Chapter 1
Underneath the high ceiling of the throne room in Las Noches, Lord Aizen sits lazily upon his throne. His loyal Espada are standing in various positions along the sides of the room while Gin Ichimaru and Kaname Tosen, both former Captains of the Gotei 13, are flanking Aizen on either side. The room is silent, as if every occupant is holding their breath, unsure of the reason for their summons, yet somehow sensing the gravity of what is about to occur.
Suddenly, the grand doors to the chamber burst open, revealing two unnamed arrancar. Behind them, a young man, no older than fifteen, is being dragged along by a set of heavy chains that are connected to the shackles adorning his wrists.
The young man is pulled forward and forcefully deposited on the floor in the center of the room. He falls to his knees, head hanging and body slumped. His only visible distinguishing feature is his blazing orange hair.
"It's nice of you to join us, Ichigo Kurosaki." Aizen says, the words flowing from his lips like expensive silk, echoing through the cavernous space. His tone is soft, yet demanding, and at the utterance of his name, Ichigo obediently complies to Aizen's unspoken command. He lifts his head to meet Aizen's gaze, his eyes dull and distant, almost lifeless.
"Have you reconsidered my offer, Ichigo?" Lord Aizen asks his captive. His words are laced with a calm veneer, expertly concealing his apprehension toward the young man's reply.
"I have." Ichigo answers simply, his tone devoid of all emotion.
"And what have you decided?" Aizen presses, leaning forward in his throne, anxiously awaiting Ichigo's answer.
Ichigo's brown eyes seem to regain their life as a flicker of strength passes through his gaze. When he speaks, his voice is sure, determined, leaving no doubt at the truth of his declaration.
"My power and strength are yours to command, Lord Aizen. I am loyal to you, and you alone."
It's been two months since Ichigo went missing. Roughly 1,460 hours since his reiatsu vanished from the living world without a trace, leaving his friends worried and confused as they scrambled to piece together the mystery of his disappearance. It's not as if Ichigo hasn't disappeared before, his impromptu training with the Visored being a prime example. But this feels different somehow. He's never been gone for this long before; His training with Shinji and the other Visoreds only went on for a month and a half before he was pulled back into the fray to rescue Orihime from Hueco Mundo. However, what is most concerning to the group is that Kisuke Urahara, the man who seems to know everything about everyone at all times, is just as clueless as they are.
The first few days of Ichigo's absence only aroused minor concern from his friends, other than Orihime, of course, who seems to be in a constant state of worry about Ichigo's well-being. But, by the end of the first week, their worry gave way to unease, and from there quickly devolved. Now, as the eighth week draws to a close, their desperation has reached new heights, weighing heavily upon their already fraying composure.
"I just don't understand why Soul Society is refusing to get involved!" Renji shouts angrily, slamming his hands down roughly on the table in front of him, the force of his gesture rattling the steaming cups of tea that have recently been placed on the table's surface. The red-haired Shinigami is seated stiffly on the floor across from Urahara, with Rukia on his left and Uryū on his right.
The four occupants of the room have been arguing non-stop for nearly an hour, and at this point, they seem to just be going around in circles instead of making actual progress. It's obvious that they're all exhausted.
Urahara sighs heavily, flicking his green fan open in front of his face, with much less gusto than usual, as he closes his eyes and tries to compose his thoughts. "As I've said, Soul Society has involved themselves by sending you and Rukia to the World of the Living to aid us in the search. Could they do more to help? Probably. But we have to consider that they are still preparing for a war. Unlike us, Ichigo is not one of their top priorities."
"Well, he damn well should be!" Renji growls, his fists clenching. "Ichigo has saved all of our asses countless times. We owe it to him to at least-"
"We've already been over this, Renji." Rukia interjects, her soft, yet commanding tone immediately silencing Renji's tirade. "We won't be getting any more help from Soul Society. The Captain Commander has made his decision, and, as much as I hate to admit it, from a tactical standpoint it makes sense."
"How could you say that?! They ca-" Once again, Renji is cut off, this time by Uryū who, up until now, has been watching the discussion play out with a critical gaze.
"She's right. From where the Captain Commander stands, there really is only one logical option. How does that saying go, the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few? Ichigo, as important as he may be to us, is just one man. And with the Winter War rapidly approaching, Yamamoto can't just throw time, people, and resources at a mission that may or may not be a lost cause. Honestly, I'm surprised he allowed you and Rukia to come here in the first place." Uryū finishes, pushing up his glasses and nodding solemnly. Renji, for the first time since they began this discussion, is silent, contemplating the meaning behind Uryū's explanation.
"It's like I said," Urahara begins, breaking the tense silence and drawing everyone's attention back to him. "We're just going to have to work with what we have. Besides, I'm sure there are others who would be willing to help us." Urahara finishes offhandedly, waving his hand and snapping his fan shut simultaneously.
"What do you mean?" Rukia asks, her brows narrowed inquisitively as she attempts to decipher Urahara's hidden meaning.
There's a heavy beat of silence before Urahara abruptly stands. "I'll explain later after I've had a chance to speak with them. Until then, I recommend you all go home and get some rest. We'll talk again tomorrow." With that, Urahara exits the room, ignoring the protests from the other three occupants. He slides the door closed behind him, effectively shutting out his companion's disapproving words at his vague explanation and sudden departure. Urahara lets out a weighted breath, leaning back against the wall, his hat falling over his eyes.
"What have you gotten yourself into, Ichigo?"
A/N: To be honest, I've been debating posting this for about a month now because I wasn't sure if I would have the time to actually keep up with it. I'm writing two other multi-chapter stories and I recently got a new job, so things have been a little hectic lately. However, I just couldn't get the idea out of my head and the thought of posting this was too enticing to resist any longer. I can't promise to update regularly, or even very often, but this will eventually be finished. I decided when I started writing fanfiction that I would try not to abandon stories, and I plan to stick with that decision for as long as I can.
I have a vague idea of where I want this to go. I actually got the idea from another fanfic I was reading ("Surrounded" by Julesyo on .) That being said, if you like what you've read so far, don't hesitate to comment and let me know if there's anything you want to see in later chapters or if you have any ideas. Honestly, just don't be afraid to comment in general. I love hearing what people who read my stories have to say, and as long as it's not a flame comment, I will be receptive to any kind of constructive criticism and/or advice you may have!
Anyway, thank you so much for reading! I hope you enjoyed the first chapter!
Much Love,
Raven_Grey1469
