Raining Retribution
By SesshomaruFreak and Spunky0ne
Warnings: slavery, references of assault
When the world is turned upside down, a few brave actions are all that stand between some of our favorite nobles and a life of slavery...
~xXx~
Kenpachi sneered as he passed a ragged group of Rukon citizens, their excited chatter about 'bringing down the nobles' and 'teaching them a lesson' grating on his very last nerve.
'It's only been a couple of weeks since the war with those Quincy fuckers ended. I can't believe what some commoners like me have been up to, turning on the nobles and making them servants. Some o' the shit I been hearing...nobody deserves that, not even those stuck-up pansies.'
The sound of the conversation broke into his thoughts, making his green eyes narrow and his jaw tighten.
"Ha, yeah whoever gets him is gonna be a lucky bastard. He's one of the most stuck-up out of all of them. Used to be head of the Kuchiki clan, can you imagine?"
Kenpachi's head snapped up, hand tightening on the hilt of his zanpakuto as the same voice continued.
"If it was me that got him, I'd make that bitch live on his knees, make him suck me off all day. Could beat the shit out of him, then screw his lily-white ass while he's unconscious. Then again, I bet he'd make some pretty sounds while taking it up the ass. Maybe I'll wait till he wakes up from the beating."
'Sick fuck-faces.'
Kenpachi balled his fist to rearrange the sadistic pervert's face, but he stopped himself abruptly.
'There'll be others, and another time for that. What I need to do is find the princess myself and keep him safe from these scumbags.'
His insides roiled from the loss of a chance at violence, and he couldn't help thinking, 'the fuckin' things I have to do sometimes…Kuchiki, you owe me for this.'
Kenpachi stepped up to the group. Immediately recognizing him, the ragged men bowed respectfully, spouting out fearful greetings.
"Whatcha boys talkin' bout?" the big man drawled.
One filthy man spoke, his voice identifying him as the one Kenpachi had overheard.
"Did ya hear? Byakuya Kuchiki was betrayed by a member of his own clan! They caught him skulking around and now there's gonna be a competition to decide who gets to keep him. Man, some lucky bastard is gonna get to train that stuck-up trash, make him into their personal fuck-toy."
Kenpachi clenched his jaw.
'These little shits are Rukon; they should know this is wrong.'
It took everything he had not to flatten the speaker. Even through his anger, he knew this wasn't the time for brute force.
Unfortunately, strategizing had never been his strong point.
"When and where is this 'competition'?"
~xXx~
In the town square nearby, Byakuya clenched his fists where they were bound behind his back, feeling the sting as the reinforced metal cuffs bit into his wrists.
He kept his face serene, ignoring the practically salivating group of men in a circle around him. They made dire threats and vulgar gestures to describe exactly what they wanted to do to him, and he was all too aware that they would have started already if not for the rivalry among them to be the first to claim him.
Only a few feet away in any direction, the rabble jeered and mocked, and Byakuya was able to catch that there was to be some sort of contest to decide who was going to be his 'master'.
A shudder made his insides quiver.
'Gods, I didn't have a chance once Isas betrayed me. I know it had to be him. Only he and Tetsuya knew my location and intent. But that is pointless to dwell on now. I must focus on survival.'
Three of the mob stepped forward, and his captain's haori and hairpieces were torn from him. He flinched slightly as the cruel treatment resulted in several strands of hair being liberated from his scalp.
The haori was ripped free of his body and soon shredded among the howling men.
Driven by each other's energy, more of his tormentors stepped forward to tear at his uniform.
Clad only in tatters, Byakuya was abruptly pushed to his knees, hair pulled to tilt his head back so he was looking up at the men closing in on him.
"Hey."
Several of the men froze.
"What's goin' on here? I thought there was gonna be a competition to decide who gets him?"
Byakuya felt his eyes widen, recognizing the deep, antagonistic voice.
'Dear gods. Is he here for me, as well?'
The men hauled him to his feet and onto a pedestal of sorts, and Byakuya forgot his near nudity when he saw Kenpachi glaring at him. The aggressive gaze filled him with trepidation, and almost unconsciously, he tugged futilely at his cuffs.
'He looks like he wants to rip me apart...and he's all too happy to kill someone to earn the right.'
Byakuya stared as the massive barbarian stepped closer, head and shoulders above even the tallest of the mob. He realized he was more afraid now than he had been when the rabble had closed in on him.
Still staring at Kenpachi, Byakuya failed to notice the two men climbing up onto the small pedestal-like stage behind him. Seeing the younger man's eyes dart over his shoulder, Byakuya turned, just in time to get slapped so hard that he fell to one knee.
The other man grabbed his jaw, bending down to lick his stinging cheek.
"You and your shitty noble friends shoulda never hidden the truth from us! You're gonna get what you deserve, you and all the other fuckin' liars."
