Chapter Twenty Four:

Byakuya's instincts roared into life as he grabbed the hand of his Hollow companion, shooting them backwards in a burst of Shunpo as the training ground detonated. Keeping his eyes peeled despite the shards of fence and floor scattered in his direction, the Division Six Taichou bit his tongue, scanning the arena for signs of what to expect.

He could feel Renji's reiatsu shifting, twisting and turning behind the smoke and dust. It was strong, stronger than he'd ever felt it. He wasn't sure if it reflected Renji's growth in the outside world too, but if it did then he truly needed to beg forgiveness for being blind to his own Fukutaichou's progression.

Bankai. If it was true... If Renji really had unlocked Bankai... He would be the first of his year to have done so. Ichigo was close, but had Renji really beaten him to it in secret?

"What are ya doin'?! Fuckin' attack!" Shiro's voice was curt in his ear.

"I don't require your advice on how to do battle." He snapped sharply, lifting his hands, "Ye lord! Mask of blood and flesh, all creation, flutter of wings, ye who bears the name of Man! On the wall of blue flame, inscribe a twin lotus. In the abyss of conflagration, wait at the far heavens! Hado 73: Sōren Sōkatsui!"

A violent blast of brilliant blue energy erupted from his palms, streaking through the air with devastating effect. It ripped through the debris like it was nothing and for the briefest of moments Byakuya caught sight of his opponent.

A hugely magnified version of his Shikai, Renji's Bankai was enormous. Resembling the skeleton of a snake, Zabimaru had gained many more, much larger separating segments resembling a vertebral column with sharp pick protrusions. A serpentine skull rose at the head of the beast with crimson fur erupting around the base. With an ape fur cowl around his shoulders Renji cut an imposing figure.

How had he been so blind?

"Oh he's fuckin' huge." Shiro breathed, grin twisting tighter, "I don't think pretty spells are gonna get ya far."

"I have no other options." He muttered, "Senbonzakura is not at my side."

"Well of course it ain't. This is King's world, not yours." The Hollow raised his eyebrows and sighed in a moody manner, rolling his eyes, "Ugh I guess it can't be helped. Don't fuckin' drop me."

Byakuya frowned in confusion at his words, flinching as he was momentarily blinded by a flash of white light. He threw a hand up to shield his face, lowering them only when the light had lessened. He found himself staring at Zangetsu, the blade was sticking out of the ground and didn't look entirely as he remembered it. It seemed the colours had inverted, where black usually sat white now bleached it clean and where white had formerly belonged he now saw black.

Shiro's warning now made sense and as he sensed movement heading in their direction, the raven haired Taichou darted forwards, tearing the huge blade free as he narrowly dodged the crushing weight of Renji's Bankai. He twisted on his heel, slicing at the spinal column with a heft swing, eyes narrowing as he simply cut through the vibrant reiatsu used to hold the creature together.

It was hard to wield Zangetsu. It was so much larger than Senbonzakura, and he was not attuned to the blade like he was with his own Zanpakutō. Each heft and cleave made his back muscles spasm with effort. Each lift and slam made his arms quake with the force it took to move the impressive sized sword. The fact that Ichigo had managed to attune himself to such a beast spoke volumes about his natural ability.

He ducked beneath another vicious swing of Zabimaru, hissing as a protrusion snagged his back and sent him flying. He almost dropped Zangetsu, but remembering the Hollow's words he just about managed to hold on. He danced around the arena, diving aside and avoiding the worst of the attacks. Even with his superior Shunpo he wasn't able to penetrate Renji's defence with any ease. Every time he grew close enough to act he was almost snatched away by the maw of the snake.

He found himself really wishing he had Senbonzakura at his side, as powerful as Zangetsu was he longed for his nimble petals.

"Tch, ya don't need that prima donna pussy to win. Ya got somethin' far more valuable right now."

Byakuya bristled at the insult to his Zanpakutō but resisted the urge to comment, or rather was prevented from making the rebuke as his body went rigid. He almost allowed the sword to slide through his fingers again, but his grip tightened instinctively. His body stiffened, back arching as he released a startled moan of discomfort.

He could feel something welling inside, something bubbling, boiling, rising, coiling. It was like an infection tainting his insides. He could see Renji stalking towards him like an animal. The desire to kill prominent in his features.

Unexpected darkness swallowed him, squeezing and suffocating him as the feeling of hands wrapping around his own brought a flittering moment of warmth to his skin. His arms lifted into the air, holding Zangetsu high above his head. He wasn't moving them, someone else was.

"Trust me."

