I slid off of his lap and back down on the bed, pulling him over behind me again. He chuckled and gladly spooned me, holding me as close to him as he could, the warmth of his flesh better than any blanket I owned… then I hesitated.

"What?" he asked, frowning.

"Will you show me… that night?" I asked softly, instantly feeling his heart fill with dread. "I… I want to see it through your eyes, to know what happened…"

I could feel how much he did not want to remember this… so I kissed him soothingly.

"If you don't want to show me… I understand," I told him softly, the bond showing I meant it. It was, after all, a very personal thing to remember.

He sighed… and the memory flooded my mind.

Flashback

Everything went black, we couldn't even see each other anymore! And then, the pain hit. I crumpled to the ground, both from the injury from Hiyori and the new one across my back…

What happened?

When the blackness cleared, I saw him standing there with his zanpakuto bared.

"Hold on a minute…" I thought aloud. "Kaname! Tell me… why did you do that to Kensei? You betrayed him, your own Captain!"

"He didn't betray him," came an all-too-familiar calm voice. "He's actually quite loyal."

I felt loathing pit in my stomach.

I was right about him. I was right about him all along!

I slowly turned my head to look.

"As a matter of fact, Kaname was just loyally following my orders," Sosuke stated, Gin walking up behind him. "You, of all people, can understand that so, please, don't hold it against him, Captain Hirako."

I wanted to knock that smug look off of his face.

"Sosuke," I growled out. "I should have known it was you."

"You mean you were onto me?" Sosuke baited. "That was very good."

"Of course, that's why I'm a Captain," I sneered.

"When did you suspect?" Sosuke asked, seeming amused.

"From the beginning," I replied. "From the time you were in your mother's womb and maybe even before then."

Sosuke just looked even more amused, turning his head to the side in a completely relaxed manner.

"How witty of you," he mocked.

"To be perfectly honest, I always felt you were somewhat dangerous, someone who could never be trusted and, as long as we're telling the truth, that's the real reason I chose you to be my lieutenant," I spelled out. "I only did it… to keep an eye on you, Sosuke."

Sosuke looked completely unruffled, which infuriated me if I was honest.

"Yes," he said softly. "I must thank you for that, Captain Hirako. I needed you to keep mistrusting me, to keep you watching. That's what made misleading you so simple."

How arrogant!

"You were never out of my sight," I growled. "What are you saying?"

"You were keeping an eye on the wrong person," Sosuke replied.

What the hell is he talking about?

"During this past month, when you were so aware of my presence, it wasn't me that was following you," Sosuke explained.

"What?!"

"I have a very useful ability. I can make anyone mistake any phenomena for something else at will. That is the true power of my zanpakuto, Kyoka Suigetsu. I refer to it in the common tongue; complete and utter hypnosis."

"You're saying… you hypnotized me?"

"You are a sharp intellect, Captain Hirako, but you're suspicious and that gave me an opening. You never received me as your second-in-command the way the other Captains did. If you had, perhaps you may have been able to see through me. However, you did not. And because you didn't trust me, you always kept me at arm's length, never opening up to me or giving me information and, of course, you never tried to get any closer to me. That was why I was able to take advantage of you so easily."

He sheathed his zanpakuto while I struggled to get off the ground, burning hatred filling me.

"The fact is you never realized, at some point, I switched places with a completely different person. I made sure the man who took my place memorized everything about my normal behavior patterns and, especially, the interactions with you and the other squad members. If you had really paid attention to me, even the slightest difference in patterns or behaviors would have seemed out of place to you. You were too arrogant to believe… that I could be one step ahead of you. Because you never knew who I was, you now lie there completely helpless."

I glared at him, fully understanding what was happening now.

"Do you understand the depths of your situation now, my dear Captain Hirako?"

I growled lowly.

"Sosuke…"

"Oh, and one more thing," Sosuke added. "Let me enlighten you about your assertion that you chose me as your lieutenant to keep an eye on me. Actually, you're mistaken. It was the other way around."

"What are you talking about?"

"Think back to the start of our relationship. Just as Captains have the right to select their lieutenants, squad members have the right to refuse an assignment and, while that right is very rarely exercised—particularly when you're starting out—it still exists. I had the choice of NOT becoming your lieutenant. So why didn't I do that? Because it was the ideal situation. You didn't realize it at the time, but your excessive suspicion and wariness of me was just what I needed. It played perfectly into the successful completion of my plans. Now do you understand what I've been talking about? You did not choose me… I chose you, Captain Hirako."

