Chapter 5
It was a chilly night, but not a wholly unpleasant one. The remnants of winter still hung in the night sky, but it was not long for this world as it succumbed to the embrace of Spring. The stars shone bright and the moon gleamed like a beacon that had been lit to guide the lost home. It was a beautiful night.
But that was lost on Nyruki as she stood outside of the captains meeting room, her back against the wall to smother her hands and accompanied by her day old Lieutenant.
"That wasn't you, was it?" Renji asked quietly, standing across from her and leaning back against the guard railing with his arms crossed.
"No. That was Kibōyūwaku." Nyruki sighed, unable to lift her head from staring at the wooden floor.
Renji simply scoffed, but not with the sort of angry tick that she had been expecting. It was more intended to fill the void of silence while they waited for the doors to open.
A moment ticked by before the door began to creak open, revealing a tall, rugged man in a straw hat and pink kimono that was draped over his broad shoulders.
"You can come in, Nyruki." Shunsui Kyōraku said, standing aside and holding the door open for her to enter.
Nyruki sighed as she pushed off the wall and entered the darkness, having the door close behind them to seal her within the lion's den. She found herself under the gaze of all the captains, including that of Head-Captain Yamamoto. Her stomach felt as if it was going to cartwheel out of her mouth from the sheer amount of nerves, but she highly doubted that pretending to be sick, or actually being sick, was going to get her out of this one.
Blowing out a shaky and nervous breath, Nyruki bowed deep and announced herself.
"Good evening, Head-Captain. I am Nyruki Sawada of Squad 6." She said, keeping low in her bow and staring at the floor. Anything was better than the gazes of the captains.
"Rise, Nyruki Sawada." Grumbled the Head-Captain.
Nyruki rose up straight and rolled her shoulders back to hide her nerves, but under the gaze of all of them, she was sure that no amount of sheer willpower could hide them.
"We have brought you here out of concerns that were raised by the captain of Squad 6; Captain Byakuya Kuchiki." Began the Head-Captain, his long, bound and white beard swaying with each word.
Briefly, her eyes shifted to her Captain, only to fall under his gaze as he looked at her out of the corner of his eye.
"He has brought it to my attention of what happened earlier today during training when you released your Zanpakutō." The Head-Captain continued with more gravel in his voice than seemed normal.
"Yes, Sir." Nyruki simply said, opting to stare at the floor, instead of holding her head up.
"What, exactly, does it do?" The Head-Captain asked.
Nyruki gulped, "Head-Captain... I-I'd rather-"
"Explain, Nyruki Sawada." The Head-Captain interrupted, this time with more volume that jolted Nyruki's nerves even more.
She spoke.
"Kibōyūwaku is an illusion type Zanpakutō. When summoned, the blade turns into an ultra fine mist." She began, gulping as her whole body began to lightly shake.
"Continue."
"If I can get an opponent to inhale this mist, then their soul becomes caged within their own bodies, trapped by being shown their deepest desires. Their body, in turn, becomes my thrall." Nyruki finished with her fists clenched tightly at her side.
"How many can you turn?" He asked firmly.
"Between one to two." Nyruki answered quickly, her eyes shifting to her Captain's with a pleading in them that betrayed her thoughts.
That look spoke volumes to Byakuya, as he knew, was positive, that there was more to this than what she was saying. The look in her eyes was clear, she wanted it to end there with no more words, but he wouldn't let it. All had to be said.
"And how many when you are in Bankai?" Byakuya asked, earning shocked glares from all the other captains.
Nyruki pursed her lips together, but knew she had to answer. Her shaking, which had become visible if one looked hard enough, had turned traitor.
"Twelve."
"You've achieved Bankai? In four years?" Ukitake gasped.
"Yes, Captain." Nyruki said almost too softly for them to hear.
"How?" The Head-Captain asked.
"It was six months ago. I was laying in bed trying to go to sleep, but I kept hearing Kibōyūwaku's voice in my head. It was a whisper, like a distant siren's call between my ears." Nyruki said, closing her eyes and turning her face towards the floor as if she was ashamed.
"You entered your inner world." Byakuya said.