Then Kenpachi was on the stage, shouldering the smaller attackers aside.
"Hey now! I intend to win 'im, an' I don't wan'im marked up and stinking of the likes of you, ya miserable scum! Fuckin' get back before I rip your head off right here."
Byakuya trembled as he found himself staring up at the huge Rukon survivor, who was wearing his insane grin.
"I'm gonna win ya, Princess, then you'll be mine."
Kenpachi saw Byakuya's eyes widen with shock and fear as he boldly declared his 'intentions'.
Around him, the small crowd cheered and made vulgar comments about what he should do to the captured noble that was still on one knee in front of him.
He'd never been a big liar, and he dared not even wink at Byakuya to reassure him. Knowing he had to be convincing, Kenpachi grabbed the smaller Soul Reaper and hauled him to his feet, shaking him a bit.
"You jus' stand here and look pretty. Save your strength and breath cause you'll need 'em for what I got planned for you, sweetheart."
Byakuya's eyes widened further as he struggled to pull away, much to the twisted amusement of the mob. KenpachI snarled and shook him again.
"What'd I just say? Get used to taking orders, Princess."
Just then, he saw the crowd parting as a tall, white-haired man walked in.
He felt an immediate deep unease about the stranger's strangely luminous golden eyes, and the noble whose arm he held shivered almost imperceptibly.
The man stopped in front of the pedestal and smiled up at them, which only made Kenpachi's instincts growl louder.
Something's not right about this bastard. He's one of those tricky ones.
"Looks like I've got competition for the lovely Kuchiki Clan Head," the stranger purred, "I am pleased if that is so."
Kenpachi grinned, thinking quickly.
"Damn straight it is. Little bastard's been puttin' me down since the day we met. Can't wait to give'im what he's got coming to him."
The stranger laughed, and Kenpachi felt Byakuya tense even further. He carefully tightened his grip on the older man's arm, unsure if the move would be taken as reassurance or as a threat.
When he felt a faint tremor pass through his 'prisoner', he had his answer.
For the first time, Kenpachi noticed that Byakuya hadn't said a damn thing to defend himself this whole time.
Was his silence a sign that he was strategizing?
Or was he afraid?
~xXx~
Faces set with determination, two shinigamis based in the human world headed through the living area of the candy shop they ran, heading for the end of the hallway.
"Is everyone here?" Kisuke asked as he followed Tessai down the long ladder, into the hidden underground training room, "I touched bases with Shunsui, and he told me that Orihime's got Juushiro stabilized, and they're all settled into the safe house. Soi Fon is doing some reconnoitering around the area where Yoruichi is being held and Toshiro and his bunch are infiltrating the upper Rukongai to get information on Byakuya's situation."
"I heard about that," Tessai acknowledged, "I think Isas would sell his own soul if he thought it would save him."
"Well, he didn't sell his soul, but he sold out Byakuya and even his own damned heir, the coward."
"He is a disgrace to any name…"
"I have to agree with you there," Kisuke sighed, "Now, Isshin and Ichigo are with the Ishidas in the shadows with the quincies, but they're using their resources there to spy on Hiroto."
"You mean the two quincy officers that Orihime healed?"
"Yeah, Haschwald and Bazzbee. Both of'em promised to help Uryuu calm the chaos Ywach left behind there, and to try to help us get things in order here. Now that we stopped Ywach from destroying our worlds, we've gotta keep from letting panic destroy what's left."
Tessai nodded briefly and indicated the three young men waiting near the base of the ladder.
"Kuchiki Tetsuya arrived safely," he reported, "He was naturally very upset about Byakuya's capture, but fortunately, he realized that there was no good in going and getting himself into trouble too. We've got enough of that. Also, as you can see, the moocher and Shuuhei Hisagi made it, as well.
Kisuke nodded.
"Mmhmm, it was already difficult for us to finagle a pass for Tetsuya because the noble families had been so crappy to the mixed bloods. He doesn't want to attract attention to himself by going after Byakuya now."
The shopkeeper turned an observing eye on the blue-eyed half-noble.
"Besides, I have another job for him, now that he's in Hiroto's good graces."
"What's that, Boss?" Tessai inquired, following the former twelfth division captain's gaze.
Kisuke smirked.
"Seems when Isas's nasty demon heir was captured, he was made Hiroto's little pet. Tetsuya has a way into the household, and he's not a person they suspect would ever help someone like Orochi, who was known to have abused him. Tetsuya's gonna go in there and get Orochi out."
Tessai scowled.
"He's as beastly as his father. That little snake is lucky we are planning to rescue him at all."
"Well," Kisuke said, shrugging, "unfortunately, it we wanna win this thing and get the Seireitei back from Hiroto, we're gonna have to have a few of the bad boys on our side."
"Someone call my name?" asked a gruff male voice as a blue-haired hollow dropped down from within the shop.
