Lex Talionis
Chapter 14
As he stared at the retreating form of Soifon, a moment of reflection struck Ichigo as he pondered over his recent outbursts since the day began. He found it a bit disconcerting that he didn't have nearly as much self-control as he usually did, and yet he had dismembered Soifon's would-be killer; prior to joining the Gotei 13 it would've been inconceivable to him that he would lose his patience or be unable to restrain the power in his attacks. However, he also had never thought it possible to befriend anyone, and yet already in the span of roughly one month he had opened up about his past towards Yoruichi, conversed with Kyoraku which he found surprisingly pleasant, and continued to find himself in a state of bewilderment in the presence of Lisa.
These people worked under the command of the Central 46, a group of individuals who had taken away everything from him, a group of people who he would eventually end with the tip of his blade. So why was he so easily becoming comfortable around them? They were the enemy. Surely they were all operating behind a façade, an elaborate scheme to throw him off guard, and yet he couldn't believe that with absolute certainty if the doubt in his gut was anything to go by. Why was he continuously losing sight of his objective?
His musings had to be put on hold for the moment however, as the mystery surrounding this recent plot for revenge required his attention, his injuries notwithstanding. Ichigo closed his eyes and inhaled slow deep breaths to calm his mind; it would do neither him nor anyone else any good for him to be distracted right now.
Ichigo continued his walk up the long and steep steps of the Kasumiōji Clan manor, the only discernible sounds coming from tree branches shifting from the light breeze in the air. If not for the current circumstances, he could've enjoyed the peacefulness this evening, but he knew better than anyone that life does not sympathize for a single individual; it acts and reacts under its own purpose.
As he entered the manor, he found nothing had changed since his last visit when Kumoi Gyōkaku, one of the clan leaders, had attempted to enlist his services during his time as a mercenary. Upon discovering the clan's involvement with Bakkōtō research, Ichigo had outright refused all offers of payment out of mere principle. Ichigo was disgusted by the very nature of Bakkōtō, along with those who desired to use them; the training under his mentor had precluded ever having such train of thought that would lead to the use of such devices.
As he travelled through the manor undetected, he immediately knew his destination: the underground laboratories. Their records surrounding the Bakkōtō research would all be stored there if his memory served correctly and thus far he had no reason to doubt it. After slipping into one of the rooms in the back, he opened the concealed passageway that lead to the underground labs and proceeded to walk down the stone steps.
Upon entering the lab, he noticed that some things remained the same, while additions to the lab had been made since his last visit. Liquid containers of several Bakkōtō were still in the same place, numerous swords were resting against racks lined up against the wall, shelves on the far side of the room held dozens of books and legers, but the dead bodies laid upon operation tables was something he hadn't seen before.
After ensuring no one else was in the room and all security devices had been disabled, Ichigo headed for the shelves on the far side of the wall and began searching for any pertinent information that could help shed some light on the situation. He didn't think his disgust and loathing for Bakkōtō could've gotten any worse, but yet again he was surprised that evening after discovering the cause for the dead bodies; they were forcing Bakkōtō onto people and monitoring the results.
Ichigo began looking for older entries and sifted through numerous records before coming across what appeared to be one of the first observations of their experiments.
Entry No. 01
Date: 1838 A.D.
Topic: Bakkōtō
At first glance, it appeared that Bakkōtō functioned much in the same way of Zanpakuto. However, upon further testing and observation, we've deduced that this theory is incorrect. Bakkōtō seem to be parasitic in nature, as opposed to the symbiotic relationship between Shinigami and Zanpakuto; although Bakkōtō could potentially match the strength of some Zanpakuto, further testing is required.
Entry No. 02
Date: 1838 A.D.
Topic: Bakkōtō
We observed the results of our first volunteer today. The strength of the Bakkōtō seems to be directly correlated with its wielder. At the end of the trial, our volunteer commented that his reiatsu felt rather drained, it could be possible side effect of the Bakkōtō.
Entry No. 03
Date: 1838 A.D.
