Chapter 2 : Locked up
Groaning loudly, Ichigo wearily opened his eyes. He felt dizzy and moved his head right and left to try and take in his surroundings. Where was he? What had happened to him? When his vision started to become less blurry, he noticed he was lying on some sort of surgery table. A bright white light was shining down on him and made the corners of the room completely dark and hidden. Groaning again, he wanted to bring his arm in front of his face to block out some of the brightness, but only then he noticed that his wrists were bound to the table with strong, metal clasps.
"The fuck?" he said and when trying to move his legs, he found out they were bound, too. He put more strain on the clasps by using his power, but the metal wouldn't break. "Oh yeah?" He shouted. He summoned his Hollow power and gave his all to try and break free from his iron bounds. He struggled with all his might, and tried to wriggle his wrists from left to right, but it was no use. The clasps were still firmly closed around his wrists and legs, keeping him prisoner to the table. Howling in frustration, he stopped in favor of saving his strength. "Fuck!" he shouted again while panting from the effort.
Then suddenly he heard someone snicker and clap his hands.
"Good boy, Shinigami substitute, Kurosaki Ichigo. You have the desired reaction to your binding." A voice crooned from the shadows.
"Who are you?" Ichigo yelled. "Release me! Right now!"
"Release you?" The voice laughed. "After all the trouble I went through to get you here! Not by a long shot, pretty boy." Ichigo growled. Of course it wouldn't be that easy. Even he wasn't that stupid. "The things I had to do to those Hollows to get them to sing like that, my, my, you wouldn't even believe me if I told you."
"What do you want from me?" He tested his clasps again, hard, only to end up panting once more.
"All in due time, Shinigami substitute." More snickering followed.
"Show yourself! I want to know who I'm dealing with!"
"Do you now." The voice mocked. "Unfortunately, you're not in the position to make demands, boy."
"Fuck you!" Ichigo spat. "Who the hell do you think-" Before he could finish his sentence, a powerful current of electricity shot through his body and he screamed. The clasps around his wrists and legs made it even worse, conducting the voltage. "Stop!" Ichigo yelled at the figure hiding in the shadows, before the current stopped abruptly and left him panting. "Fuck! What did you do, you asshole?"
"Now, now, Shinigami substitute, don't be like that." The man laughed. "Still putting up such a big mouth while you're completely helpless right now."
"Helpless my ass!" Ichigo snarled. "Wait till I get off this table, you basta-" The electricity crackled again. "Fuck!" His body was hit by shockwave after shockwave of pain and he could do nothing but scream and struggle against the metal clasps. When the current finally stopped, he let his head fall back on the table on a moan and tried to regain his breath.
"You're at my mercy, Kurosaki Ichigo." The voice crooned again. Ichigo shut his mouth this time and just focused on breathing. When he saw movement from the corner of his eyes, he tried lifting his head to get a better look.
The man that stepped forward was tall and lean. He wore white robes that resembled a lab coat, complete with scientist like glasses that brought shadow to his dark, amber eyes. His rather feminine face was framed by bright, pink hair. He showed Ichigo his teeth and gave him an evil sneer.
"Like what you see, Shinigami Substitute?" He asked while licking the fingers of his right hand, even though he wore gloves. Ichigo fought the urge to say 'yuck'. "We'll get really well acquainted, I promise."
"Are you a Quincy?" Ichigo asked, based on the character's white clothing. It made the other laugh out loud like a lunatic, which made his pink hair dance.
"Are you stupid boy? Of course I'm not a pathetic Quincy!" The man walked up to the table and hovered over the substitute with either his arms planted firmly next to Ichigo's head. "I'll put you out of your misery then, if you are so desperate to know my name. I'm Szayelaporro Grantz, the 8th Espada." He shook his hair and trailed one of his fingers along Ichigo's waist.
