Hinamori's Apprentice

Chapter 37

"If you thought you knew who it was we were dealing with, why didn't you tell us earlier?" Ichigo said in frustration, "If we had the knowledge beforehand, this might not have happened!"

"Kurosaki!" Kyoraku said rather harshly. All eyes turned to him, many rather surprised at the outburst, at which point he cleared his throat and spoke in a much calmer voice, "Kurosaki, please calm yourself. Do not forget that you are speaking to the Captain-Commander. Trust me when I say that once you have heard the truth, you will understand."

Ichigo stared at him for a moment, still rather shocked at the laid back Captain's serious tone. He slowly nodded, deciding it would be best to hear the old man out.

"Very well then," Captain-Commander Yamamoto rumbled, "If there will be no more interruptions, I will tell you the roots of our current crisis…"

At that moment, the tall doors at the entrance of the meeting hall swung open, and two figures slowly walked in.

"Vice-Captain Momo Hinamori, reporting for the scheduled meeting!" Momo said, her voice strained as she leaned on Hanataro for support. Toushiro immediately rushed over to her, breaking from the ranks of the other Captains.

"Momo, what are you doing here?" he asked, allowing her to put an arm around his shoulder so she could lean on him.

"There-there's a meeting…" Momo said weakly.

"You're still too injured Momo," Toushiro said, "You have to go back to the Fourth Division. You should never have come here in your condition, and they shouldn't have let you." As he said this, Toushiro shot a glare at Hanataro, who backed away nervously.

"I… I have to testify about what happened in the bunker…" Momo said feebly.

"Vice-Captain Kira has already woken up and told us from bed about what happened. Matsumoto was there in the immediate aftermath as well. Your testimony can wait; right now you need to focus on healing," Toushiro said before turning to the other Captains, "I request permission to escort Vice-Captain Hinamori to the medical ward."

"It's just as well to let her stay, she'll need to hear this information as well," Yamamoto said.

"But-" Toushiro began to protest, only to be cut off by a stern look from Yamamoto.

"The Shinigami from the Fourth Division may leave now, but Vice-Captain Hinamori has a right to hear this as much as anyone else present."

"Y-Yes sir!" Hanataro said, quickly scurrying out and closing the doors behind him.

Toushiro reluctantly led Momo back to where he had been standing, continuing to support her so that she did not have to put weight on her injured ankle. They along with all the other Captains and Vice-Captains looked to Yamamoto as he began to speak.

"This began long before the majority of you were even born," he said, "Before I became Captain-Commander, and before the Gotei 13 as you know it even existed. In those times, individuals with Captain and Vice-Captain level powers were significantly more common. There were dozens of Shinigami who were more powerful than most individuals in this room. As a result, the rank of "Captain" had much less meaning. There was still a single Captain-Commander, but there were multiple Captains and Vice-Captains within each division, as is the case today with lower seats. Their individual power over divisions was thus greatly diluted. To compensate for this, power was centralized within the Central 46. They did not just turn out rulings on severe matters; they ruled both military and civilian life within Soul Society on a day to day basis. It resulted in a very cohesive Gotei 13, but their many rules and solid grip on power made one Captain desire changes. That Captain's name was Aurion."

"Aurion?" Hisagi suddenly shouted, causing the others to stare at him in surprise.

"Have you heard this name before?" Yamamoto asked.

"Erm, yes, sorry for shouting," Hisagi said, "When I was a kid, I heard old stories told about a monster called Aurion that ravaged the land. When I heard you say the name, I immediately thought of it."