I felt my anger starting to get the better of me, felt my body starting to shake as I struggled to maintain control of my emotions, to pay close attention to all he was saying so I could use it as proof of his betrayal…

"I suppose, when it comes down to it, that you owe your friends here an apology. Because you were chosen by me, they ended up on the ground as casualties through no fault of their own."

That's it!

I picked up my blade and rose to my feet.

"Sosuke!"

Abruptly, I choked, then watched in horror as white stuff burst from my mouth, nose, and eye!

W-what the hell is this?!

"I wasn't actually sure it would work, but thank you, Captain, for going for my cheap taunt," Sosuke mocked.

"W-what's happening to me?" I demanded, unnerved to hear a strange echo in my voice. The white stuff began to flow over me and harden little by little… and the pain… oh, the pain!

When I turned around, I was horrified to see the others starting to do the same.

Wait a minute!

"Like all my visions, I can't hear what's said, I can only observe the scene," she had told me. "My friends… they had fallen victim to something, to someone I couldn't see… and all but one of them was unconscious. The one still awake seemed deeply angered, almost betrayed… and all of them were suffering the same strange phenomena… Three of them had hollow masks… and the others… if I had to hazard a guess, I'd say they were becoming hollows, too… but it didn't look natural, it didn't look right… The conscious one… the white stuff that spewed from his mouth only covered half of his face, like he was fighting it somehow…"

Her vision! She was right!

I turned back to the traitor.

"Sosuke, what's going on?" I demanded, then groaned as the pain grew even greater, the whiteness spreading across my face further, even passing down my shoulder. Sosuke looked unamused, even a bit disappointed. Kaname walked over to stand behind him. Gin stood there with a bland smile on his face, though his eyes cracked open once to look at me.

"I'm sorry" was written in those eyes before he closed them quickly.

"As we thought," Sosuke muttered. "It appears an agitated state helps to accelerate the hollowfication process."

"Hollowfication…"

It can't be…

"What have you done to us?" I asked, my voice low.

"I see no reason to explain, Captain," Sosuke baited. I fought against the outrage that brewed within me, fought it hard. I had to stay calm!

"Shin… ji…"

The distorted voice of Hiyori reached my ears and I looked back at her.

"Kaname," Sosuke said.

"Yes, sir," Kaname replied, picking up his sword. My eyes widened.

"No, don't!" I protested, but I was too slow. Kaname cut Hiyori down like butter… and I flew at him, enraged. Kaname looked a bit vexed as he blocked my blow, though he soon jumped away. "I don't know what's going on here, but if you think everything is going to go smoothly according to your plan, you're going to be mistaken."

"Surprising resistance, considering the progress of the hollowfication," Sosuke noted.

Hold on… What was it that Sosuke said a few minutes ago?

"As we thought," Sosuke muttered. "It appears an agitated state helps to accelerate the hollowfication process."

That was it… which means if I maintain my composure this transformation process won't progress.

"What shall I do, sir?" Kaname asked.

"Go ahead and continue," Sosuke replied. "We'll just have one less sample, that's all."

Excuse me?!

"So, I'm just a sample to you? Interesting way to describe a comrade."

I blocked Kaname as he attacked. It was slow, like he was measuring me up. Back and forth our blades clashed, though I did, at one point, push him backwards some ways.

"It appears he's about to get defeated," Gin commented.

"Yes, you may be right," Sosuke agreed, not sounding pleased.

What's going on? I have almost no control over my body. I can't feel any pain… It's so strange… It's as though someone other than me is doing the fighting.

I dodged the incoming attack and clashed a few more times before sending Kaname to the ground.

No wonder we had such a hard time dealing with Kensei, even when we out-numbered him… but, at this rate, I may have a chance…

"Sorry, sir," Kaname apologized. "But don't worry. I'll finish him now."

"Don't concern yourself over it," Sosuke told him. "I actually expected this would happen. In fact, I theorized the speed at which hollow transformation would occur would differ from individual to individual."

I felt more hardened white stuff spill over me.