"E-espada!" Ichigo shouted with disbelief. "I thought they were all defeated!" Szayelaporro laughed again
"Funny! That's exactly what your friend told me!" He touched Ichigo's face with one of his hands. "You don't know me, but I'm sure your Quincy friend could tell you a few nice little anecdotes about me." He leered sardonically and started drawing eights with his index finger on Ichigo's chest and abdomen. The teen felt a shiver run up his spine.
"You mean Ishida? Are you holding him too?" Szayelaporro laughed so intensely his back arched and his hair fluttered in all directions.
"Wouldn't you like to know, Substitute Shinigami." He crooned and moved his index finger over the boy's lower abdomen and hips.
"Don't touch me!" Ichigo snapped. "You freak!" The Espada showed his teeth and crashed his fist into the Substitute's cheek.
"I'm not usually one to get my hands dirty on something as vile as you, boy, but keep up that attitude of yours and I'll gladly make an exception." He said while leaning in really close, so Ichigo could smell his breath. He wasn't intimidated by the weirdo, but decided to just hear him out and find out as much as he could.
"The Quincy had figured it out, though. He was there when that moron captain killed me with his weird tricks. Gracious me, I was so smart as to make a backup of myself. A clone if you will. That only could get out of the freaking tank I was kept in, if my predecessor didn't enter the password within 2 days." He laughed maniacally again. "Actually, I should be grateful to that stupid Kurotsuchi for killing my other version, as I'm undoubtably better."
"You're ego's probably bigger too!" Ichigo couldn't help himself. The punch to his gut was worth the look on the other's face.
"I've kept you under for 2 whole days already." Szayelaporro continued, while moving his finger on the teen's inner thighs. "Studying your body, inside and out. Taking blood samples and such. Testing your bindings." Suddenly he groped Ichigo between his legs, hard, and made the Shinigami grunt and wriggle to get the hand off of him.
"Don't fucking touch me!" Ichigo yelled and earned another smack to his face.
"You're such an interesting specimen." The voice laughed darkly and retrieved his hand.
"You've put me to sleep for 2 days?" Ichigo asked in disbelief, while an uncanny feeling spread through his body. "What do you want from me?" More laughter followed.
"Oww, come on, Shinigami substitute." The man said. "Where's the fun in that? Just be patient and you'll find out." Ichigo growled. "Behave," the voice taunted, "or I'll activate your collar again."
"Collar?" Ichigo asked. He tested his metal clasps again, even though he already knew he couldn't get free. It was just not in his nature to give up.
"Yes, I took the liberty of giving you one of my precious collars. You should be grateful."
"Oh, I'm sorry, your highness." Ichigo sneered. "I didn't know it was such an honor." Electricity shot through him again. It lasted shorter than before, just to stun him, but it left him breathless anyway. "Goddammit! Stop doing that!"
"So we have an understanding, Kurosaki Ichigo? If you don't do what I want, I activate the collar around your neck, and electricity shoots through your body. I can make it go fast or slow, hard or soft." Szayelaporro cupped the substitute's face and leered maniacally again, before coming so close Ichigo feared for a second he was going to kiss him. "Just like having sex for you humans. It's such a great invention of mine, it makes me wanna weep." Ichigo rolled his eyes. Who the hell was this guy?
"Nice." Was all he answered.
"Seeing as your body is at its limit right now, I'll have my staff show you to your quarters." He laughed again, but Ichigo was happy to get away from the freak. He seemed insane and unpredictable. Uryu hadn't told him that much about this character, but he remembered him saying this weirdo made dolls out of himself and Renji and had crushed their organs.
Szayelaporro then clapped his hands and the room lit up. Ichigo closed his eyes to block out the brightness for a moment. When his eyes had adjusted to the lights he could see there was a guard in each corner that had been hidden in the shadows. They each wore a helmet that entirely covered their faces and matching white uniforms. They were armed with a stick with a pointy stone on the end. Weird selection of weapons, Ichigo thought.