Topic: Bakkōtō
We observed with our second volunteer that unlike Zanpakuto, Bakkōtō are not exclusive to one specific wielder, as the second volunteer was able to use the same Bakkōtō from the first trial. The second volunteer also commented on his reiatsu feeling rather drained, the theory that Bakkōtō consume the wielder's reiatsu has been supported; the strength of Bakkōtō correlating with the wielder is also supported by these results.
Entry No. 04
Date: 1838 A.D.
Topic: Bakkōtō
After allowing the first volunteer time to recover from the drain on his reiatsu, he returned and we began the third trial and tested the long-term effects of Bakkōtō use. As the duration of use and reiatsu of the wielder increased, we discovered by the unfortunate death of the volunteer that practical use of Bakkōtō will not be recommended.
Ichigo skipped through additional entries that had apparently been written by a different researcher, as the original researcher more than likely retired from the project or was killed considering his last entry. Ichigo soon caught notice of a name however, and with great attention read the entry.
Entry No. 113
Date: 1839 A.D.
Topic: Bakkōtō
The abductions for test subjects are starting to cause suspicion. Kumoi-sama is demanding results and our deadline has been shortened yet again. Fortunately we were able to apprehend a Shinigami sneaking into our lab before he could report to his superiors. After subjecting him to Bakkōtō we discovered mind control properties if subject has sufficient reiatsu to feed the Bakkōtō and subject is under duress. We ordered him to kill whoever sent him; we're too close to unlocking the secrets of the Bakkōtō to let some shinigami stop us now.
Ichigo didn't need a name to fill in the blanks. He took the journal and made a swift departure of the manor heading for the 1st Division. As he approached the 1st Division, he could feel two reiatsu signatures clashing, one of which was very erratic. He quickened his pace hoping to prevent further escalation, but upon his arrival it seemed as though the situation had become an even greater mess.
Buildings were toppled, debris was scattered throughout the battle zone, smoke was leaking out from the Captain-Commander's office, and two shinigami stood amidst it all looking at each other with contempt.
4th Seat of the 2nd Division, Soifon stood on one side of the battle.
5th Seat of the 2nd Division, Amagai Shūsuke stood on the other side.
Both Captain-Commander Yamamoto and Yoruichi were standing on the sidelines, the latter of whom had an arm wrapped protectively around Kasumiōji Rurichiyo's shoulders.
"Surrender Amagai," Soifon yelled at the man standing in front of her.
His only response was to grit his teeth and glare at her before charging and continuing their fight. They were both clearly exhausted and suffered numerous injuries, but neither was in better shape than the other.
Their flurries of punches, kicks, and trading of swords were interrupted upon Ichigo's arrival, both reacting differently to the Lieutenant of the 2nd Division. Soifon clenched her jaw angrily, likely wanting to inflict more pain on Ichigo than her current opponent, whereas Amagai grew more anxious as his plan visibly began to fall apart before his very eyes.
Ichigo paused in his approach as he tried masking his discomfort as his wounds had all opened up due to the strain he put on his body in trying to reach the 1st Division more quickly. After composing himself and putting forth a stoic expression, he said with a neutral tone, "4th Seat Amagai, would you care to explain yourself?"
The question seemed to bring Amagai out from his anxiety, "Carrying out my revenge!" he exclaimed before pointing his blade towards the Captain-Commander, "Yamamoto Genryūsai Shigekuni and Kasumiōji Rurichiyo will die by my hand and I will cut down anyone who gets in my way!" he finished while pointing his blade at the young girl beside Yoruichi.
Ichigo's expression remained unchanged as he continued speaking with Amagai as though they were having idle conversation, "For the death of Kisaragi Shin'etsu I presume?"
Both Yamamoto and Amagai were both shocked by the question and for different reasons.
"I won't bother asking how you knew, but if you value your life stay out of my way," Amagai replied, shifting his focus back on to Soifon.
By this time however, given all the commotion of the battle, numerous Captains and Lieutenants of other divisions had arrived to the scene, which did very little to help calm Amagai down.
