Hello again after… a small eternity XD
Sorry for neglecting you all for so long. Truth be told I had no idea people still come to :) Anyway, some of you contacted me about posting another chapter. I promised I would and here it is :)
Reading back through the story I realized some things didn't make much sense and I could no longer pick up where I left off, so I made a few adjustments I think you readers might enjoy :)
I'd also like to think I got better at writing since publishing this story, so let me know what you think :)
Enjoy!
Steam clouded his vision. Quiet splashing soothed all of his five senses, just like the feel of hot water against soft, smooth skin brought peace and tranquillity into his tired, troubled mind.
Kuchiki Byakuya moved to feel the chiselled texture and warmth of stone against his back, then raised his arms to rest on the edges of the outdoor bath. Taking a lungful of late autumn evening -surprisingly not chilly at all- the noble tilted his head, raven-coloured tresses barely touching the water surface. Eyes searched the high heavens for stars blinking down on him from the indigo blackness – the brightest reflected in his fathomless, obsidian depths before eyelids slid close.
With a soft sigh the 6th Division captain drifted away into the realm of thought. It's been over a week since the disaster at Inuzuri, and sure enough, things hadn't improved; quite the opposite, in fact. News of what transpired during the Ritual of Banishment spread like wildfire through all of Rukongai, and Gotei 13 now had what could quickly turn into a bloody insurrection, on their hands. As panic gripped Soul Society with an iron fist, the lowest Districts were the first to rebel. Riots of this magnitude have never happened before, in all of history of Soul Society. Although truth be told, neither did many of the incidents of the last few months, starting with an invasion of a certain group of high-schooler students.
All that followed that particular occurrence Byakuya had no desire to recall.
Having been taught all his life to put absolute trust in the justice of Seireitei, the noble felt reasonably torn between loyalty to his own principles and to Soul Society more times during the last weeks than he did the rest of his life. Failing so miserably in its duties it lead to its annihilation by Aizen Sousuke, the Central 46 may have been restored, though faith in its decisions remained all but lost.
The nobles' inability to make up their minds about what to do with Grimmjow, who was left behind, has not helped in the slightest either. For now the arrancar occupied a holding cell within the depths of the 2nd Division detention centre, though he could not stay in there forever - his Guardian was much too valuable.
So it was, with Winter War knocking at the door, Mikaboshi on the loose and a revolution brewing, morale in the Gotei 13 has reached far below freezing point.
And now his own second-in-command too had gone.
"Renji..." Byakuya's lips moved, though the name was barely audible. Suddenly, he felt his insides clench with irrational fear... and longing.
"Taichou." came just as quiet an answer and he could see his lieutenant's face swim before his vision as if he stood there before him.
In less than what it took for Bykuya to realize what was happening, lips connected with lips in a wordless request for permission the noble granted without a second thought. Though his mind has not yet caught up to the demands of his body, he had given in, delving into the kiss with passion very unbecoming of his austere upbringing.
He could not care less at that moment, or any moment after. His mind has been focusing around the man walking in Byakuya's shadow so much lately, the noble learned not to fight against it. He even welcomed it, even if it were his own imagination.
Tattooed arms wrapped around him, wiping away even the last shards of his shattered reasoning; there was no room for it here. Byakuya reciprocated in kind, clutching Renji's heated chest and shoulders, afraid the man might disappear if he let go for even a second.
Trailing along the edges of black ink, for a single heartbeat the Kuchiki thought about just how far Renji's tattoos stretched, and how much he'd like to see all of his lieutenant's body to appraise it himself. Before he had the time to act upon it however, his mind went blank and senses stopped processing all external stimuli except the burning sensation of wicked, wet mouth puffing hot air along the nape of his neck. At the same time nimble fingers rubbed over and around a pair of nipples, darkened against pale, delicate skin.
Moan of yearning and anticipation could not be supressed as jolts of sweet electricity ran through Byakuya's pliant body at the feeling of sword-calloused fingertips sliding down his chest towards the steaming surface of the bathwater. Of course, Renji did not stop there. His deft touch continued south along abdomen and hips to where long, slender thighs parted reflexively to his touch.
