brings back so much that is painful and just entering there...

"Hey, Tesla, can I ask you something?"

The shinigami substitute's voice startled him, even softened as it was so that the others wouldn't hear.

"Sorry."

"It's fine," Tesla answered quietly, "What do you want, Kurosaki Ichigo?"

"You just went a few shades paler when the garganta opened. Are you okay?"

Tesla studied him warily out of the corner of an eye.

"And why are you, a person I've hurt before, concerning yourself with my wellness?" he asked in a toneless voice, "You didn't look at me with pity before. You looked at me like an enemy. I am still an enemy to you, am I not?"

Ichigo shrugged.

"I can't know what you think about me, but Kisuke said you're not dangerous to us and you said you don't want to hurt anyone. I might still not trust you, but I do trust Kisuke."

"Aizen-sama would think that amusing," Tesla commented solemnly, "He told us that trust and reliance were faulty concepts indulged in by the weak to feign strength."

"Yeah," Ichigo sighed, looking more somber than angry, "well, Aizen was really fucked up in the head and you see where his ideas got him, ne?"

Tesla couldn't quite hold back the little smile the other man's words caused, or the touch of warmth in his heart at being spoken to in such a way.

"You are right, Kurosaki-san," he admitted, "The truth is that all of us who followed Aizen-sama paid the price for our foolishness. Fortunately for me, I survived and now have the opportunity to choose a better path."

"That's right," Ichigo agreed, surprising Tesla with a return smile and a more friendly nod, "and as long as you stick to your promise that you don't want to hurt anyone, I'll support you."

Tesla's breath caught for a moment and Ichigo chuckled.

"What? Why do you look so surprised?"

The hollow's head tilted slightly as he considered.

"You're right," he said finally, "I shouldn't be so surprised to hear this from you. You have a reputation for not holding grudges against your former enemies. In fact, Urahara-san has commented that you seem to have an odd habit of making old enemies your new friends. I…suppose that wouldn't be a bad thing."

Ichigo chuckled again and Tesla felt the warmth that had blossomed inside him deepen.

"So, now you wanna be friends with me?" he asked.

Tesla's mouth opened slightly, but he found himself momentarily speechless as Ichigo continued.

"Well, you're on the right track since you're helping my good friend, Kisuke find Tetsuya. I know no one's really coming out and saying it, but we all know that Kisuke really liked Tetsuya."

"Yes."

"And if you stick to your agreement and you help him get Tetsuya back, there's no way I wouldn't consider that the act of a friend."

Tesla blinked and his little smile returned.

"That is encouraging," he commented, moving back to Kisuke's side, "I promise then that I will do my best to be of use in finding Tetsuya."

"That's good," Ichigo sighed, remaining a few steps behind the hollow and the shopkeeper as the group entered the garganta.

"Ichigo," Byakuya said, falling in beside the substitute soul reaper, "don't waste your energy on laying a path. I will do that for the two of us."

"Thanks," the ginger-haired man said gratefully, "but you know, you don't have to worry about me. I won't overdo it, and…I think it's good to keep busy so I don't keep thinking about what's gonna happen to me."

"Hmm," the Kuchiki leader mused, "I think both of us know how likely it is that you will hold back if we are forced into battle."

"Well, if I'm not gonna fight to protect someone, then why am I here?" Ichigo reasoned.

"That is true, and I didn't mean to suggest that you shouldn't act if the need arises, it is just that…"

Byakuya paused, suddenly aware that their feet had stopped moving and that they were falling a bit behind the others.

"We should…"

"Byakuya," Ichigo said, moving closer, his warmth, his scent and his softened gaze freezing the noble in place, "the thing is, I can't let myself despair over what's going to happen. I know I'm going to lose my powers, but that doesn't mean that I shouldn't use them now. Now is the only time I have, so that's why I'm not gonna hold back."

Byakuya felt heat flash on his face and his breath was stolen away as Ichigo's hands took his gently and soft, hungry lips found his.

"W-we shouldn't…" he forced out, but he couldn't push the younger man away, couldn't hold back returning the substitute's longer and more penetrating kiss.