Byakuya saw Renji freeze, his expression changing into something like panic, fear even. He couldn't work out why until he watched sea blue reiatsu winding around the huge blade over head, winding tighter and tighter, growing crisper and sharper. He knew this feeling. He'd seen it. In Karakura town.

"Getsuga Tenshou!" His lips moved but it wasn't his voice which escaped, it was cold, watery, dark and in an instant his arms were brought down sharply, the eruption of reiatsu released was cataclysmic.

He was thrown off his feet and crashed to the floor, sliding across the ground until he hit a wall. Zangetsu clattered from his grasp and he released a choked gargle.

He felt strong arms wrap around him, his head cradled in someone's lap. He barely had the energy to lift his head, let along open his eyes but curiosity drew him back from the brink of unconsciousness, and he found himself looking up at Ichigo's Hollow.

"I said don't fuckin' drop me."

"What... What did you do to me?" He asked, voice cracking.

Shiro, for what it might have been worth, looked remorseful, "Shit, I didn't think it would take this much outta ya. I'm sorry..."

"That was Ichigo's technique... The one he used... One the Arrancar in Karakura. How did you... How did I..." He winced at how pathetic he sounded.

"I'm a facet of his power same as the Old Man... I can use their techniques too... I figured... Pineapple wouldn't expect you to do it. So I... Possessed ya a little bit." Shiro looked uncomfortable, "I didn't expect it to tire ya this much... King's got a deeper well of reiatsu to draw from I guess..."

"I'll be fine." He muttered, forcing himself to sit up. He shook his head to clear his thoughts, feeling his strength returning, "You're powerful."

"I'll take that as a compliment."

"I appreciate your aid, just... Warn me next time." Byakuya offered a small smile and got to his feet, wincing as his shoulders creaked from the effort.

Turning on the spot as he heard something in the distance, Byakuya was surprised to feel Shiro's fingers curl around his wrist without explanation, although the moment their skin made contact the world lurched around them and the ground opened beneath their feet dropping them into the chasm below.

They twisted and warped as they fell, flittering images passing their gazes, distant memories belonging to the strawberry they were searching for. Byakuya recognised some of them, seeing himself in them, but others were completely foreign to him; he could see Aizen in some of them, Gin and Tōsen in others. Some of them he had to turn away from, not wanting to know what happened in the depths of those moments, amidst the flashes of bare flesh and shifting bedsheets.

The pair crashed to a stone floor, Shiro landed on top of Byakuya, rousing a grunt from the noble as his ribs were crushed under his pressure. The Hollow grumbled, rubbing his head as he sat up, looking around to see where they had ended up. The noble was wincing from where the open wound on his shoulder was pressed so firmly against the floor, small black spots entering his vision from the pain.

"Eh... This still looks like Soul Society..." Shiro blinked as he realised he was still straddled over the noble and peered down at him.

"It looks a little like Division Twelve to me." Byakuya agreed, looking around from his position, he paused as he saw a gentle flush rise in the albinos' cheeks, taking him by surprise, "Are you alright?"

"Y-Yeah..." Shiro swallowed and carefully got to his feet, helping the noble up as well, "Division Twelve huh? Ain't that Urahara's old stompin' ground?"

"Indeed, before he was exiled he was the Taichou here." He nodded, brushing his shihakusho down restlessly as he started walking.

Turning several corners, the noble found that the Division wasn't remotely laid out like it was in reality, there were more dead ends and twists than Mayuri was capable of imagining, it was almost enough to make him lose hope of ever finding a way back out of the maze, but Shiro's presence provided some comfort, despite the Hollow being just as lost as he was.

Frowning deeply, Byakuya came to a sharp stop, looking left and then right at the crossroads he'd guided them to, he huffed and rested his hands on his hips, wondering if this was the puzzle they had to solve, or if it was merely the appetizer.

His ears pricked as he heard a gentle hum of music from somewhere to their left, tilting his head as he also detected laughter and exchanges of humorous insults. Those were two very familiar voices and he found himself following them towards the source.

The noble's expression turned to one of annoyance as he found himself stood outside of a tavern, one which he knew to reside in Rukongai, it was a favourite haunt of Renji's whenever the man was off duty.

"Oh why do I feel like I know exactly what is behind this door." He muttered, pinching the bridge of his nose.

Shiro broke into a wide grin, cackling loudly, "This is gonna be fun!"

The stench of saké burned his nose and made him wince in distaste, the entire room reeked of the stuff and he only knew one man who had the stomach for that level of alcohol. Suspicions confirmed as he laid eyes on the relaxed form of Shunsui Kyōraku, the man's trademark hat was tilted low over his face and he was reclining on the floor with his outlandishly pink kimono draped over his shoulders. Beside him, the equally tranquil figure of Kisuke Urahara, sipping from his saké bowl and waving lazily at them.