Nyruki nodded, "Not by my choice. Kibōyūwaku dragged me in and her spirit told me that my power deserved her, that it was worthy of her every whim. She told me that despite what appeared on the outside as malicious tendencies, she did not wish to be considered evil. She felt my heart was powerful enough to keep her from doing what her brother was forced to do." She finished.
"Her brother?" Asked Captain Sajin Komamura, a massive beast with a surprisingly kind face, that of a wolf with pale yellow eyes.
"Yes. Her brother is Kyōka Suigetsu." Nyruki said.
At that name, all the captains, save for Squad 6, spoke up and began to speak at once, too loud and too fast for any word to be plucked from the tree. It was disorienting, but the Head-Captain would not have any of it as he banged the end of his branchy cane against the floor, drawing the room back into order.
"How is this possible? There is no reason you should know that name." The Head-Captain said, his voice clearly building with irritation.
"I understand, Head-Captain, but I heard it from Kibōyūwaku." Nyruki quickly defended.
"That's Aizen's Zanpakutō. How is it she acquired its sibling?" Mayuri Kurotsuchi asked in a screechy voice that sparked revulsion to mix with Nyruki's already frazzled nerves.
"Her spiritual power is immense, even more so than Old Man Yama's. Only top level Shinigami can acquire mind altering type Zanpakutō." Said Kyōraku, his hands hidden in his sleeves.
"Show us." Demanded Head-Captain Yamamoto.
Those were the very words that scared Nyruki the most. She hated knowing she had the ability to control one's actions, hated that she could force someone to do her bidding, all while their true selves writhed in whatever Kibōyūwaku showed them from deep down within themselves. She didn't want to use it and especially with the method Kibōyūwaku preferred.
"Please, Head-Captain... Don't make me." Nyruki pled, hoping with all hope that it would be enough.
It wasn't, which was no surprise.
"Show us." He repeated.
Flexing her fingers, Nyruki knew she had no choice. She had to show them what her power had granted her. She didn't want to, as she hated giving her body to the spirit of her Zanpakutō, hated allowing the woman to do as she pleased, but there was no getting around it. Again, she had to succumb to the whims of Kibōyūwaku for the second time that day.
Having received her sword back from her Captain when he had gone to tell her she was being summoned, she gripped her sword's handle and drew it from its sheath. She brought the silken blade to her lips and allowed her eyes to see nothing as she spoke its release command. The white flash illuminated the room for an instant before winking out to be replaced by the swirling mist that danced around her.
The room was instantly filled with the sweet and subtle scent of whatever the captains desired most, either being a delicate aroma that was just strong enough to light the sinuses, or the tang of science that electrocuted every breath. The mist swirled around Nyruki before diving down her throat, sending her body taut and her eyes wide as their color began to shift in the darkness.
Just like before, only a moment passed before she slumped over on her feet, her head hung and hair trailing towards the floor, and just like before, the silence in the room slowly broke with a low, sultry laugh.
"My, my. Twice in one day? It must be love." The woman said lowly as she raised her head to show her crimson eyes to her audience.
As she looked about the room, her eyes taking moments to study each face, she began to walk with that same sway in her hips that highlighted them in every way possible.
"Oh my. Look at this selection. I must have died and gone to Heaven." She cooed, airily smiling as she spun around in a dance and softly laughed with delight.
"Her Zanpakutō spirit." Ukitake exhaled, but in the silence of the room, it had been enough to draw her attention.
"I do hope that's obvious you deliciously white haired portrait of perfection." She said, sauntering over to him and resting a soft hand on his chest.
At the intimate action, Ukitake stood up straighter and went to remove her hand, as she had the face of someone whom had become a daughter to him, someone he needed to teach. It made him gulp as he grasped her hand to remove it, but a banging of the Head-Captain's gnarled cane on the wood was enough to freeze him.
"Allow her as she wishes. We need to see her power." Said Head-Captain Yamamoto gruffly.
With another soft gulp, Ukitake lowered his hand, but stayed silent with her hand still resting on his chest.
"Free reign to do as I wish? My, my... What to do? What to do?" She said, only to beam as she stepped in front of the captain of Squad 6, dragging her hand across Ukitake's chest until he was out of reach, "Oh... The aura on this one is enough to send a delightful shiver down my spine." She purred.