"Yes, the taboo on discussion of the subject only extends as far as Seireitei has jurisdiction, and thus the story morphed into legends and fairy tales in the outer districts," Yamamoto said thoughtfully, "Moving on, Aurion wanted to reform the way Seireitei was run. He wasn't alone. Many others were unhappy with the total grip on power that Central 46 had on everyday life. But Aurion was the only one with enough status to be immune from repercussions. He was not only a Captain, but a member of one of the families who held positions in the Central 46. Thus, he was able to condemn them without being silenced. He quickly gained followers, and held sway over many other Captains. He had many good points. Central 46 in those days was overbearing, and corruption was rather common. As you all know, the Central 46 of recent times was powerful, having absolute final say over all legal matters in Soul Society, but that was nothing compared to what it was then. Central 46 ran Soul Society as an authoritarian state, and needless to say, it created many dissidents. Aurion had a plan in which Central 46 was weakened and the power of Captains strengthened, while simultaneously creating multiple settlements like Seireitei, each with their own Shinigami military, so that no single institution had complete control of the afterlife. He also advocated using the wealth of the elite families to improve quality of living for those in Rukongai. Needless to say, this made him extremely unpopular among Central 46 and the Noble families, and they soon came down on him."

"Wait, so all of this is happening now because Soul Society screwed this guy over thousands of years ago? Why couldn't they have just compromised with him instead of trying to force him into silence? Was his speaking out against their power really so evil that they needed to take him out? If they hadn't done that, none of this would be happening!" Ichigo said.

"Are you sympathizing with the people who took your sister?" Byakuya asked calmly.

"Of course not!" Ichigo said, "But I'm able to recognize that it's the fault of the rulers back then that this is happening now!"

"Listen to the rest of the story, Ichigo Kurosaki," Yamamoto said, "It is true that many of those ruling Soul Society at the time did a great injustice by trying to silence him, but Aurion soon proved himself capable of far greater atrocities."

"What do you mean?" Ichigo asked.

"After an attempt was made to arrest him, Aurion took his followers and waged open rebellion on Soul Society," Yamamoto explained, "To compensate for the inferior numbers of his forces, he created chaos within Soul Society before the battle began. He used his powers to trigger a volcanic eruption in the Living World so powerful that it wiped out an entire civilization."

"He was powerful enough to cause a volcano to erupt? Is that even possible?" Toushiro said in shock.

"Indeed," Yamamoto replied, looking over the startled Captains, "Aurion was probably as powerful as I was at the time. He was even under consideration for the position of Captain-Commander before he began to clash with Central 46. Making a volcano erupt was easily within the scope of his powers. The huge influx of dead human souls caused chaos as Shinigami tried to manage them before they could be preyed upon by hollows or become hollows themselves. Aurion and his followers then engaged the rest of the Gotei 13 in a brutal battle. He even went as far as to use bait to attract hollows for further chaos. Many were killed, including entire families of powerful Shinigami. Much of Soul Society was destroyed, and the spiritual fabric of this realm was so greatly damaged that powerful Shinigami became much rarer. By the end of the war, Aurion's "Rising", two-thirds of all Shinigami, half of the Captains, and a fifth of all Rukongai residents were dead."

"That's unbelievable…" Isane Kotetsu said in shock from behind Unohana. She was not alone. Several Captains and Vice-Captains were either whispering or staring at Yamamoto with disbelief.

"As horrible as it sounds to you, the words I use pale in comparison to the real thing," Yamamoto said, "Most of you could ever understand how desperate the situation was, and I hope you never do. Captain Ukitake, Captain Kyoraku, and Captain Unohana were in their youth at the time, and I'm sure they would agree with me that words cannot begin to describe the horrors of that war."

"How could such a major event be covered up?" Ichigo asked, "How could people just forget it?"

"That is obvious," Byakuya said, "If such a major conflict occurred, there is no doubt that it made the Shinigami look weak and unable to defend Soul Society. Furthermore, Central 46 would likely be blamed for provoking the conflict. Having the events remain common knowledge for generations would undermine the authority of Shinigami and Central 46. As for how people forgot about it, I imagine that every person involved was all too eager to forget about it. Generation after generation, the memories lessened, until all the knowledge that remained was among those who personally experienced it."

"That is correct, Captain Kuchiki," Yamamoto said, "After the war, Central 46 ensured that it was taboo to discuss the topic while Seireitei rebuilt. They were well aware of their role in the conflict, and abdicated much of their authority. They were no longer involved in micromanaging the day to day activities of Seireitei or giving direct orders. They stood back so as to be less oppressive. They still held great power, but they wielded it much more carefully after that. In order to function, Soul Society needed Central 46, and they couldn't take any risks. Thus, the authority of Captains was increased while that of Central 46 was decreased. It was hoped that future conflict would be averted thanks to this."