"Ah there you are! We were beginning to think you'd never arrive. Thought we'd have to send out a search party. Byakuya-san. Shiro-san." Urahara topped his bowl up and prodded Kyōraku in the ribs.

"Hmm? Oh, are they here?" The man sat up slowly, nudging his hat back just enough to peer at them, "Oh finally! Come and sit down, let's share a drink."

Byakuya's eyes furrowed deeply as he stared at the two, glancing at his albino companion in confusion, "What is going on?"

"Well, we're in the presence of the two laziest pair of idiots I've ever met." Came the snorted reply, "Come on, we don't have to worry about these two."

"I see." He muttered, refusing the drink which was offered, "So, how do we progress from here?"

"Progress?" Urahara asked, "Why not just stay for a while, relax, take the weight off your feet Byakuya-san."

"I'm afraid that isn't possible. I really have to continue, I need to find Ichigo."

"Ugh, so blunt. So formal." Kyōraku complained, covering his face again.

"Will you let us pass?" Byakuya pressed.

The pair shared a look, and as if something of a silent understanding passed between them, Kyōraku chuckled, "We will. But only if you indulge us first."

"What could I possibly have which you desire?"

Urahara sat up a little straighter, staring at him as the atmosphere began to shift, the lull of saké growing stronger by the second, growing more intoxicating by scent alone. Byakuya felt his head spin slightly as his body became heavy and he tried to blink his way through his, faltering at how tired he found himself becoming.

"Aw no fair! Ya can't just will him into a bein' drunk!" Shiro's voice sounded far away but close at the same time.

"We are lazy, and we are bored." Urahara muttered, "If Byakuya-san is as intelligent as Ichigo thinks then I want to test that. You will indulge us in a game of riddles. If you win, you may progress. If you lose... You stay here forever."

"You have got to be joking." The noble slurred, resting a hand on the floor to steady himself, "If that's the... Case at least stop with the... Fog..."

"This is our territory, so it is our rules. Take it or leave it."

Byakuya shot a glare at the pair, "Fine. Get on with it." He groaned as he slipped and found himself flat on his back, staring up at the ceiling angrily.

"Would you like to start, or shall I?" Urahara addressed Kyōraku politely.

"I shall take the first one, pour the drinks in the meantime." A lazy hand wave was given.

Silence fell for several long minutes, Byakuya wondered if the man had fallen asleep, he could hear a gentle rumble of breathing from his general direction but he found himself incapable of moving to look or sate his curiosity.

"A cloud was my mother, the wind is my father, my son is the cool stream, and my daughter is the fruit of the land. A rainbow is my bed, the earth my final resting place, what am I?" The voice was sudden and confident.

The noble frowned as he considered the words, sucking in a deep breath as he found the smell of saké wasn't quite as pungent as before, perhaps he was becoming used to it, he made the sound at the back of his throat as he thought, the fog in his head certainly wasn't helping his cognitive abilities, and yet somehow he felt like the answer would be related to Ichigo, related to some part of his life or his soul. It made sense after all, this was Ichigo's Inner World. Everything was, in some way, about him.

"Rain?" He asked, he had often heard Ichigo grumbling about hating the rain, but he had never discovered the reason.

"Correct."

"The shorter I am, the bigger I am. What am I?" Urahara's voice came next, slurred through tiredness but no less confident in his abilities to trip the noble up.

He mumbled the words back to himself, huffing gently as he found himself already annoyed by the ridiculous game, he raised an eyebrow as Shiro's face suddenly appeared over his, apparently checking to see if he was still working on an answer. There was something on the other's expression, a smug satisfaction which suggested the Hollow already had the answer. He huffed again, an action he felt he was becoming far to familiar with, his annoyance flickering. He'd always had a short... He groaned and wanted to slap himself, "A temper."

"Aw, I thought that one was going to get you for sure." The blond's pout was audible.

"Yo, can I do one? This looks fun."

"No!" Byakuya hissed.

"Yes! Make sure its a good one though!" Urahara sounded almost elated by the Hollow's interest.

"Alright, alright gimme a sec here..." There was a quiet tapping sound as fingers tickled the wooden floorboards, "Oh okay, I got one! I'd grab a hold of all I can, restless in my spree, amidst the crimes I hung a man, and then the man hung me. I met some more of my own kind, we really got along, in open hid where none could find, except the dead and gone."