"I must admit, it was quite an interesting process to observe," Sosuke stated. "However, your continued existence is immaterial. I believe it's time to finish you off, dear Captain Hirako. In the end, I hope you'll remember one thing."

He slowly drew his zanpakuto.

"Any betrayal you can see is trivial. What is truly frightening and much more lethal is the betrayal you cannot see."

"Goodbye," he said, raising his blade high. "I must commend you. You people have provided wonderful research material."

EXCUSE ME?!

And from my lips tore a hollow scream.

Just before he could strike, a blur shot out of the trees and slashed at him, throwing Sosuke off-balance.

"Well, unexpected guests," Sosuke noted, turning to look at Kisuke Urahara. "How very interesting… To what do I owe the honor, Captain Urahara, Commander Tsukabishi?"

"Whoopsie," Gin piped up. "I guess they found us."

"I'll kill them," Kaname announced, drawing his blade.

"No," Sosuke said immediately. "Don't."

"But, sir—"

"Kaname," Sosuke said as he slowly looked back at him. "I think I made myself clear."

Kaname immediately got a look of fear on his features. Kaname quickly knelt.

"Yes, sir," he said quickly. "Please forgive my insolence."

"Kisuke…" I managed to say. The blonde looked over at me as I stepped closer. "Why'd you come here? You're such an idiot."

Kisuke looked taken back.

"Shinji?!" he asked. "What is up with that hideous mask?"

I grinned, amused.

"You don't know the half of it," I told him. Kisuke smirked for a moment… then lost it as he looked over at Hiyori. His eyes were full of self-torment.

"So, Lieutenant Aizen," Kisuke began.

"Yes?" Sosuke responded.

"What have you done?"

"Nothing. As you can see, I happened upon the members of the Soul Investigation Unit. They seem to have been injured in battle. I was merely trying to save their lives."

"You bastard," I growled, stepping forward. "They'll never buy that!"

"Tell me, why are you lying to us?" Kisuke asked.

"Lying?" Sosuke asked. "Is there a problem with a lieutenant helping his Captain?"

"No, but that's not what I meant," Kisuke replied. "Injured in battle? You call these… injuries? You're dancing around the truth. This is hollowfication."

I was shocked. Sosuke seemed unfrazzled completely.

"First, it's the vanishing souls, squad members disappearing like they'd been erased, and now what you see here. It can only be one thing: Hollowfication experiments. Someone's doing research… actually, let's not beat around the bush, shall we? We both know who's responsible."

"I see," Sosuke finally spoke up. "Your reputation surely precedes you."

Sosuke sheathed his sword.

"To tell the truth, I'm glad you came tonight," he admitted. "Gin, Kaname, we've fulfilled our objective. Let's go... And, Captain Hirako, I'll give your regards to Akalia."

"Stop, Sosuke!" Kisuke bit out. "We are not done!"

"Clear out of the way, Captain Urahara!" Tessai burst out. "Hado Number 88, Hiryugekizokushintenraiho!"

An enormous blast of energy burst from his palm (which Kisuke barely dodged) and shot straight for Sosuke!

"Bakudo Number 81, Danku," Sosuke said calmly. Immediately, the Hado met a powerful barrier, exploding on impact!

"It can't be!" Tessai gasped out. "My kido… stopped by a lieutenant using a Danku with no incantation!"

When the smoke cleared, Sosuke was gone.

"Forgive me," Tessai said to Kisuke. "It seems I let him escape."

"Tessai… who is that guy?" Kisuke asked, sounding vexed. That's when the transformation's pain hit once more… and my vision went dark.

End Flashback

I shook my head, my whole body shaking in my fury. It took me a few minutes to realize he was shaking just as badly, his hollow swimming in his eyes.

"Stop," I commanded, looking the blackness directly in the eyes. I felt the hollow within him hesitate. "This war between you ends now. If you wish to remain alive, Shinji must ALWAYS be your face. However, when we are alone like this, I want all of you, both of you. Shinji, don't fight him so much. He won't hurt me. Hollow Shinji, stop tormenting and pushing. It will not end well for either of you if I have to use my power on you to bind you to my will."

That made both of them freeze as they computed that.