"Captain-Commander Yamamoto will die for killing the shinigami Kisaragi Shin'etsu, my father," Amagai said with pause before glancing over at Kasumiōji Rurichiyo, "and the next heir to the Kasumiōji Clan will share the same fate for the clan's alliance with this murderer!" he said, anger trailing his voice as he referred to the Captain-Commander.
"I discovered my father in the field that he would regularly train in with his Zanpakuto, only to realize he had been struck down. In his dying breath he said the name of the person responsible as clearly as I am talking now, and do you know what he said?" Amagai spoke as he angrily recalled the memory.
"Yamamoto!" which shocked everyone present, with the exception of both Ichigo and Yamamoto himself.
Many of the Captains openly stared at the Captain-Commander in disbelief, but that didn't deter Amagai from continuing, "Several years later I changed my name, said I was from the Rukongai, and joined the Gotei 13, with the sole purpose of discovering the truth surrounding my father's death. I gathered information and finally understood it all, it was Bakkōtō. The last word my father spoke to me. However, this only created more questions, and upon searching for more answers I realized that my father learned of the Bakkōtō's existence by chance and sought to find the truth about them by himself. Finally, he broke into the Kasumiōji grounds, but was struck down by you," he said with venom towards the Captain-Commander.
"You conspired with the Kasumiōji and took part in their development of Bakkōtō. My father obtained proof…and you silenced him! Even as the Kasumiōji family's actions grew more suspicious, you refused to intercede, using the laughable excuse that they weren't under your jurisdiction! I swore to take revenge on you..." he said before being abruptly interrupted.
"Be silent!" Ichigo yelled.
For anyone who knew the Lieutenant of the 2nd Division, they had never witnessed him in such an angry state, and no one was more surprised than Ichigo.
"What a fool you are! What an embarrassment to think that you are a member of the Onmitsukidō! For years you learned all that you could to exact your revenge," he emphasized with a dismissive tone, "and it all amounted to nothing!" he berated.
The concern in Yoruichi's eyes for Ichigo only continued to increase, which did not go unnoticed by Soifon, if her visible jealously was any indication. However, Yoruichi was not the only one present who grew concerned for Ichigo as both the 8th Division Captain and Lieutenant gazed at the 2nd Division Lieutenant.
Ichigo pulled out the journal he retrieved from the underground laboratory, "This has the records of the early experiments conducted by the Kasumiōji family under the authority of Kumoi Gyōkaku. The fact that I discovered this in a single evening only demonstrates how pathetic your intelligence gathering has been over the course of this plot for revenge! According to this journal, a shinigami infiltrated their lab where they proceeded to subjugate him with a Bakkōtō and ordered him to kill whoever sent him!" he divulged.
Amagai was shocked into silence and frozen where he stood. The revelation was undoubtedly invoking regret and confusion in his mind, and all he could do was stand there with wide eyes and an open mouth.
"This journal and the evidence of Bakkōtō alone would've brought those responsible to justice, and this misguided attempt at revenge been made unnecessary," Ichigo continued, his anger subsiding enough to speak calmly.
"It is against the law for the Gotei 13 to meddle in the affairs of the noble families unless the family in question breaks one of the laws of Soul Society beyond a shadow of a doubt," Ichigo quoted, "and here is the evidence," he stated before throwing the journal at Amagai's feet and disappearing with a flash step.
The fire and drive that had pushed Amagai this far had been extinguished, and so he collapsed to the ground as he cried silently over his grave mistake. The revenge that had consumed his life was now gone, and with it left a void that could not be filled. The sword of fate had fallen for Amagai Shūsuke this day, and Ichigo feared where it would fall on his day.
Ichigo ignored the pain as he continued to flash step through the Seireitei. He felt his wounds continue to open up as his flash steps grew in number, the strain only exasperating the deep gashes and cuts that decorated his body.
Eventually, his blood loss and severe dehydration caused him to misstep and fall to the ground, hard. He was sure his ribs had cracked and collar bone was broken, but he ignored the pain. He was in no hurry to get up, and so his body lay face down on the ground, somewhere within the Seireitei, with a pool of blood expanding beneath him.