It burned. Every part of him the other man touched felt like it was on fire and covered in ice at the same time. Goosebumps sprinkled over otherwise perfect, alabaster skin, it made Byakuya shiver. The most delicious feeling of anticipation coiled round his spine as jolt of excitement ran to the tips of his fingers. Prisoner of wanton desire he opened himself to what he knew would follow…
… but it was gone, just as quickly as it had come.
Cheeks tinted with embarrassment, Byakuya's heavy-lidded eyes snapped open only for him to realize he was alone. What brought him out of his dreams he could not tell. And suddenly, he found himself feeling lonely rather than relaxed, in the unnecessarily spacious outdoor bath. Almost instinctively he reached up to touch his flushed lips. He could still feel Renji on every single square centimetre of his body. This has never happened before. Something felt strange.
For a few moments Bykuya was angry, whether or not at himself or anyone in particular he could he did not know. Then he was overcome by the desire to disappear into the bowls of the earth never to be seen again.
To his great regret, the 27th head of the Kuchiki clan could indulge himself in no such luxury, however. He realized that with crushing inevitability the moment he stepped over the threshold of his private quarters, where his obsidian eyes automatically found a single black feather resting on a plain sheet of paper on the table. Next to it were his calligraphy tools. Soft reiastu emanated from it, both intimately familiar as well as entirely alien.
Was that why he kept it?
Images flashed through his mind as if the sight called them out from the depths of Byakuya's mind. Tattooed skin. Crooked smile. Dark chocolate eyes tinted with crimson. Rustle of great wings, black as the depths of eternity. Blood.
b/You, Shinigami, honestly need to sort out your priorities.//b voice came from somewhere Byakuya could not reach. It started him out of his reverie to look around.
He was still alone without a soul in sight, yet he felt presence so close to him it might as well been Senbonzakura. Black brows furrowed over deep black eyes, while the sound of soft chuckle resounded in his ears.
/No need for alarm, Kuchiki Byakuya-san./ it said and now he positively recognized it belonged to a woman. /Although you may want to sit down, so that we may talk./
Byakuya did no such thing. He was beginning to understand, though hoped against hope he was wrong.
First I believe introductions are in order. Though it would seem you already know me. He spoke, yet no sound came out.
There was another small mirth that reminded him of water. /Indeed, I do. And it seems you don't appreciate it. Very well, then. I am the ruler of the sky, the sun that shines upon all creation. I am that which gives life and takes it away. I am eternal. I am Amaterasu. And I am your Guardian./
Byakuya's frown deepened. He was not mistaken after all.
o*O*o
The sky above was inky-black, crowned by the brilliantly shining sickle of ivory moon – an ageless, eternal and unchanging guardian of the unnaturally silent, still dunes of bleak, white sand. Misshaped forms of what could possibly be called trees protruded from the ground, resembling limbs of creatures long since dead, reaching up from beneath their desert tombs in a wordless plea for forgiveness and release. Only occasionally something moved in the distance, slithering across the endless white sea of Hueco Mundo only to disappear moments later, having escaped the notice of predators prowling the desolate landscapes.
Peaceful. The word crossed through the mind of a solitary shadow standing at the top of a great fortress rising proudly towards the blank, dark heavens.
Great black wings fluttered needlessly round muscular, yet slender body clad in garments of trickling blood and shimmering darkness.
/Creepy!/ disembodied voice echoed in response. /This place's fuckin' freakin' me out./
Smile adorned Amatsu Mikaboshi's lips and he closed his eyes, reaching for the presence residing in the far corners of his mind. His touch was gentle and teasing.
If I didn't know any better, I'd say you're afraid, Renji.
The response was every bit as harsh as he had expected.
/What?! I ain't scared of nothin'! If something's creepy, it's creepy. Nothin' else./ Abarai Renji's voice spat back. His body may have been taken over by an ancient god, but his mind remained intact and insolent as always.
Is that so? Well, then I apologize for having offended you.
The words gave Renji pause, because he could not find a single trace of the mocking retort he would expect from someone of Mikaboshi's reputation. There was sincerity in his words and in his mind Renji glimpsed sorrow that brought chill into his bones. It confused him, for he could not understand why.
He didn't know much about Amatsu Mikaboshi, only what legends led everyone to believe. But the more time he spent in the company of the Old God, the more he realized everything they have been told until now may very well be a lie. Mikaboshi had no reason to keep his consciousness undamaged. There was nothing in it for him, as far as Renji could tell. It would probably have even been easier to erase him rather than put up with him. He remembered wishing he could have been alone in his own head again all those centuries ago, when he was still in Soul Society.