"This bond is a powerful thing in many ways, usually used in Hueco Mundo to bind another's will to your own, the stronger will taking full dominance of the relationship," I spelled out. "If I command it, enforced by our bond, you will do exactly as I say whether you want to or not… but the opposite is also true. You can also use this bond to command me. A mate-bond is the ultimate form of trust… and the ultimate submission."

"Show me," Shinji said. I smiled and then caught and held his gaze.

"Let him out," I commanded, putting the force of our bond behind it. I felt his shock as his body obeyed, his hollow coming to the front. His eyes turned black and gold, his mask starting to form… until I reached over and flicked it, breaking it apart. "You don't need that mask to come out… Shinji is your mask."

The mask didn't form again, the hollow seeming to understand what I meant. Instead, he grinned down at me, that grin so much more wicked than Shinji's. I chuckled and pulled him into a fierce kiss, making him groan and grip my body tightly, turning me to face him so I could feel his growing hardness. I bit his lip, making him growl and grin at me, knowing I'd drawn blood. I licked the wound and felt it heal.

"King doesn't deserve you," he muttered, his hands gripping my hip bruisingly tight as he kissed me roughly, rubbing his rod against my soaked folds. His hands jerked my legs to the sides, baring my sex to his gaze. He grinned widely. "All mine."

Then he thrust in hard, making me cry out in pleasure, arching into him.

"That's it," he told me as he thrust savagely, rough and fast as well as deep. "Sing for your King!"

I growled and bit down on his shoulder, raking my nails down his back. He roared out in a mixture of pain and pleasure, taking a fistful of my hair, jerking my head back hard as he bit down on my exposed neck. My hips met his every thrust, my body getting wave after wave of pure ecstasy from this pure dominance.

"F-fuck!" I swore, my second climax this night ripping through me. My mate swore darkly, also finding sweet oblivion, flooding my chasm with his cum. I laid there, panting a while, his body shakily hovering over mine.

"You're too good for King," he told me, making me chuckle.

"Then it's a good thing I'm half yours, yes?" I asked, making him grin softly. I kissed him deliciously, then pulled back. "Now, let Shinji back out. I believe he has more to show me."

I didn't need to command him. He was willing, now that he knew I could make him do it, if I so wished. Moments later, it was Shinji looking down at me, panting from exertion. He seemed wordlessly taken back.

"You LIKED that?" he asked. I nodded with a small smirk.

"Part Hollow, remember?" I teased. "I do love the gentle love-making and the reminders that you love me dearly… but I also appreciate the times when you will fuck me like you don't."

I kissed him, swallowing whatever he was going to say to that.

"I'm not made of glass, Shinji," I told him. "Never hold back an ounce of your desire from me and never be afraid to get rough if you want to. It's YOU… I'll love it every time, no matter in what way I have you."

He finally grinned and kissed me softly.

"I have… one last memory I want to show you," he told me. "It's how Hiyori found out about you being alive… how we all did, actually."

I kissed him softly.

"Show me, my love," I whispered. He kissed me again… and the memory played.

Flashback

"We got a message from Kisuke!" called out Mashiro, waving it in her hand. No one was really that interested. "And it has some interesting information for Shinji."

I glanced her way.

"Something about a Miss Dragomir—"

What?

I darted over and snatched the note, reading it quickly.

Dear Shinji, I do regret keeping a single secret from you, but it was on behalf of the one it is about. Miss Dragomir is alive and living here, in Karakura Town.

White hot fury tore through me.

Is my King upset? How delightful… Lose control, King! I want to play!

Shut the hell up and go back to that pit you came from!

"That… bastard!" I bit out, crumpling the paper.

Kisuke… How DARE you do this!

And I flashed away, flashed to the shop.

"KISUKE!" I roared. He stepped into the doorway… and promptly flew through the back of his shop and several buildings further. "HOW DARE YOU LIE TO ME!"

When he finally came to rest, he got up slowly and dusted himself off, flashing back to stand in front of me.

"I am not lying," he told me plainly. "Why would I lie to you about something like this?"

"You're lying, you have to be!"

I was rather ashamed to know my voice cracked.

"You know she's dead, we both know it!"

"No, I do not know that," he countered calmly. "I've seen her, talked to her… She's very much alive, Shinji. I can tell you exactly where to find her, too."