Byakuya stayed as still as possible, silver locked with crimson as she continued.
"She admires you, you know. How you carry yourself... How you act," She leaned closer to him, both hands on his chest, "She's only ever wanted to repay you." She said with her tongue slicking over her lips.
What had happened earlier instantly came to the forefront of his mind, causing him to ever so slightly lean away from the woman.
"You are the embodiment of desire, but perhaps you are best saved for a more... special occasion." She said, softly biting her lip as she stepped away, again dragging her hands over his chest until he too was out of reach.
Turning to the other row, she set her eyes on the smallest captain and began to saunter over to the her; Captain Soi-Fon.
"What am I in the mood for this evening? Perhaps something petite and delicate?" She asked, trailing a finger across the small woman's cheek.
"Don't touch me." Soi-Fon snapped, slapping her hand away.
"Oh? You're a little spicy for me, my dear. Perhaps if I had something to cool your bite, I would consider it." The woman said, stepping away.
She soon came to stand in front of the captain of Squad 11, whose towering frame dwarfed her like an ant caught in the shadows. His fierce features simply glared down at her with brows perpetually angry.
"Your blood thirst has me all a flutter, but tonight is such a beautiful night, don't you think?" She asked, looking up at him with a wink and a twinkle in her eyes as she rapped a finger against his chest.
"Whatever." Kenpachi shrugged.
"Yes, I think tonight requires something softer... something... Not so nightmare inducing." She cringed as her crimson eyes set on Mayuri Kurotsuchi.
The woman walked away and headed for the opposite row once more, her hips still slowly swaying back and forth with each step. Her hands, now free of the handle that she had tucked into her obi sash around her waist, ran ultra softly over each captain as she passed, her fingers hooking on their haori's for a moment before letting them go. It wasn't until she stepped in front of Captain Shunsui Kyōraku, the Captain of Squad 8, that she stopped and walked her fingers up his partially exposed, well defined chest.
"I think rugged will do nicely this evening. Don't you think?" She asked, turning and leaning into his much taller form with her hands resting on his chest and fingers softly clawed into his bulk.
A noticeable red tint gleamed across his cheeks, "Rugged?"
"Oh yes," she laughed, the low sound exotic and soothing to the ears, "You are delightfully rugged. Just enough to bring out the primal instincts in a woman, or man, should you desire."
His blush deepened, "Is that so? Nanao-chan never said anything." He faked his hurt.
"Then she is blind to what is within her grasp. Blind to this blissfully large man I see before me." She said softly, her body pressed to his as she rose onto her toes to bring herself closer to him.
With a gulp, Kyōraku found he had begun to dip his head and his hands had risen to rest against those very hips that had swayed so tantalizingly. He found himself unable to resist her whatsoever, despite every fiber of his being screaming for him to stop. He couldn't, and as such, he played along.
Closing his eyes, he lowered his head the last distance to bring his lips to hers.
The moment their softness covered his lips, his whole body warmed and flushed with a heat that felt as if he had laid down in the sun, and it only got hotter when her tongue forced its way into his mouth. The heat was intense, but pleasant, and he found himself kissing back, an act that had happened all of its own accord before he could realize it.
As she pulled away from him, his eyes opened to catch the last of the mist trailing from her lips to his and his whole being began to swirl with his world shrinking around him. The edges of his vision blurred, blackened into eternal night until the only visible figures were the blurry outlines of his fellow captains. He couldn't move, frozen where he stood and as much as he tried to press his fingers into his eyes to try and clear his vision, he couldn't move. He was screaming at himself to move, but no sound came forth and the only thing he could do was watch as his whole world went black.
Intaking a long lungful of air that filled her chest completely, the woman softly licked the remnants of the kiss from her lips before she turned to look at the Head-Captain.
"It'll be just a moment." She said lowly as she reached out and clutched a fistful of the pink kimono.
Without hesitation, Kyōraku stepped forward, his head hung and eyes behind the cover of his straw hat. His shoulders stayed broad like normal as he came to stand right behind her, close behind her, and kept his head down with eyes out of sight.
"Be proud, my pet. Raise your head for all to see." She purred as she released the kimono from her grasp, but kept her hand on the exposed skin of his chest.