"Sorry," Ichigo apologized, releasing him and following as the still blushing noble continued to lay down the reiatsu path for them, "Maybe it's selfish of me to start something with you when…"

"Don't be ridiculous," Byakuya sighed, sliding a pale hand into his as they walked together, "Do you think that if I'd known my wife was going to die that I would have loved her any less or pushed her away to avoid the grief?"

"Nah," Ichigo chuckled sadly, "I don't think you'd be like that."

"And anyway, you're not dying…and…"

He paused, observing Kisuke's shadowy form in the dark passage ahead of them.

"There is still hope. I assure you that none of us are giving up on you."

"Good," Ichigo said approvingly, kissing Byakuya on a flushed cheek, "I'm not gonna give up on you either. C'mon now, let's go and find your cousin."

XXXXXXXXXX

Grimmjow sat glaring at the little fire Pesche had started to cook their dinner, ignoring the half-eaten food on his abandoned plate as he tried to fend off the nagging worry that wouldn't seem to leave the pit of his belly.

Stop thinking about it.

Stop thinking about him. It's not gonna do any fucking good. Tesla's gonna come back or he's not. He's gonna go after Nnoitra or he's not. Nothing I do matters. He walked away even after.

He paused for a moment, a sick feeling welling up inside as he considered.

To me, what we did was making love, but maybe that's not what it was to him. After all, Nnoitra fucked him…fucked him, yelled at him, hurt him. I've done those things to him too. And with him being so screwed up by what Nnoitra did to him, he might not get that I may have done things that hurt him, but I wasn't doing them to hurt him.

I wanna help him get over that bastard. I wanna make up for letting Nnoitra take him away in the first place. But how are we supposed to do that now? He's…

Grimmjow froze as he suddenly felt Tesla's reiatsu somewhere in the distance.

He's back?

But the reiatsu registered some distance away and not heading towards him.

He's going to Las Noches?

His senses piqued, he was on his feet and moving in the direction of the ruined fortress before he realized he had moved.

Why?

What's there but bad memories, Tesla?

Never one to hesitate to follow his instincts, Grimmjow set a course to follow, not noticing as Nel gave Pesche and Dondachakka a playful smile and the three hurried after him.

"Where's he going?" Dondachakka wondered aloud.

"Duh," Pesche snorted, "Didn't you feel it? Tesla is back, but he's not coming here."

"Grimmjow is following Tesla," Nel added.

"Isn't he gonna be mad that, not only did Tesla run away, but now he's not coming to see Grimmjow?" Dondachakka reasoned.

Nel and Pesche exchanged amused glances and nodded before answering together.

"Yup!"

"So, is Grimmjow gonna yell at him or is he going to…?"

"Yup!"

XXXXXXXXXX

"We're gonna avoid the main entrance to the fortress," Kisuke said, leading the little group out of the garganta and along a trail headed towards Las Noches, "Even though the place is in ruins and most of the food and valuables have been plundered, there are still gonna be hollows hanging around it, and we're not here to fight."

"Huh," Renji muttered under his breath disgustedly, "if any of the fucking creeps who had anything to do with Tetsuya being here want a fight, I'll…"

"You will stand down unless I order you to fight them," Byakuya said shortly as he and Ichigo passed Renji and Rukia, "This may not be a military assignment, but I am still…"

"Uh, yeah, of course, Captain," the redhead sputtered, making Ichigo snicker.

Rukia hit her taller companion on the arm.

"Ow!" Renji complained.

"Idiot!" the young woman huffed.

"What? You'd fight'em too."

"That's not the point."

"Rukia, Renji, let's go," Byakuya said sternly.

"Hai!" the two answered together, hurrying after him.

The group made their way through the darkness to the more shadowed side of the fortress, watching and listening carefully for any sign of lurking enemies. But although they heard the occasional sounds and felt the reiatsu of smaller hollows passing through the area, no creatures of more formidable power presented themselves. They reached the main building without challenge and slipped inside, pausing in what appeared to have been a kitchen. The room was dark and smelled of rot and as they passed through the broken remains of the appliances, they spotted splashes of dried blood.