"Why hasn't she come to find me?" I demanded. "Didn't you tell her I was alive? Vas would have come and found me as soon as you told her that!"

"Unless she had what she believed to be a substantial reason not to find you," Kisuke countered. "She's… not the woman you think she is."

I grabbed his robe, clenching it tightly in my fists, holding him close to me. Judging by how his eyes flashed, I knew I was losing control of my hollow, the black starting to cover my eyes.

"You know nothing about her," I snarled at him. "I know more than you people think! I know who she is, what she is."

His eyes widened in surprise.

"I also know she can't be alive," I spat out. "Durnehviir made that absolutely clear… so did Kuchiki… I won't stand here… and be lied to!"

I threw him backwards with as much force as I could muster. Then I shot up into the sky, looking over the town.

She's not alive…

But, I couldn't shove away the nagging feeling that he might be right… so I cast out my senses. I searched far and wide, searching hard and eager…

And there was nothing.

He lied. I knew it!

I clenched my fists tightly.

Kisuke… you bastard!

I let loose a roar of complete despair and anguish, falling to my knees as I let the tears of my loss stream down my cheeks once more.

Vasilysa… forgive me… forgive me for not being strong enough to stop him…

End of Flashback

I had felt his pain and hugged him to me, holding his body against mine.

"You owe Kisuke an apology," I stated, making him sigh, though a grin slid onto his face.

"Do I have to?" he whined, making me laugh.

"Yes, yes you do," I replied. "He has been nothing but honest and kind to you, to us…"

Then I thought about it.

"No wonder he had a bruised cheek when he came to the hospital," I commented softly. "You really hit him hard, luv…"

He growled.

"He should have taken me straight to you rather than just told me about you," he stated. "Or he should have written down your address instead of just saying you were in Karakura Town."

"Then I would have hated him," I countered, making him pause… and remember. "Yes, I would have been overjoyed to see you… but I would have also been horribly upset about it. I wasn't ready at that point… I'm glad he was cryptic and put up with your temper."

I lightly ran my nails up and down his back soothingly.

"We really should thank him for all this…"

Shinji sighed, but nodded, agreeing that I was probably right.

"But how do you thank a guy that really doesn't want anything?" Shinji asked, making me chuckle.

"You'd be surprised how much a simple 'thank you' can mean to someone," I replied. "Kisuke is just like everyone else. Yes, he does all kinds of things to help others… but does he ever get any appreciation for it? I'm sure our gratitude (while obviously implied) would be a welcome sound to his ears… and we should probably not forget his birthday this year. It would really suck having to celebrate someone's birthday alone all the time. I went last year… but, other than Yoruichi, no one else did."

Shinji winced.

"That bad?" he asked.

"His birthday is on New Year's Eve and Yoruichi's is on New Year's Day."

He winced again.

"Ah, hell," he swore. "That's gotta suck…"

I nodded.

"We'll thank him tomorrow… then we'll start planning a better birthday for him than he's had in a long time," I stated, then kissed him softly. "Get some sleep. Tomorrow is technically a school day."

"I got Ichigo," he reminded me. "There's no reason for me to go back now."

I grinned.

"Good," I told him. "Then I'll pump before I go and you can take care of the boys tomorrow while I maintain my GPA."

He gave me a grin.

"You don't need to go to school, either," he pointed out. I chuckled.

"Actually, as long as my name is 'Kurosaki', I do," I countered. "It was part of Isshin's deal to house me and adopt me… Also, we'll probably have supper with them tomorrow night. I'll text Yuzu and make sure that's okay."

"You really love that family, don't you?" he asked. I nodded.

"Like an extension of our own," I replied, kissing him softly. "Rest. Feel free to ignore my alarm in the morning."

He snorted, telling me he fully intended to… though he knew the boys wouldn't. I giggled and kissed him again before nestling down to rest. He rolled off of me and pulled me into his arms, holding me close.

"Now I really need to marry you," he teased. "If your name isn't 'Kurosaki', you can stay home with me all day."

And I laughed.

And there you have it. The memories of our dear Shinji. Were there any parts that surprised you? Where there any moments that your heart ached? Let me know! I love feedback!

Viper-Sindel

PS

I'll get the next post up as soon as possible. We are now venturing into the part where dearest Vasilysa will meet Maki Ichinose again. Stay tuned!