"Wait a minute, isn't this group we're facing now calling themselves the 'Fourth Rising'," Ichigo asked, "Doesn't that mean that there was a continuation to Aurion's war?"

"Indeed," Yamamoto said, "Several hundred years later, one of Aurion's younger followers who managed to escape punishment in the First Rising, Mansamusa, managed to revive many of Aurion's ideals and launched a Second Rising, this time without provocation. He was a capable Captain, and managed to cause significant damage before being suppressed and exiled to the Living World. In the millennia since, there have been several scattered skirmishes claiming to be ideological heirs to the original Risings, but they are generally collectively referred to as simply 'Third Rising'. This 'Fourth Rising' would likely be grouped together with them as well, had its leaders not been exposed."

"What do you mean?" Komamura asked.

"As Kurosaki, Captain Kyoraku, and Captain Hitsugaya saw with their own eyes, Mansamusa was until recently alive, and a leader of this current movement. Though Captain Kyoraku was able to defeat him, he learned much troubling information during their battle. To begin with, Mansamusa should not have been able to fight at all, as his powers had been stripped away when he was exiled. Also, it appeared that Mansamusa was under the authority of someone else, and there is only one person whom Mansamusa would be subservient to: Aurion."

"But sir, Aurion was executed just after the First Rising!" Ukitake objected.

"I battled Mansamusa after he should have lost his powers," Kyoraku said, "It would not surprise me to learn that Aurion somehow survived all these years."

"But what do they want with Karin?" Ichigo asked, angry that the explanation yielded no clues about his sister's abduction.

"We don't know," Yamamoto said, "Captain Soi Fon is nearly recovered, and has begun to examine evidence and form investigation teams. We must learn more about our enemy's capabilities before making a move against them. Until then we can only fortify Seireitei and prepare ourselves for any future battles that may take place."

"That's not good enough!" Ichigo yelled, "Didn't you leave Soul Society on an investigation? You said that what you learned helped to confirm the identity of who we're dealing with, right? You said you even knew where they were! So what's stopping you from ordering an attack on their compound to defeat them and save Karin?"

"I know the general location of where it was. The problem is that a powerful barrier has been built around it, essentially making it inaccessible. It isn't just a protective wall; it's as if the barrier is halfway through dimensions. You could walk straight through the area where you know their base is located and never see or feel a thing. A Kido Corps squad has already been dispatched to the area I pinpointed as the location, but it's possible that the barrier spontaneously moves the base from one location to another."

"Can't you do anything?" Ichigo said angrily, "If we just leave Karin in their hands, she'll end up-"

"Kurosaki!" Toushiro said loudly, prompting Ichigo to turn to face him.

"What?" Ichigo said in a strained voice.

"Karin isn't weak," Toushiro said, "Even if her powers are not fully developed, she has a strong personality and a powerful will. It won't be easy, but she'll be able to take care of herself until we're able to help."

"She's just a little girl! You saw what those guys are capable of! There's no way-"

"Ichigo, he's right, you must have faith in Karin," Momo said as she leaned against Toushiro, "In the time I've been training her, Karin has amazed me time after time with her fast development and determination. You have to trust her in her ability to survive."

"So, how about we begin," Usagi chuckled, pacing in front of Karin as she sat in a chair, bound with chains and shackles. She glared at him, but otherwise did not make any expressions or give any signs of distress. She knew that if she were to survive, she had to maintain her composure.

"I'll start by asking you a few questions about yourself," Usagi said as he walked around the room, empty aside from Karin and himself. Whenever he turned his back to her, Karin's eyes would dart around, looking for a means of escape.

"First question: What is your Zanpakuto's name?" Usagi asked.

"I don't know, I haven't learned it yet," Karin lied. Usagi's lips curved upwards, but he did not challenge her answer.

"What is your inner world like?" he asked.