The fact that it was only a week ago didn't matter. He found it hard to keep track of time in Hueco Mundo anyway.
/You're nothin' like I imagined, you know?/ Renji decided to speak up after long moments of silence that followed.
Perhaps he wanted to break the ice. Perhaps he was trying to understand more about Amatsu-Mikaboshi. Either way, anything was better than being alone with his thoughts, which either gave him a headache or a hard-on. Sometimes both.
Mikaboshi raised an inquisitive eyebrow. And how is it that you imagine me to be like, Renji? Shall I proceed to kill kittens and puppies? Or bathe in the blood of virgins, perhaps?
Faint smirk played on the God's face as he said it, though darkness stirred restlessly within the depths of his being. The sensation alarmed Renji. Perhaps this was not an entirely safe topic for discussion right now.
/Well, yeah. Somethin' like that./ he said with a shrug, thinking it over.
Amatsu-Mikaboshi laughed darkly. In that case, let me show you something.
As soon as his words echoed in Renji's mind images flooded his consciousness that were not his. First the creation of the universe - Gensei the humans were soon born into; Seireitei to manage the flow of souls of the dead; Jigoku for those who committed sins too great to be allowed the blessing of reincarnation.
The worlds you now live in were the last of my father's creations. Mikaboshi provided a somewhat solemn narrative. He strived to make sure my brother and I take over his duties and continue holding a protective hand over humanity. My brother –the Spirit King as you know him- was left to rule over Seireitei, while I agreed to punish those who have sinned. It was my duty to ensure they become examples for both the mortal realm and Soul Society not to get carried away.
Renji's snort made him pause.
/Didn't work out, huh?/ his voice said.
In a manner of speaking. Mikaboshi answered. It still serves its purpose, though not quite in a way I imagined.
As another set of images assaulted Renji's mind, he noticed another thing that did not quite add up to the story. /What 'bout hollows then? Where did they come from?/
They are the spawns of Yamata no Orochi. Came out a simple answer followed by a vision of what looked like an ancient battlefield. There a man clad in imperial colours of white, red and gold battled a great serpent with nine rearing heads. In his hand was a beautifully adorned sword that seemed to bring down the wrath of the gods themselves.
In time, as human population increased, my brother and I realized we could not maintain order by ourselves without great interventions. It did not take long for us to notice the effects of our actions could be quite disastrous. While more and more mortals began worshipping my brother, my existence was considered unholy and dangerous to preserving peace. They did not understand how important my domain was for keeping balance. Their prayers for the dead kept stealing great number of souls from the very mouth of Jigoku-mon, returning even the worst criminal into the circle of life. My powers were not enough to keep track of every soul, while my brother was beseeched by so many requests he could not discern which were actually important.
Three images shuffled through Renji's vision. Two of them he knew, they were the man with the sword and the nine-headed serpent. The third one was a beautiful woman in floating regalia, her long black hair folding a river of the most exquisite silk over her back.
My brother created Amaterasu to help him. She ruled the day and governed the lesser gods and yokai of the forest who protected human villages. I used my power to give birth to Susano-o, her opposite.. We were too late, however. The damage done by mortal interference was irreversible and their misguided rituals and prayers gave rise to Yamata-no-Orochi. It was the cumulation of hatred, anger, jealousy, greed and every sinful thought of the souls who remained lost between life and death.
Again Renji could see the battle between Susano-o and Orochi.
Since it was my own failure, I sent my son to take care of the matter. His power was not enough to kill Yamata-no-Orochi, however. He sealed it instead into a separate dimension which later became known as Hueco Mundo. You could say Hueco Mundo is Orochi. Lost souls trapped inside are what you now call Hollows.
Renji frowned, perplexed. What the Old God said did not correspond with how the Shinigami knew their history in the slightest. Why? Why would anyone create a lie so complex it spanned throughout more than two millennia?
Of course he asked right away.
History, my friend is unfortunately only as accurate as the author of the book. Mikaboshi answered simply with a sigh.