As commanded, he raised his head and the same that had happened to Renji, had happened to him. His face was completely void of any expression and his brown eyes were lifeless and dull. They looked through anything that was in their way, only having the ability to focus on the crimson eyed woman standing in front of him.
"Shunsui!" Ukitake gasped, taking a step forward towards them.
However, his path was stopped when that very man stepped forward to block his path, his eyes still void of life and not looking at him, but rather through him.
"What has become of him?" Asked Head-Captain Yamamoto, having never moved from his spot.
"He's mine. My thrall. He will do whatever I ask of him. Fight, protect... Warm my bed." She grinned and playfully bit her fingernail as a hand floated down his arm.
"How could you do this? How could you take a young woman with such promise and turn her into... this? You hid from me!" Ukitake asked, his normally kind face angered as he stared, disbelieving at the body of the pseudo-daughter he had come to care about.
"She didn't have to accept me. She could have rejected me, sent me away into the deepest parts of her soul, but she didn't. She welcomed me, but vowed never to tell you out of fear of disappointing you." The woman said as she rested a soft hand on the protective arm of Kyōraku to lower it from in front of her.
"You demon... You have no place here!" Soi-Fon snapped angrily, earning a sidelong glare from the woman.
"And that very well may be, but I won't go anywhere until Nyruki commands it." She said, stepping around her thrall and wrapping herself in his arm as she came to stand in front of him once more.
"How can she if you are in control?" Ukitake asked, never taking his eyes off her.
"That in where lies our problem." She said simply.
"What problem?" Byakuya finally asked.
"Nyruki is so frightened of me, that she refuses to remain in control if she releases me. She has no desire to attribute her actions to herself and would much rather blame me." She said with an over exaggerated pout.
"Is it fear that has crippled her, or is it you?" Asked Sajin Komamura with narrowed yellow eyes.
"It is fear. I would be more than happy to submit to her, but she simply lacks the will. My power... Our power, is infallible. No one can break free of my hold." She said as she grasped her thrall's hand.
She raised his hand to her lips and kissed his palm, trailing the tip of her tongue over his skin until her mouth reached the meat of his hand between his thumb and forefinger. She softly suckled the flesh, humming low in her throat from delight at the taste until she brought her teeth down hard in a strong bite.
"Stop!" Ukitake gasped, watching the face of his best friend whose only reaction to the pain was a mild grimace.
"See? Not even pain can draw him free of my hold." She said, releasing his hand to reveal the bleeding mark embedded in his flesh.
With a huffed grunt, the Head-Captain simply banged the end of his cane on the wood once, earning her undivided attention as well as everyone else's.
"That is enough. Release him at once." He ordered with his eyes barely visible beneath his aged eyebrows.
"As you wish."
The woman simply bowed with a shallow bow before she raised her hand and trailed it down the man's face to draw the enthralling mist from his body. The moment the last of the mist was gone, the life returned to his eyes to softly sparkle in the firelight just as they had always done.
Free of her hold, Kyōraku dropped to his knees, gasping for breath and clutching his bitten hand to his chest.
"Shunsui! Are you alright?" Ukitake asked worriedly as he rushed to his friend's side to help him up.
With a few shallow coughs, he soon stood on his own, but kept a hand on Ukitake's shoulder for support just in case.
"I'm fine." He said, catching his breath.
"What happened? Tell us everything." Head-Captain Yamamoto ordered.
"I was... In some sort of illusion." He said, finally standing up straight.
"What sort of illusion?" Mayuri Kurotsuchi asked, crossing his arms.
"My deepest desires. I was trapped in my perfect dream surrounded by everything I have ever wanted. There was no escaping it and I didn't want to." Kyōraku said, his usually carefree demeanor vacant for the time being as he examined the bite in his hand.
"I told you. My hold is infallible." The woman said, standing a few steps back with her own arms crossed.
"Why have you not released, Nyruki?" Ukitake asked, his brows still furrowed with uncertainty.
"Because I want to make sure you won't punish her. This certainly isn't her fault. I have no desire to become my brother. He was misguided and always was." She said with a huff.
