Chapter Eight: Talks & Jailbreaks
*Souls Society, Seireitei*
When Yoshiro stepped out of the portal, he looked around and just huffed a bit while moving, thinking to his inner hollow.
"were in the heart of the lion's den that's for sure eh?"
"indeed kit, keep your eyes, ears and nose sharp. You never know when an opportunity to escape could arise." She replied
"wait? My nose? I don't think my sense of smell is that good." He retorted.
"they are now kit; my power amplifies your base senses to a far higher degree. You can see, hear and smell just as well as any hollow if not more so. Seeing how you're a fox."
Yoshiro thought about what the hollow kitsune woman inside his head said. He decided to test it out. He looked at a faraway bird in the sky a good mile in the air above it was. Yet he could still make out all its' features clearly like it was right in his face. Something his normal eyes could never have done.
Next, he decided to test his hearing, he focused around him with it. he could hear the soft heartbeats of the soul reapers next to him. He was able to catch the tiniest sound of a jingle of keys. He decided to test it a bit more. He noticed a pair of individuals stand roughly a mile away to his right talking. He focused his hearing on them and was able to make out the conversation. They were talking about what was the better version of AC/DC. A topic that surprised him and he couldn't keep from thinking to himself. 'Brian version of the band is fine, but Bon will always be the best.'
"kit"
"right, sorry."
Finally he decided to test his sense of smell. He tried smelling what was around him. The snow top smelled like a forest during winter. Feint traces of pine mixed with traces of fresh snow. Next, he decided to focus his smell on the busty blond behind him. He sniffed a little, he picked up the smell of strawberries, peaches and a small touch of lavender. "that's a very nice perfume." He couldn't help to mutter out.
"excuse me?" said the woman
"your perfume." He stated, "it smells like a fruity field of flowers, I have to admit it's quite nice."
The blond was taken aback by his compliment and even though he was technically her prisoner. Rangiku couldn't help but appreciate the compliment and smiled a little back. "thank you Mr….?"
"Yoshiro" he stated, "my name is Yoshiro Abe."
"I see, I'm Rangiku Matsumoto" she replied
"a pleasure miss Matsumoto."
Then snow top spoke up "Matsumoto! Stop fraternizing with the prisoner." Then he made a glance to Yoshiro. "you stop trying to charm my second in command!"
"hey" Yoshiro chirped "I am just trying to enjoy myself a bit here. Chances are I am probably never going to leave this place, see my home or my loved ones ever again. So let me enjoy myself a bit before my life goes to complete and utter hell even if that means having pleasant conversation. With your second in command, who just also happens to be a very beautiful woman."
Snow top just huffed in annoyance and looked away from Yoshiro as they kept walking. Then Yoshiro glanced back to the woman he now knew as Rangiku.
"I don't think your superior understands the finer points of having polite conversation with women. Must be his age I imagine?" he spoke to her.
"Well you're not wrong about that." She simply replied
Suddenly the temperature around them dropped by a good 40 degrees it seemed like.
"Alright be killjoy then see if I care, kami you must be all sorts of fun at parties?" Yoshiro said with sarcasm.
"I think I'm successfully pissing him off." He said to his hollow
"I do believe so kit, though do be careful. While the child may not seem like much. Don't be fooled, that boy is a dragon." She replied with caution
"maybe but honestly I am too annoyed at this point to care all that much. I'm just gonna keep pissing him off as much as I can at this point. If anything to make the eventual escape, whenever that is. All the more satisfying." He mentally spoke.
"very well kit, I will admit I do want see how that will look. It's sure to be quite satisfying." She finished with a somewhat malicious giggle.
"Hey snow top" Yoshiro piped up
The kid turned his head back giving a glare. "what?" he questioned
"what's your name?" Yoshiro spoke "I already know your second in commands name and you know mine from when I spoke out earlier. So, what is it?"
"You don't need to know it just yet." He just replied coldly and turned away.
"Fine be that way. If you won't tell me, I'll just make one up to call you by for now. Considering what you looked like when you captured me." Then an almost cheshire like smirk spread across his face as he playfully said.