Whether he was unwilling to discuss the matter further, or there was something else behind this evasive gesture Renji had not found out. Instead, familiar presence made him snap into attention. The Old God noticed it too and turned around.
There, Ichimaru Gin stood, leaning against a tall pillar some distance away. He looked like he's been there for quite a while, though there was no reason to believe he would notice their inner discussion. His face let not slip a single glimpse of his thoughts.
"Am I to understand I am being watched even here? Are you worried I might incite a rebellion?" Mikaboshi spoke softly, his own expression a mask to mirror Gin's.
The former 3rd Division Captain's grin widened slightly. "It's fer protection, ya understand." he said lazily. "Aizen-taichou'd skin lil' ol' me alive if somethin' happened to ya."
Mikaboshi responded in kind. "Naturally, we cannot have that, can we? Yet there must be a reason you've let your presence known now."
Ichimaru nodded towards the entrance to Las Noches. "I'm 'ere ta tell ya Aizen-taichou's waitin' downstairs."
Shushing the onslaught of selective names Renji had in store for Aizen Sousuke, Mikaboshi followed the silver haired Shinigami without another word back inside the fortress. They walked through cold and deserted black and white halls, with not a soul in sight, for what felt like eternity, until they came to a massive double door.
Once there, Ichimaru floated away again with a wave, as if he knew the way wouldn't open until he's gone. Sure enough, barely second after he disappeared behind a corner the door creaked open, entirely on its own, to admit Mikaboshi and then closed shut again as soon as he walked through.
Like the rest of Las Noches, walls surrounding him were bleak white, small set of stairs at the opposite end of the room lead to a spacious balcony that looked over the infinite dunes of Hueco Mundo. And there, leaning against an ornate, ivory railing stood Aizen Sousuke, seemingly deep in thought.
Naturally, it was nothing more than an illusion.
"I trust you have made yourself comfortable." he spoke suddenly in deep, velvety tones that weaved through the unearthly silence like a spider's web.
He did not turn around until Mikaboshi invited himself to stand at the top of the stairs. Small mirth played on his handsome face, not quite reaching chocolate eyes that gleamed with cold expediency as he scrutinized his guest from head to foot. His analytic mind searched and prodded, looking for any and every weakness for him to exploit. He still considered Amatsu-Mikaboshi an unknown potential threat, which brought a small smile onto the Old God's lips.
"In a way." he answered calmly.
"Good, then let's get to the point, shall we?" the former captain moved to the middle of the balcony.
Below his outstretched hand a circular opening appeared within the otherwise perfectly smooth marble at his feet and a column rose up, spiralling to reveal a tiny sphere glowing brightly, pulsing with energy to nearly rival Mikaboshi's own.
"Hogyoku." he said, his gaze not leaving his guest for a second. "I trust you are can determine the concept of its powers and the fact that Gotei 13th continued existence depends on its waking state?"
Mikaboshi watched Sousuke reach out, fingers enclosing around the little innocent-looking, marble-like artefact. As soon as he touched it, the expression in his eyes changed from mild amusement to fierce determination.
He did not expect an answer. "Unfortunately, once it fully awakens, it will be impossible even for me to fully control it. That is, unless I make it a part of myself."
"The fact that it may grant you the power to match mine and my brother's in the process has nothing to do with it." Mikaboshi said, frowning at the prospect of what exactly it was this intriguing shinigami was trying to say.
Again an amused smile curled the former 5th Division captain's thin lips and he placed the Hogyoku back. He did not speak again, until it blended into the marble floor once more.
"Let's just say there are many consequences to consider. Not all of them particularly desirable." he said, inclining his head. "However that does not change the fact that it is indeed the chance of a lifetime. One I have no intention to let slip through my fingers when I've already come so far. Which is why I now ask for only a fraction of your power to help me merge with the Hougyoku. In exchange I offer you what assistance I can provide to pursue your vengeance against your brother. What say you, Amatsu Mikaboshi?"
What might have been ages passed while the two of them were simply standing there, looking at each other, considering all possible outcomes of their conversation.
And then, slowly, Mikabohi's frown deepened for a fraction of a second before he nodded in agreement.
References for Amaterasu, Susano-o and Orochi you can find on Wikipedia. No, black flames and glowing violet shield-aura are involved (for Naruto fans) :)
I drew info from history and only tweaked it to suit Bleach :)