The only thing that Ichigo could think of was his own plan for revenge, the paralleled history between him and Amagai, and the frightful possibility of not knowing the truth. He never considered that what he knew or may come to know might have the off chance of being incorrect, much like Amagai he has been consumed by revenge for most of his life, and that realization struck him square in the face upon confronting his subordinate.
As blood began pooling around his face that was pressed against the ground, he rolled on to his back and gazed up at the sky. His thoughts of the present were soon replaced with memories of the past…
* Flashback *
A teenager was standing in a clearing within a forest practicing strikes with his sword; the swooshing noises it made could be heard by anyone standing nearby. He had black hair that barely touched his shoulders and auburn eyes focused directly ahead at an imaginary opponent, perspiration was evident on his face.
However, a brief noise caught his attention as he paused in his practicing, his senses on high alert for any further disturbances he could detect.
Suddenly a blade came swinging at him from behind, but he had felt the presence before the attack was even considered, and so with impressive agility he flipped in the air over the swing and as he came back down towards the ground he lashed out with a kick, striking his attacker in the wrist and disarming them.
He turned abruptly after his feet touched the ground with his blade now resting against the attacker's throat.
It was a woman. She had long black hair that draped softly down her front and back, gently rippling with the light breeze that danced around them. Her smile was serene, her eyes closed as she looked at him with affection, and hands up in defeat.
"I give up," she said playfully, "don't hurt me Ichigo."
Ichigo withdrew his blade from her neck, but his features were still very focused on the person who stood before him, "What do you want Royd?" he questioned.
The woman smirked before changing form, reverting into a boy with light colored hair and parted bangs, "How did you know it was me?" the boy asked with half disappointment and half curiosity.
Ichigo's face relaxed and he smiled at the younger boy before him, "You need to work on matching her reiatsu, I can notice the differences," he replied while ruffling the child's hair affectionately much to the boy's chagrin.
"You know I can't replicate reiatsu signatures!" Royd stated, running after Ichigo as he began walking away from the clearing in the forest.
"Maybe you should ask your brother, he seems to do a pretty good job," Ichigo said offhandedly.
"Yeah, but can he replicate memories or personality? Nope!" the child bragged while puffing out his chest, which only made Ichigo chuckle in amusement.
"I suppose you have a point," he paused briefly as a thought occurred to him, "last one home has to help mom in the fields!" he challenged before sprinting away from the child.
After recovering from shock the boy gave chase, "Hey no fair you cheater," Royd yelled as Ichigo ran ahead of him.
Ichigo could only laugh as Royd tried catching up to him.
After a couple of minutes they both arrived at a cottage that overlooked several different fields of vegetables. Ichigo looked at the scenery contently, and was soon smiling from ear to ear as the woman whom Royd tried to transform into was standing in one of the fields looking at Ichigo with motherly affection.
Speaking of Royd, he finally caught up to Ichigo and continued accusing him of cheating in between panted breaths, but Ichigo merely patted him on the shoulder before saying, "Don't worry squirt, I'll help you in the fields with mom."
That seemed to cease Royd's complaining as he continued to try and catch his breath while bent over with hands resting on knees.
The woman in the fields approached them and Ichigo soon closed the distance, embracing her in a warm and all-encompassing hug before taking a step back and waiting for her to address him.
She smiled in response to his hug before her features became slightly sympathetic, "Haschwald needs to speak with you, and he requested that I send you over upon your return from training."
Ichigo now understood why she had that sympathetic look on her face, he despised Haschwald. He averted his eyes from looking directly at her, she could always convince him to do things he didn't want to do with nothing but her eyes, and they both knew it.
So when her hand gently touched his cheek and forced him to look at her, he knew before resting his eyes on her own that he was going to see Haschwald that day. Therefore, it came as no surprise to him why he found himself standing in front of Haschwald's residence, lightly knocking on the front door.
"Come in," a voice said from inside.
Ichigo opened the door and walked in, he wanted to leave as soon as possible, but life had other plans for him that day.
Haschwald was tinkering with a medallion before he glanced up and acknowledged Ichigo, "I see Äs Nödt was able to relay my message. How are you today Ichigo?" the man said before standing up and walking towards him.