"How's 'Puff the Magic Dragon' sound to you?"
His inner hollow started to laugh hysterically. He swore he heard Rangiku snort unintentionally and while he couldn't see his face. He practically felt the veins in snow tops head pop out as the temp around them dropped to what felt like to single digits. Then snow top just turned his head around, giving a murderous glare and a dragon like snarl said. "Captain Toshiro Hitsugaya is my name, now shut up!"
"I think I finally reached my limit for the moment with him? I should back off for a bit at the moment I suppose?" He said to his hollow.
"I would highly recommend it kit. Though I have to admit watching you annoy him so thoroughly has been highly entertaining." she replied getting her laughter under control.
"I think your influencing me faster than I thought?"
"your welcome kit."
As they continued to walk along Yoshiro started to take the looks of the place, he was in. Everything was styled in an old world Japan way just built a lot nicer from what he could tell. 'If not for the current situation of things I would probably really enjoy looking at all this.' He thought to himself.
He noted all the entrances to certain complexes had numbers of sorts attached to them. They had started at one when they arrived, they had just started get near one that had eight on it. When someone out front of it noticed them and made their way to the group. Yoshiro recognized him; it was pink kimono man.
He approached the group and gave brief hello's to Toshiro and Rangiku. He then turned his attention to Yoshiro; his eyes went wide a bit when he noticed the hollow features. Then fixed his expression to more stoic one and spoke.
"maaa, maaa young man. You certainly have changed a bit since last we met." He said almost sadly while taking in the hollow features on the human's face.
"yeah I am well aware of that." Yoshiro said casually "also my name is Yoshiro Abe. Just to clear that up right away."
Pink kimono man looked a little surprised by the blond boy's politeness but responded. "I see, I'm Captain Shunsui Kyoraku of the 8th division. Nice to properly meet you."
"likewise sir" Yoshiro politely retorted.
Shunsui studied the young man for a bit then said. "I must admit you're a very interesting one young Abe. It's not everyday someone as unique as yourself shows up here. I have to say I am very intrigued in hearing your story."
"I imagine that's going to be running theme for me while I'm here sir. Oh and please just call me Yoshiro." The blond boy responded
"your awfully polite for a prisoner, Yoshiro." Chimed Shunsui.
"only when he wants to be." Piped of Toshiro
"hey, you brought that on yourself and you know it, captain Hitsugaya." Spoke Yoshiro.
"what happened exactly?" wondered Shunsui
"he wouldn't give me his name after I gave mine. So I came up for one to call him. He didn't take to kindly to it. I called him 'Puff the Magic Dragon." Said Yoshiro
Shunsui couldn't help but chuckle lightly with a small smile at that. Toshiro wasn't having any of it unfortunately.
"ENOUGH!" he yelled and then said in an aggravated tone. "Kyoraku, I'm taking him to my division for interrogation and holding. Would you like to join for the interrogation?" Shunsui simply nodded his head. "very well, I will send word to captain Sui-Feng as well. I am sure she will want to be a part of this all things considered."
Shunsui simply nodded again in agreement and they headed off together. They walked some more until they reached what was Toshiro's division. It had the same well-built appearance in old world japan style. He did note the front of it had red on it with the number ten as well. He was led through some hallways. Some other soul reapers that were walking about doing their work, would gasp upon seeing Yoshiro. It annoyed him to no end. Eventually he was brought to an interrogation room.
He was made to stand in the middle of the room, still cuffed and waited for everything to start. Kyoraku and Rangiku were in the room keeping guard, Toshiro went to change into new cloths and contact this Captain Sui-Feng. Yoshiro had to Figure she had to have been the small woman with the constant bitch face. About 15 minutes later of sitting in silence Toshiro walked back in changed with Sui-Feng walking in behind. She immediately gave Yoshiro and hate filled glare upon seeing him.
"how do you wish to approach this kit?" The hollow kitsune woman asked.
"I'm going pick and choose really. I can answer somethings truthfully depending on what the question is. Anything else I'll just give partial truths or try to lie through my teeth as much as I can. Sound good to you?"