"Take him to his cell and make sure he stays there." The guards stepped forward and Ichigo grinned. 'The moment they undo these clasps, I'll kick their asses.' He thought. Suddenly, he felt a sharp pain in his shoulder, and he saw Szayelaporro withdraw a needle. "Almost forgot your medication." He motioned at the guards. "He's good to go." Then he turned to Ichigo again. "I'm done with you for now, but I'll have you follow my every word soon."
"Of course, your majesty." Ichigo said, tauntingly. He saw the pink-haired man press a button on some sort of remote and a wild current shot through him again. This time he clenched his jaw and didn't give that jackass the satisfaction of screaming. The electricity was wild and fast this time, but Ichigo persevered.
The Espada laughed, before stepping outside, but the current didn't stop. The electricity kept running through him and he felt like his brain was getting fried. After a few excruciating long minutes groans started slipping from his lips, but still the current didn't stop. Two of the guards came to set him free, but by now, the substitute was completely out of breath and dizzy and gave up on his plan to beat them. For now... The guards grabbed him by his arms and pulled him off the table, and still the electricity ravaged his body. He tried to stand, but it was very difficult like this, so they had to partially drag him outside. The waves finally stopped, but he was not feeling a lot better. Having been sedated for 2 days was taking a toll on him, as his body was not reacting normally.
Ichigo half walked and was half dragged forward. The corridor was completely white, with lights on either side every few meters as the only embellishments. They rounded a few corners before stopping to a door that was almost invisible besides a rectangular shape in the white wall. One of the guards pressed an invisible button and the door slid upwards, revealing a dark space after. When the Substitute made no attempt to enter, one of the guards shoved his pointy stick into his abdomen and made him groan as a local jolt of electricity shot through the nerves of his belly. His legs buckled and he fell forward onto one of the guards while cursing. The masked figures laughed at him and dragged him inside the door where they kicked him in the back so he fell on all-fours.
"Goddamit, you assholes!" Ichigo shouted. "You won't laugh when I steal your buzzing sticks and shove them up your asses!" The door closed without so much as a word from the guards and it was pitch black inside. The Substitute cursed again, before sitting down and let his eyes adjust to the darkness.
"K-Kurosaki?" He heard and immediately recognized the voice.
"Ishida? Where are you?" He asked. "Are you alright?"
"Thank god you're alive!" The other teen answered with quivering voice and sighed. "I've been so worried about you. It's already been 2 days since they took us."
"Yeah, apparently this Szayel guy sedated me to run tests on me." Silence fell over the room and Ichigo found it difficult to navigate in the dark.
"What kind of tests?" Uryu asked. Slowly, the Substitute's eyes were adjusting to the darkness but it was still very hard to see anything, so he moved in the direction of the Quincy's voice by touch.
"I was unconscious. I don't know." A tingly feeling was spreading through his body. Slowly, but surely. And he had no idea what it was. Maybe the injection the Espada had given him was taking effect.
"Are you alight?" Uryu asked him, while he shuffled closer to where his voice came from.
"I think so." He said. "They've buzzed me with their stupid electricity a lot, and I feel a little weak from being out for such a long time, but other than that, I'm okay."
"Buzzed you?" The Quincy sounded surprised.
"Yeah, with their stupid collar. Didn't you get one?" Uryu was silent and that gave the answer away. "Where are you dammit?" He asked again, but right at that moment his hand touched something soft and he realized it was the other boy's hair.
As if on cue, the ceiling of the room was lit up very faintly. Ichigo gasped when he saw the other teen in chains. Uryu was squeezing his eyes together hard, as he probably had been held in this complete darkness for hours. Both his wrists were held by metal clasps which were tied with chains to the wall behind him. As his arms were spread widely apart, he had to keep upright on his knees, unable to sit down. His head hung down and it was clear that he was tired from being held in this awkward position.
"A-are you okay?" The Substitute asked. Uryu slowly lifted his face and Ichigo saw rather fresh bruises marring his pale skin.