"Hey, Grimmjow," Kisuke chuckled, "Thanks for coming. Do you have any information for me?"
"Yeah," the former Espada said, frowning, "and you aren't gonna like it."
"Oh?"
Kisuke glanced at the others.
"Hey Tessai, why don't you go and get everyone ready? I'm gonna go chat with Grimmjow for a minute. I'll be right back."
"Sure thing, Boss."
Kisuke and the hollow climbed the ladder, back up into the shop and headed for the kitchen.
"You hungry?" Kisuke asked.
"Naw, but I'm definitely thirsty," Grimmjow answered, smirking, "And you're gonna need a drink when you hear what I've got to tell you."
"What's that?" Kisuke inquired, taking a dark colored bottle down from the cupboard and pouring the contents into two small glasses.
Grimmjow accepted one of the glasses and took a long swig.
"You're on the hit list," he announced, narrowing his eyes.
"Right," Kisuke mused, taking a long drink.
Then he paused and rubbed his chin as he thought.
"You don't look shocked," Grimmjow commented dryly.
"Not really," Kisuke agreed, "but it's not good news, and it couldn't have come at a worse time."
"Well, at least you know. That way, if there's trouble…"
Grimmjow scowled as he heard a sudden, soft hissing sound and picked up the faint traces of a foul and frighteningly familiar odor.
"SHIT!" he shouted, grabbing the surprised shopkeeper, "We gotta get outta here. There's gas…"
The floor quivered under their feet and the two men exchanged horrified glances as the sound of an approaching roar reached them. Kisuke felt a harder jolt of surprise as he was lifted off his feet and thrown over the former Espada's shoulder and Grimmjow employed his sonido, bolting out the door, just as the candy shop erupted into a huge ball of fire.
"SSSSSSHHHHHHHEEEEEEEEEEIIIIIIIIIIIITTTTTTT!" Grimmjow howled as he was tossed off his feet, thrown through the air, still hanging on to the blonde man so that both came crashing down unceremoniously into the backyard koi pond.
The two men blinked and stared at each other, then Kisuke said in a dazed tone.
"Ah, where's my hat?"
Grimmjow's hand moved and he lifted the sopping striped hat out of the pond and deposited it onto Kisuke's head, dumping the water so it ran in streams down the shopkeeper's face and over his shoulders.
"Thanks for that," Kisuke panted softly.
"Don't mention it."
XXXXXXXXXX
Down in the underground training room, the four men gathered there exchanged alarmed looks at the soft quaking that became steadily stronger until it grew into a deafening roar. Amidst the din, Renji Abarai's voice sounded in an angry snarl.
"Bankai! Hihio Zabimaru!"
The skeletal snake's scream drowned out the sound of the huge explosion that ripped through the candy shop and training room. Within the protected area the snake surrounded, the men were immediately upended and they crashed to the sandy floor. They quickly surged back onto their feet, coughing as dust flooded the air.
"Tessai!" Renji bellowed, "You've got to get us outta here. Zabi's strong, but I think the whole shop is coming down!"
"Tetsuya-san," Tessai called out, "help me open the garganta!"
"I'm on it!" Tetsuya shouted back.
Hurry, Renji's zanpakuto spirit hissed in his mind, the weight of the debris is crushing.
"Yeah," the redhead acknowledged, looking worriedly at the others, "I know. Hang in there."
Shuuhei moved closer to Renji as the two watched Tessai and Tetsuya quickly working to open the doorway for their escape.
"C'mon," Renji panted, breaking out in a sweat as an ominous creaking warned him of his bankai's limits that were quickly being reached, "Come on, guys…"
The two men working on their exit completed their tasks and hurried back to join the others as loud cracking sounds signaled the destruction that was about to happen. They could barely hear the shrill tearing sound of the garganta as it opened in front of them. The four dove through immediately, bringing a little cloud of dust inside with them. They slammed down onto the bright reiatsu that Tetsuya laid down for them, their eyes haunted as they looked back at the tear that quickly closed behind them.
"Boss," Tessai breathed anxiously.
"Do you think Kisuke and Grimmjow were able to get out?" Renji asked in a haunted voice, unconsciously grabbing onto Shuuhei's arm for support.
"We can't know their fate," Tetsuya reasoned, "but neither can we hesitate. There is no going back, and there are lives hanging in the balance that we must try to save."
"Tetsuya is right," Tessai said, shaking his head, "Kisuke would tell us to worry about what we can't do later and focus on what's in front of us."
"Not that we can see what's in front of us in here," Renji joked half-heartedly, "Thank goodness we have Tetsuya laying the trail and not Ichigo. Ichigo's reiatsu trails are a mess, not neat and smooth like this."
Tetsuya smiled briefly at the compliment as he quickly led the others through the darkness and into Hueco Mundo.