"it's as good as you'll be able to do in the situation kit."
"Let's begin." Spoke Toshiro. "Your name is Yoshiro Abe correct?" Yoshiro nodded. "how old are you?"
"16" he replied
"born where and when" the captain asked
"born in Karakura, Japan on April 13th and I have lived there my whole life with my father having been Japanese."
Sui-Feng suddenly interjected "Bullshit! no one from that part of the world looks even remotely like you. Taking away your hollow features. Your lying, you freak!" she yelled out.
This pissed Yoshiro off and his hollow as well.
"why this ignorant, impish, low-breed sow! How dare she speak to you in such a manner!" the hollow angrily retorted
"don't worry I got this." He replied to his hollow and then he hardened his expression and focused on the small woman.
"let's sort a few out right here. I am Japanese, half anyways. My father was a full bloodied Japanese man. My mother was a half American and half native woman from Hawaii. I just happened to inherit almost all my looks from her side of the family. Also speak to me like that again and cuffs or no cuffs I knock some sense into you for your ignorance."
Everyone in the room stiffened up for a moment, then Sui-Feng snarled and put her face right up to Yoshiro's. "you better watch yourself freak. Your, not in any position to be saying such things. You might wanna considered doing something about your attitude?" she spat.
Now any rational person probably should have backed down in that moment all things considered. Yoshiro however in that moment was not one such person. He just directly looked at the bitchy woman in his face and putting a smirk on his face said.
"I'm aware of my situation thank you kindly. Also before you go off about me and my attitude, look at yourself and your attitude. You seem incredibly bitchy for no real reason, maybe you should shove off and get laid. It would probably do wonders for you. Granted that's probably an impossible task for you since you lack any kind of charm. Seeing as how stomping around like a fucking elephant on its menstrual cycle could never be found charming. Oh and before you retort that your perfectly able of getting laid let me just say. Your hands and that magic wand you probably keep in your desk doesn't fucking count!" he finished with gleeful smugness.
The whole room went quiet, all the soul reapers jaws a gape and eyes wide. Then Sui-Feng snapped out her shock and stared viciously at Yoshiro. Next thing the blond teen knew a knee had collided with his chest sending flying backwards and into the wall. A hand then clamped on his throat firmly and held him off the ground against the wall. An incredibly pissed off Sui-Feng was looking with murder in her eyes and her blade drawn, pointed at his chest.
'this feels an awful lot like deja'vu all of a sudden.' Yoshiro thought to himself. Before Sui-feng could stab him through the chest with extreme prejudice. Shunsui had came up and placed a firm hand on her sword arm. They stared at each other exchanging silent words. Eventually she let go and Yoshiro fell to the floor coughing for air. He eventually recovered and stood back up.
"Well then" spoke Shunsui. While I will admit Sui-Fengs' initial response went out of bounds a bit, your response was however out of line as well" he said firmly.
"yeah I know." Yoshiro stated. "I'm sorry that happened but I won't apologize for what I said. I've spent my whole life growing up in japan with people judging me purely for my looks. From insults to trying to beat me up and everything inbetween. It's become a hot button issue of mine."
Rangiku and Shunsui nodded in understanding, Sui-Feng just huffed angrily. Toshiro had raised his eyebrows in surprise at the statement. His expression even softened a little as he also nodded in understanding. Something Yoshiro couldn't help but notice.
"back to the questioning." Spoke Shunsui
"right" said Toshiro as he continued the interrogation. "You mentioned your parents. What can you tell about them?"
"Outside what I mentioned earlier? Not much outside of the fact there both dead. My father died when I was seven in a car accident and my mother died giving birth to me." He said somberly. That seemed to surprise the soul reapers a little. Toshiro continued.
"how long have you known the hollow?" he asked.
"not that long actually" Yoshiro said, it was a partial truth.
"they day we were searching for it and found you was it close by from where we met you?" Toshiro said.
"yes" was the blond boys' response.
"So you were purposely misleading us that day?" the captain asked, even though he already knew the answer.
"that's correct" he replied.