"I've had worse." The boy said and tried to smile a little. "Considering the person we're up against is a clone of that crazy Espada Renji and I fought before, I'm lucky to still be alive."
"Yeah." Ichigo said while testing the chains that were holding his friend. He felt Uryu's eyes on him when the Quincy asked:
"That the collar you mentioned?" The Substitute nodded while pulling hard on one of the chains, which made Uryu grunt. "They chained me up because I wouldn't stop firing arrows to get out of here. I guess I wasn't being a good boy."
"Arrows? They didn't take your Quincy cross?" Ichigo asked in disbelief. He felt the tingly feeling growing stronger, so whatever it was, it was spreading through his bloodstream. Since the archer probably was beaten for information he didn't have or didn't wanted to share, he wasn't going to tell him that he felt a bit weird, as Uryu must have enough on his mind already.
"No. I think they can't touch it." The Quincy answered. "But I don't think it will do us much good." He sighed. "But of course, they must've taken Zangetsu from you."
"Yeah..." Ichigo said. He put his feet against the wall and tried hanging on one of the chains to get it free from the wall. Uryu groaned as the movement made him topple over to that side.
"Stop it, Kurosaki!" Uryu couldn't sit down and the position he was being held in now was even worse.
"You wanna be chained up then?" He felt heat spread inside of him. What was that stuff the pink haired freak had injected in him?
"No, of course not, but-"
"I'm just trying to help here!" Ichigo spat.
"I know that! But I don't have any leeway to-"
"Shut up! Why do you have to be so annoying? I wanna get outta here!" He heard the Quincy sigh.
"Kurosaki, do you really think I haven't tried everything I could in here before they chained me up? I've shot arrows into those walls until my fingers bled! Look!" He rotated his wrist toward the Substitute to show there indeed were fresh, bloody cuts on his left hand. Uryu continued: "They can make it light or dark in here and I've seen camera's hanging on the ceiling in every corner of this cell. Szayelaporro is watching our every move. I'm telling you-"
"Looks to me like you're already throwing in the towel. Don't act like such a coward, Ishida!" He sneered at the archer, who just stared at him in disbelief. It seemed the raven-haired teen had momentarily been disarmed by his words. Ichigo released his hold on the chains and produced a lot of rattling noises while Uryu tried to assume his previous position. Uryu groaned when most of his weight shifted to his knees again. Ichigo shot him an angry glance, before he proceeded to search the door in the dim light. Suddenly, he heard the Quincy say:
"I'm not a coward."
The Substitute didn't know what came over him, but his body felt flushed. The way the other boy said those words just made him instantly pissed off. He walked back up to him, grabbed the collar of his pristine, white, Quincy garments and shouted:
"You jackass! Why do I have to be locked up with you, of all fucking people!" His eyes were blazing with anger, and the heat continued to spread through his veins. "Anyone else would be fine. Anything but you." Uryu's eyes widened at that remark.
"Shut up, Kurosaki!" He snapped. "Like I want to be stuck here with you. But instead of taking it out on me, you could be resting. We don't know what their intentions are and-"
"Shut up, you moron!" Ichigo shouted again. "Don't tell me what to do!" He let the collar of the other teen go. His body was feeling so hot right now. "That freak's an Espada. He'll just want revenge."
"No, I don't think so." Uryu continued. "If he did, he would take it out on me and Abarai. And Captain Kuro-"
"When are you finally gonna shut yer trap?" Ichigo shouted. The heat was unbearable right now and he lowered himself against the wall diagonally from where Uryu was chained up to. He closed his eyes for a moment. Getting some rest suddenly wasn't a bad idea after all.
"Kurosaki?" He heard to other say. "Are you alright? Kurosaki?"
"Leave me alone, Ishida." Was all he managed to say before he felt his head spinning. Was it the injection or the fact that he'd been anesthetized for 2 days, or a combination of both, he didn't know. Neither did he care. For the moment he was just going to lie down and forget about everything else. This cell. The dork he was stuck here with. The pink-haired freak. Everything.