Ichigo's brows knit together in agitation, "What did you want Haschwald? I don't want to miss dinner."
The man merely smirked at the teenager, "As friendly as ever I see," he said with amusement, "it appears those thugs you dealt with last week are back in Fushou again."
Ichigo groaned with displeasure, "So much for eating dinner tonight," he said more to himself than he did to Haschwald.
"Is that all?" Ichigo questioned as he made for the door.
"You're free to go, Ichigo," the man said, sitting back down at his desk and tinkering with the same medallion.
Ichigo ran over to Fushou, beat up some thugs who were stealing and beating up the locals, and by the time he began approaching Sabitsura it was already nighttime. His thoughts of a hot meal and warm bed soon left the forefront of his mind as the frightful sight of burning buildings and sounds of terrified screams soon grabbed his attention.
He immediately began sprinting for home, and feared for the worst. The homes of his friends, neighbors, and family were all set ablaze and the sight of people running in the opposite direction of him with nothing but fear did nothing to ease his worries.
His heart stopped as he ran over the hill that led to his home, it was bathed in fire. The cottage he had slept in for so long and the fields he had put so much work into were all consumed by flames.
His concern for his mom and brothers instantly brought him out of his daze and he ran towards the cottage. After covering his face he quickly kicked open the front door and was soon shouting as loud as he could for anyone. However, after many breaths of smoke, burns to his body, and much searching for his loved ones, he couldn't find any bodies whatsoever.
He ran outside, coughing the smoke out of his lungs, and never before was he so thankful to see Haschwald.
The man ran up to Ichigo and supported him under the arm as they walked away from the collapsing cottage, stains of smoke and cuts adorned his face mirroring Ichigo's own appearance due to the fires littering their district.
"Haschwald…where are they," Ichigo managed to question in between his fits of coughing.
The man looked at him with what could only be described as guilt, and as he shook his head from side to side, Ichigo could only stand there feeling empty. He didn't need to hear words confirming his fears, by that point it was unnecessary, but that didn't stop Haschwald from speaking.
"The shinigami did this…" Haschwald said while outstretching his arm referring to their once beautiful district, "Loyd and Royd were out in the field when the shinigami attacked… Äs Nödt tried to protect them but…" he said letting the words hang in the smoky air.
Ichigo collapsed on his hands and knees, his eyes squeezed shut while tears bled out at the corners leaving a clean trail down his dirty face, he clenched his teeth and hands wishing for it all to have been a nightmare, but life would show him no sympathy.
"How did they…find us?" Ichigo asked while trying to delay his mourning.
Haschwald paused before responding, a telltale sign that the answer would only make him more distraught than he already was, something he didn't think was possible right now.
"They detected a reiatsu signature…a shinigami reiatsu signature," Haschwald replied as he closed his eyes.
His pain increased tenfold as he realized who Haschwald was referring to, causing him to scream out in agony.
"His majesty has ordered all of us to retreat, all of us except for you. His majesty believes that where we would fail in retaliating against the shinigami, you may succeed," Haschwald explained.
There was something about what Haschwald said that made the pain go away. He could avenge his fallen loved ones. He could avenge his fallen home. He could inflict onto them the pain they had caused on this tragic day. Ichigo's eyes opened slowly, tears no long falling down his face. He relaxed his jaw and hands, and stood up a new man. He could ignore this pain, put it on hold. He would kill all responsible, and when all vengeance had been carried out, he would face the pain upon his death and be rejoined with his family in the next life.
* End Flashback *
As he lay there in his own blood, unconsciousness soon to take over, he couldn't hold back the pain anymore. His growing attachment to those called enemy brought an overwhelming amount of guilt, with that guilt came doubt, with doubt his resolve crumbled, and with no more resolve he was left exposed and thrown back to that fateful day when he lost all that mattered.
He saw her face looming over him. Her black hair dangling softly as she leaned over him. The sun shone from above her, creating an angelic outline of her beautiful face. Warmth began to spread throughout his body, he was finally going to rejoin his family, and with a defeated breath he uttered two words with the upmost regret, "I'm sorry."