"What the fuck?" Byakuya growled, glaring up at the Hollow furiously, "You're meant to be helping me, not hindering me!"

"That's a good one, I'm impressed." Kyōraku's voice was full of genuine praise, "I'm not sure even I know the answer to that one."

Groaning, he raised an arm over eyes eyes, blotting out the sight of the room as he considered the riddle. It was far more in depth than those of the others, and he made a silent vow to punish his companion for his meddling once they were free.

"I'd grab a hold of all I can..." He repeated to himself, "Relentless in my spree... Mm... Amidst the crimes I hung a man... Hung... So it has to be some kind of restraint... Mm, and then the man hung me... Definitely a restraint, some kind of... Substance... Mm... I really hate you right now. Can I hear the rest again?"

"I met some more of my own kind, we really got along, in open hid where none could find, except the dead and gone."

"Thanks, I think." He clicked his tongue against his teeth, "Met more of my own kind... After being hung? Ugh. Where none could find, except the dead and gone... Mm. Wait..." He muttered the riddle under his breath again, scowling at his arm as his jaw clenched, "Is it a spider's web?"

"Aw damn it! I thought I had ya with that one!" The Hollow sounded disappointed, but a quick glance at his face revealed a bright smile.

"You are a bastard Shiro." Byakuya rolled his eyes, sitting up with a struggle and holding a hand out, "I'll have that drink now, if you don't mind, I'm going to need it to get through this."

"Are you not enjoying our little game?" Kyōraku pouted.

"I am enjoying it as much as one might enjoy sticking pins in their eyes." He muttered, "But it makes a pleasant change from fighting I suppose."

"I mean, we could fight if you really wanted." Urahara shrugged, "But personally I'd rather just... Chill..."

"Come on, next riddle!" Shiro whined.

"Ah, good point Shiro-san... I think it is your turn, Kyōraku." The blond man grinned.

Allowing the pink kimono to slide from his shoulders as he sat up properly, the heavily intoxicated man sighed deeply, "Mm... It's been around for millions of years, but is never more than a month old. What is it?"

Eyebrows almost disappeared under his hair at that, staring with a disgruntled expression, "Really? It's the moon."

"Wha-?" Kyōraku looked annoyed momentarily, "How did you-?"

"It is unfortunate for you that I have studied the phases of the moon since childhood, a pet hobby of mine." He flicked his hair over his shoulder smugly.

"Well damn." The man complained, folding his arms in a sulk, "Alright, well choke on this one then! You can swallow me, but I can consume you too. What am I?"

"Pride." He muttered, looking off to the side as if he was beginning to get bored, "I can't believe you'd try to trip me up with one of my biggest personality traits."

"Flaws more like." Shiro muttered.

Clearly furious, the Kyōraku grabbed the bottle of saké from his comrade and started drinking straight from it, flopping backwards as the bottle slipped from his grasp and clattered to the floor, empty. Low, angry snores escaping from under the straw hat.

"My, my it isn't like him to get so wound up when he loses." Urahara smirked, setting his saké cup down now it was obvious he wouldn't be getting anymore, "I guess it is down to me to finish this challenge."

"If you must." The noble heaved a sigh.

"You heard me before, yet you hear me again, but then I die, until you call me again. What am I?" The blond rested an arm over his raised knee.

"An echo. My goodness this really is becoming tiresome."

Jaw clenched, the man exhaled slowly through his nose, glaring slightly, "I live in my little house all alone. There are no windows or doors, and if I want to go out, I have to break through the wall. What am I?"

It took a few minutes, but the bored expression never left Byakuya's face, "A chick in its shell."

"Man, have ya ever had yer ass handed to ya quite so thoroughly?" Shiro smirked mockingly at their remaining host.

"Shut up you." He replied angrily, standing up sharply, "Last riddle! If you get this one then I'll let you progress onwards!"

"Then hurry up and let's get this over with." The noble stood up slowly, fists clenched at his sides.

"It cannot be seen whenever it is there, it fills up a room and is much like the air. It cannot be touched, there is nothing to hear. It is quite harmless, there is nothing to fear."

Tension flooded the room, the noble took a few confident steps forward, coming almost nose to nose with Urahara, his eyes narrowing as he glared at him, "Darkness."

There was a moment of complete silence, and without warning Urahara and Kyōraku crumbled into nothingness. Byakuya stared and looked confused, not entirely sure if that meant he had won or lost, glancing at Shiro. He let out a surprised yelp as the room suddenly turned on its side, throwing them both towards the wall. He reached out, grabbing the Hollow's hand just in time as they smashed through the window.