"Why?" asked Toshiro
"because" Yoshiro replied "she was a friend. When we first met, we just happened to randomly meet one night. while I was out on a roof top of an abandoned building playing my guitar and singing like I do sometimes. She must have caught the sound of things and decided to investigate it and found me. I have no idea how long she had been watching. When I finished a song, I just happened to look up and see her. When she realized I could see her she freaked out a bit and confronted me. I managed to talk her down and we agreed to just thang out on talk on the roof."
As Yoshiro spoke, he noticed the soul reapers were listening very intently. To his story.
"For whatever reason we kind of wound up bleeding our hearts out a bit to each other. I told her whatever she asked about me my life, my hobbies, my struggles etc. In return she answered all the questions I asked her. What she was, where she came from, what you guys were since she had mention soul reapers earlier. She even answered truthfully with me about how it was her kind tend to gain power and evolve themselves. You know the whole cycle of eating souls and other hollows and the different forms of hollows from the low level ones too vasto lords."
That caught the soul reapers off guard. Toshiro spoke.
"it told you about the habits and instincts of its kind and you befriended it?"
"yes" and it's 'she' not 'it'." The blond teen said "I simply attributed it to simple nature for what's necessary for survival. No different from any other being in the world that has born instincts and habits required for their survival. I don't see a reason to fault someone for that."
"These beings consume the souls of people and themselves, they exist as monsters." Toshiro stated coldly.
That angered Yashiro he practically yelled back. "They only exist because you all fail to do your jobs to begin with! You fail to reach them when there still normal souls like your supposed to. They linger to long and turn because you can't do what your supposed to do! Then you have audacity to call them monsters!? When they exist to begin with because of your faults. That's bullshit!"
The soul reapers didn't know how to react to that outburst, Yoshiro continued.
"you get so focused on simply seeing them as nothing but monsters. You forget that their still people, changed certainly but still people none the less. I know that some hollows can be brutal beast like you claim but that doesn't apply to them all. There are those that can still remember who they are, they are still essential who they are even after changing. Yet you all simply and ignorantly ignore that fact and kill them all the same. You can't judge everyone simply because of who or what they are.
The soul reapers were in silence, perhaps they knew on some level he was right. More, right then they would ever care to admit. Then Toshiro walked over to Yoshiro and calmly said.
"Yoshiro…. The vasto lord you know, you are closer to her than just friend, aren't you?"
This caused Yoshiro to stiffen a bit and Toshiro caught on as did the others. Who suddenly looked dumb founded? 'dammit' Yoshiro thought he knew he needed to save face somehow here. He steadied himself and talk as smoothly as he could.
"we were yes, but that was some time ago, after the incident with you all in karakura. She decided it was for the best to return to hueco mundo not long after. She didn't want me risking myself trying to protect her from you all a second time. I haven't seen or heard from her since."
The soul reapers stood silent taking in his words. While Yoshiro's emotions really were in a bit turmoil at the moment. He decided to play that to his advantage here and spoke somewhat hoarsely.
"you all probably think I'm insane, that I'm wrong in the head, that I'm lying through my teeth, that I have no fucking clue as to what I'm doing, and maybe your right. Maybe I am. The only thing I do know for a fact though. Whatever what me and her did have. Whatever it was, it was real. I know that much." He finished.
"I believe your being truthful with us Yoshiro" spoke Toshiro softly. This genuinely caught the blond by surprise as he looked at the small captain in front of him. Toshiro continued.
"while I can't say on whether or not what had with her was indeed real or not. I can say that I believe your being truthful with us." He paused a moment, then spoke again. "my only question left for you is, why do you have hollow powers?"
Yoshiro spoke keeping his voice hoarse. "I honestly don't know; I only know I woke these the other night. I really wish I had some clue as to why I am how I am but really don't. I'm just as fucking lost about it a you all are." That was the real honest truth.
Toshiro stood silently, thinking for a few moments before speaking. "I see, very well then. I believe we've gotten all we can. Yoshiro we can't let you go back home I'm afraid. Your condition leaves you too dangerous to be allowed in living world."
"so what is going to happen to me then Captain Hitsugaya?" Yoshiro asked.