Kisuke led the group out of the kitchen and through a series of hallways that led past the fortress meeting rooms. He stiffened and came to a stop for a moment as they reached the throne room. The others reacted likewise as they sensed the very slight traces of heartbreakingly familiar reiatsu.

"He was here," the shopkeeper whispered, stepping towards the entry to the room, but he stopped as he felt Byakuya's hand come to rest on his arm.

"Let me check the room."

Kisuke swallowed hard, registering suddenly that he was visibly shaking, and he nodded briefly and stepped back.

"I'll go with you," Ichigo offered.

"Arigato," Byakuya answered gratefully.

The two entered what had been Aizen's throne room, pausing just inside to let their eyes adjust to the deeper darkness and chill. The former inhabitant's stark, white throne laid in broken pieces, scattered across the room and blood and bits of cloth widely strewn about the area. Byakuya moved to the center of the room, to a place in front of the throne where he sensed the weak traces of his cousin that had been left there. The noble's eyes darkened as he felt the hints of fear and distress the prisoner must have been feeling when he knelt there.

"Are you okay?" Ichigo asked softly, moving in close to his side, "I feel it too. He was here. He was afraid."

The shinigami substitute shivered. How hard must it have been to be kneeling in front of the Siereitei's most wicked shinigami, knowing that he was alone and no one knew where to find him?

"I do not sense that he died here," Byakuya managed softly, "but he did suffer."

They found nothing else of interest in the room and soon returned to the entry, where Kisuke leaned against the doorframe.

"He was here," Byakuya affirmed, watching as Kisuke shuddered, then calmed himself forcefully, "He did not die in that room."

"Yeah, 'kay."

Tesla cleared his throat softly.

"The officers' suites are that way. Aizen's is at the end," he said quietly.

The group moved forward, but then froze as a hollow's sonido sounded and the former Espada, Grimmjow Jaegerjaques appeared suddenly in front of them. The shinigamis' hands went to the hilts of their swords, but Grimmjow held up his hands defensively.

"Hey, don't. I'm not here to attack anyone."

"Grimmjow," Tesla said, stepping forward, "what are you…?"

"Whaddya think I'm doin' here, idiot?" Grimmjow scoffed, "I sensed you'd come back to Hueco Mundo, but you didn't come…"

"Grimmjow was worried that someone might be hurting Tesla," Nel shouted, popping out from behind the former sixth Espada with her two fraccìon beside her.

"I was not," Grimmjow snapped, "Tesla can take care of himself. He's as strong as any of the Espadas."

He met Tesla's wary eyes squarely.

"But this isn't a place I would expect him to go, so I came to check things out. What are you doing here with these shinigamis, Tesla?"

Tesla relaxed slightly, taking a steadying breath.

"Urahara Kisuke was kind enough to offer me shelter and give me a job, working for him in Karakura Town. As part of that job, he asked me to assist him in finding Ai-…"

He broke off, glancing at Kisuke for a moment.

"We are trying to determine what happened to a prisoner who was held here…Kuchiki Tetsuya, Kuchiki Byakuya's cousin, bodyguard and healer. He disappeared shortly before the invasion of Hueco Mundo and we've sensed that he was here."

Grimmjow's scowl deepened.

"If he was here, he's probably dead, and that would be better for him and everyone else. This place is a fuckin' graveyard. It should be leveled."

"I don't disagree with you," Tesla said sadly, "There are lots of bad memories here, but there is a chance that Kuchiki Tetsuya is alive here somewhere. I was witness to some of what happened to him while he was here and I know that Aizen intended for him to survive. He was planning to come back for his qu-…for him…for Tetsuya."

Grimmjow considered for a moment, then nodded and growled softly.

"I'll help you look."

Tesla blinked in surprise and his breath caught.

"Y-you…?"

The former sixth Espada shrugged and let out a huff of breath.

"Ain't got anything better to do just now," he said off-handedly.

"Nel will help too!" Nel added.

"And we…" Pesche began.

"You two idiots stay back here and make sure none of the riffraff around here bug us," Grimmjow said shortly, allowing Nel to climb onto his shoulder.