"It's a meadow filled with flowers," Karin lied again. She wasn't about to reveal any information to the enemy.

"What does your reiatsu feel like to you?" Usagi asked.

"It doesn't feel like anything," Karin responded, looking up at Usagi with defiance.

"In your life as a human, when did you begin developing spiritual power?"

"Never, I only gained powers in the afterlife."

"When exactly did you die?"

"I didn't pay attention to the date."

"How did you die?"

"I got hit by a car."

Usagi was pacing around the room much faster now, giggling to himself in a way that made Karin extremely uncomfortable.

"I see… so you've decided to be noncompliant then?" he asked her, his soft, feminine voice sending shivers down Karin's spine.

"I-I don't know what you're talking about. I answered all of your questions," Karin said. This only made Usagi laugh.

"You naïve little girl. Do you believe you can fool me? Every question I asked you, I knew the answer to from the beginning. You can't hide such things from me; I can see whatever I want. You can lie about the nature of your reiatsu; I can already feel its exact texture and intensity. You can lie about when you died; I can tell exactly how old the spirit particles composing your body are, which lets me know exactly how long you've been dead. To my eyes, your Zanpakuto and inner world are like a goldfish in its fishbowl: completely visible to me. If you try to lie to me in general, I'll know. If you were to somehow make a run for it, I'd know beforehand because I can see every flex and tensing of your muscles. If you were to try to dress up in robes covering your face, it would not fool me, as I would immediately know it was you. If you tried to sneak in a weapon with the intention of attacking me, I'd know for I can see past your clothes to anything you possess beneath them. You could put yourself in a block of cement and I'd find you. Do you get it? There is nothing you can hide from me, so you'd might as well cooperate."

"I… I was telling the truth," Karin said, faltering as Usagi's increasingly aggressive speech began to unnerve her.

"Do you not understand your situation? If you don't cooperate, you'll die!" Usagi said with a menacing grin.

"If that's how it is, I'm prepared for it," Karin said, closing her eyes so that they would not betray the fact that she did not feel nearly as brave as her words indicated.

"It won't hurt you at all to cooperate," Usagi said softly, moving closer to her and extending a hand so that his fingers touched her forehead, "All you have to do is let me in."

Karin felt a sudden rush of air, as if she had been suddenly propelled a great distance. Everything went black, and a loud howling noise echoed around her. The next thing she knew, Karin was not there. She wasn't somewhere else, she simply wasn't there. Her body was gone; she could neither see nor feel it. But… she had to be there somehow; otherwise she wouldn't be able to think! Karin's mind began feeling warm and fuzzy, as if she were reduced to her most basic self, beyond a physical presence.

Karin then began to see things despite her lack of eyes (or any other body parts). She 'saw' rocky cliffs, rough waters full of whitecapped waves, and a great wooden ship. She immediately recognized them as part of her inner world. She saw all of these at once, as if she was present at all locations, viewing each place from every possible angle. It was then that it dawned on her: she was not in her inner world; she had somehow become her inner world. Even amidst the confusion of what was happening Karin marveled at the amazing feeling of being her own inner world. She could not only see the entire place; she could feel it. The waves that crashed against the shore, the sailing ship run aground in the shallows of the shallow bay, the high cliffs, the clouds above that threatened to bring down a rainstorm… they were all her, as if they were just an extension of her body.

The euphoric feeling was short-lived, as she felt a sudden presence, as if some sort of wrongness were approaching. It felt cold and slimy, completely surrounding her and trying to envelope her. She pushed back, refusing to allow it control over her. She didn't know how she was doing it, or why she felt the need to fight against this foreign presence with every ounce of energy, but she didn't stop fighting for a moment.

After what felt like an eternity, the presence abruptly vanished, and Karin found herself in her normal body. She was breathing quickly, with beads of sweat on her face. Usagi withdrew his hand, frowning at her.

"I see your will is strong," he said quietly, "But you should know: my will is stronger. I always get what I want, and you are no exception. If you will not let me into your soul voluntarily, I shall utterly destroy your will to resist. I give you my absolute assurance: I will break you."