"I don't know in all honesty." He said
"not the greatest vote of confidence in the world there" the blond retorted.
Toshiro merely nodded and looked to Rangiku. "Rangiku, take him to a cell and remove his cuffs." She simply nodded and did as instructed. Gently grabbing Yoshiro and taking hm out of the room. The captains all stood there in silence, exchanging silent words with each other with their eyes before they all departed as well.
After being put into his cell Yoshiro took a moment too regain himself then spoke to his inner hollow.
"how do you think I did?"
"you did well kit, I'm proud of you."
"thanks, no we just have to figure out an escape from this place. I don't know they will eventually do to me, but I won't stick around to find out."
"agreed kit, the longer we linger the more danger were in. I suggest watching to see how frequent the guard patrols by our cell and plan around that."
"sounds good to me." He simply replied.
Yoshiro had a plan more or less. He noted the guard patrolled by his cell every 30 minutes. The plan more or less would be to find a way to get the guard to open the cell, dispatch the guard, find away outside from the 10th division compound. So his hollow could help him in using garganta and escape to hueco mundo. He couldn't go home, if they hadn't already figured out where he lived. It wouldn't take them long too once they noticed his escape. He was sure Emilou would have already fled to hueco mundo once she realized something was wrong. Hopefully she would have chosen to stay there for the time being. He would need to wait until nighttime to better his chances. Now only one question remained. How the hell does he get the guard to open the cell?
He pondered for a moment, he placed his hands to his neck and felt something. That was his answer, his headphones! They had never taken his headphones and music player from him. He had an idea as too what to do. His headphones had an extra-long and extra duty cord to them, he looked to the barred pole doors of his cell and noticed the spacing between the top the cell doors and ceiling. Yes, he could make this work. He just needed to wait for nighttime and then the next guard pass, so he knew he had his time window.
*Nighttime*
when the guard made his next pass by the prisoner cell. He came across a horrifying sight. The prisoner was seemingly dangling by his neck from the cell door with some cord he had somehow still had on him. The guard quickly opened the cell door to check the prisoner. When he was close suddenly the prisoners' hands sprung forward grabbed the back of his head and suddenly, he felt a knee collide hard against his head and everything went black.
The guard dropped to the floor out cold. Yoshiro quickly dislodged himself from the cord, coughing a bit. He had positioned himself in such a way with the cord around his neck and with the heels of his shoes for slight support against the cell barred door. He was essentially half choking himself from his position in order to be convincing enough as possible for the guard. Thankfully it all worked and now it was time to get the hell out.
"remember kit, once we make it successfully outside the compound, we can use garganta to hueco mundo." The kitsune hollow woman spoke to him.
"got it" he replied mentally.
Using his heightened sense's he moved around the inside the 10th division. Making sure to avoid guard patrols and hiding as necessary. It was nerve wracking to say the least, but he made sure to keep his cool. Eventually he found a window he could use to get to the outside of the compound grounds. He slipped through the window and quietly went to the ground. Surveying the area for anyone in the vicinity, no one thankfully. He remembered where the entrance to the 10th division was having noted it from earlier. Once he made it outside of the division gates, he would able to activate garganta with his hollows help. He kept to the shadows as much as possible making almost no noise. Finally he saw his destination, he quickly made a go for it after making sure no one was near. He made it past to where he needed to go.
Acting quickly his inner hollow sent the pulse of energy necessary and helped him focus on using garganta. The burst of energy stung him a bit his body still not used to it all and focused on making garganta to hueco mundo none the less. Suddenly alarms went off all around, they must have found the passed out guard or his attempt to open garganta triggered some kind of alarm. Thankfully garganta opened in front of him, at that moment he suddenly felt a massive temperature drop. He knew who it was. Without hesitation he threw himself into garganta and on the path inside it. He immediately let door behind begin too close.
He looked behind as the door began to close, he saw Hitsugaya incased in his ice dragon coming his way full speed. He wouldn't make it time they both knew it. He launched his ice dragon at the door hoping to catch Yashiro with it. The door closed just before it hit with just a whiff of freezing cold air hitting Yoshiro inside. "fuck that was too close" the blond said to himself and stood up and continued down the path to his garganta's exit.