"But, Master Nel…" Dondachakka objected.

"Nel is fine with Grimmjow," Nel assured the two, "Do as Grimmjow says."

Grimmjow approached Tesla, who looked back at him silently, waiting.

"Well? Where have you searched and where are we goin' to search?"

"We should search Aizen's bedroom…"

"It's been destroyed," Grimmjow interrupted, "Everything's busted up, torn apart. If he was in there, he's gone."

"But we may find a clue to where Aizen concealed him," Tesla argued, "Like I said, Aizen meant for him to survive. He was coming back for Tetsuya."

He paused, looking around the debris choked hallway.

"We also shouldn't neglect the rooms around Aizen's suite. He kept some things of importance in his study as well…the room just to the right of his bedroom."

"Rukia, Renji, I want you to search the rooms on this hallway, starting here," Byakuya directed his lieutenant and sister, "Ichigo and I will continue with Kisuke and the hollows."

"Sure," Renji agreed, "but do you really think we'll find anything in…?"

"There could be a hidden entrance to a secret room anywhere," Tesla explained, "If Aizen had a concealed room, it is in this general area. He would have put it close to his own quarters and living spaces, but not in an obvious place."

"Oh, I dunno," Ichigo huffed, "Aizen was a cocky bastard who didn't usually think he needed to make any effort to be sneaky."

"As much as that is true, we still want to be thorough," Tesla concluded.

"That makes sense," Rukia said, taking Renji's arm, "C'mon, Renji."

The others proceeded to the end of the hall and walked through the broken door to Aizen's room that hung raggedly on one half broken hinge. They stopped inside, staring in shock at the signs of more than a few hollows dying within the room's confines. Kisuke started to speak, but his voice stopped in his throat as he felt again the presence of Tetsuya's reiatsu…and small amounts of blood.

Oh kami…

He swallowed hard, but Byakuya shook his head.

"You don't need to say it," the Kuchiki leader said, looking down at the bed, "Tetsuya was here, but he did not die here."

"He may have wished he had," Tesla whispered to Grimmjow.

He was surprised to feel Grimmjow's hand slide into his.

"You'd know about that, wouldn't you?" the former sixth Espada whispered back, "I'm sorry I wasn't there for you."

The words were comforting, but made a hard knot form in Tesla's throat, roughening his voice as he answered.

"It wasn't your fault. Ask Nel, she knows. Nnoitra was a monster."

"This isn't about me…about us," Tesla said, moving towards a part of the room where it appeared a large number of hollows had lost their lives, "I sense something here, but I warn you, it could just be a trap and not an entry to the hidden chamber."

"Let me handle this," Kisuke said, stepping forward.

"Scatter," Byakuya said solemnly, sending a blast of petal blades at the wall.

"Getsuga Tensho!" Ichigo added, following Byakuya's move and strengthening the attack.

The ones in the room cringed back as smoke, flying petals and debris filled the air, making them cough and choke as Renji and Rukia rejoined them in the room.

"What happened?" Rukia shouted.

"Ah, just your brother and Ichigo looking for the entrance to the hidden room," Kisuke snorted.

He shook his head as the air cleared and was almost immediately filled again with a haze of odd, purple gas and flying darts that shot from the walls. Flash steps and sonido sounded as the group moved to escape. They waited longer until the air in the room cleared again, then Kisuke moved forward to where there was now a gaping hold in the wall and the beginning of a staircase.

"Don't lower your guard," the shopkeeper warned them, "You got the traps here, but who knows if there are more inside.

The group moved slowly up the stairs with Kisuke in the lead. The stair took them up to the entrance to another room, but thankfully, the door, though locked, had no discernable traps on it.

"I guess ol' Aizen didn't figure anyone'd get through the outer traps," Kisuke chuckled, working at the lock for a moment, then opening the way into the room. The group entered what appeared to be a hidden laboratory with a computer and monitor and an examination table that was occupied by an unconscious, young looking dark-haired shinigami whose blanket covered belly looked oddly rounded.

Kisuke loosed the man's name in an agonized sob.

"Tetsuya!"