*10th division*
Toshiro was not in a good mood, somehow someway, his prisoner had managed to escape his cell, made it to the outside of the compound. Amazingly enough had used garganta and escaped to who knows where. Most likely hueco mundo, where they wouldn't be able to go after him. Someone had found the incapacitated guard in the empty open cell and triggered the alarm. It had been too little, too late. He searched the cell and figured Yoshiro had managed to fake hanging himself inside his cell, using cable from his headphones.
Toshiro had forgotten to have them taken away during the wildness of interrogation. That mistake had come to bite him in the ass in a major way. Suddenly he saw a small square device on the cell bed. He recognized it as some sort of portable music player from the living world. Apparently, Yoshiro had left it as some kind of message. He picked it up and looked at what the screen read. He didn't know to curse or laugh at what his now former prisoner left for him to read. So he did both.
The screen on the device simply read 'Jailbreak by Thin Lizzy'.
*Hueco Mundo*
Yoshiro stepped out of garganta and fell into the sands of the hollow world.
"guess this is home now, until further notice. How close are we by chance to where Emilou, mom and the others are?" he asked his inner hollow.
"I'm sorry kit but there wasn't time to focus on a specific location. I have no idea how close or far we are from the den of your mate and her pack." The kitsune said with an apologetic tone.
"don't worry about it, we escaped that was the most important thing. We'll find them all or they'll find us. We just have to be patient." He replied warmly.
"I'm glad your such an understanding one kit."
Before Yoshiro could reply he suddenly picked something up with his hearing from behind him. He quickly went on his guard and looked behind him. After a moment after figuring it had been found out. Some lizard hollow stepped out. It merely hissed at him.
"I. AM. NOT. IN. THE. MOOD. FOR. THIS. SHIT! Yoshiro yelled out and flared his energy raised his arm forward with the thumb, index and middle fingers pointed out at the hollow. A sphere of white energy formed and just yelled "CERO!". The energy blasted off towards the hollow who was caught by surprise too much to dodge and lost it head from the blast. It's body simply slumped forward towards Yoshiro.
"holy shit I just did that all on my own, no help from you at all!" he spoke mentally to his hollow.
"indeed kit, I'm very proud of you! Your starting to gain some proper control of your power." She replied happily.
Suddenly a massive amount of exhaustion slammed Yoshiro.
"damn I need to rest." he muttered to himself
"you need to feed kit." Spoke his inner hollow
"feed on what exactly, there's nothing to feed on around h-." then it hit him. "you don't mean feed on what I think you mean do you?" he asked concerningly.
"don't worry kit, I can help you with this."
Suddenly a jolting sensation coursed through Yoshiro's body he felt a weird pain in his mouth, and it was over almost as soon as it began. Yoshiro reached to his mouth and felt his teeth. They had taken a shape just like his inner hollow.
"no offense but just what in the literal fuck did you just do!?" he mentally spoke demandingly.
"what was needed for you to survive here kit. You can now safely consume and devourer other hollows for energy and for increasing your own power. It's the only you can survive in here for the time being." she spoke with a caring tone.
As much as the boy hated to admit with every fiber of himself, he knew the hollow woman was correct. He walked up to the corpse of the hollow he had killed and knelt his head down to it. "I wonder how much longer my humanity will last at this rate?" he muttered to himself.
Then he took a bite. It went down easier than expected and he could feel a surge as his energy was being restored and his overall power increasing. A wave of instinctual feeling took over as he lost all other thoughts and began to tear more into his meal.
A/N
Yoshiro: Well this chapter was something.
Author: Awesome wasn't it?
Yoshiro: That's a matter of perspective, I think?
Author: My dreams are becoming reality!
Rangiku: So did the story finally get its' own Tv Tropes page?
Author: No, but how did you know about that?
Rangiku: *holding up a journal* I have my ways author.
Author: How did you get that?
Rangiku: Not important. By the way I had no idea you were so into bon-
Author: MATSUMOTO!
Toshiro: Please review.