"Why do you have such a desire to convince us you are not allied with Aizen?" Byakuya asked.
"Consider it a personal quest to atone for all mind altering type Zanpakutō. We aren't all bad, only wielded by bad people." She said, shifting her mouth to the side.
"Release her. Release, Nyraki!" Ukitake demanded.
"Tsk... Alright. She'll just have to explain the rest."
The woman plucked the handle of her sword from her sash and held it over her lips where the mist swirled and crept from between them. The mist plunged into the tang of the handle and reformed the steely blade, rising high into the air over Nyruki's head with a glint along its edge.
However, when the blade flashed whole once more, it clattered to the wooden floor as Nyruki dropped in a heap next to it.
With another gasp, Ukitake rushed to her side and placed his hands on her shoulders, gently rolling her onto her back to see closed eyes and a disturbed grimace tainting her pretty features.
"Nyruki?... Nyruki!" Ukitake urged with gentle shakes.
After a moment, her eyes fluttered open, revealing the familiar golden yellow that breathed a sigh of relief into the white haired man's being.
"I'm fine, Captain." She breathed as she accepted his help to stand up.
"Fascinating. Her Zanpakutō's ability is just as taxing on her as it is on her victims." Mayuri said with a gleeful cackle and toothy grin.
"Why do you let her take control, Nyruki?" Ukitake asked, fully ignoring the mad scientist.
"I don't want this power. I don't want to be responsible for controlling people like that. I'm aware of everything she does and I hate how she forces herself on people, male or female." Nyruki said as a glassy sheen sparkled over her eyes from the emotions she was trying desperately to contain.
"Why does she do it that way?" Kenpachi asked with a gruff.
"The direct contact. It guarantees the thrall comes under her complete control in the least amount of time." Byakuya answered for her, having determined that to be the case. It was the only one that made sense.
"How will that help against the Hollow?" Soi-Fon asked.
"Simply breathing in the mist from the cloud will work. However, it's as Captain Kuchiki says. Direct contact guarantees the affect in the shortest amount of time." Nyruki said, swiping her hand underneath her eye to stop a tear from streaking down her cheek.
"So that puts you in an awkward position." said Ukitake, his hands still resting on her shoulders out of worry she might fall if they weren't there.
"Yes, it does." Nyruki answered as she simply breathed to keep herself calm.
"How is it you know this if you are so fearful of releasing your Zanpakutō?" Kyōraku asked as he wrapped a bandage around his hand that had been given to him by Captain Unohana.
"I've released her before quite a number of times, but I've never used her against anything that didn't end up dead." Nyruki said, unable to look the man in the eyes out of embarrassment and shame.
"You've only ever used it against Hollow." Captain Tōshirō Hitsugaya said from his spot next to the massively large Komamura that made him appear smaller than he already was.
Nyruki nodded, "Yeah. She's been able to throw handfuls of the mist into a Hollow's mouth, which works well, but not quite as well as the direct contact. I'm thankful Kibōyūwaku isn't in the habit of kissing Hollows."
"How is it that no one has questioned your Zanpakutō's ability until now?" Byakuya asked, never taking his eyes off of her.
"Because I didn't tell them the truth about it and I hid it... Even from Captain Ukitake." Nyruki admitted, unable to look at the white haired man beside her out of shame.
"Than how can we trust you now if you are so willing to lie to protect yourself?" Soi-Fon asked with a step forward and a hand on the hilt of her blade strapped to her back.
At that, Nyruki opened her mouth to answer, but no words came out, not even a peep. She didn't know how to answer, or rather, didn't know the answer period. The Captain was right. There was no way to prove that she wasn't willing to deceive, that everything she was saying was the truth. By all accounts, she was about to lose her Zanpakutō and that meant that everything she had worked so hard towards was about to be ripped out from underneath her.
Releasing a shaky breath, Nyruki picked up her blade and sheathed it, pulling it from her obi and held it out for the Head-Captain.
"I will relinquish my Zanpakutō if it means I can stay a Shinigami." She said with a deep bow.
Instead of speaking, the Head-Captain huffed a low grunt and just kept his eyes on her, on them all. The silence was uncomfortable. It was as heavy as the full weight of her spiritual pressure and it made it feel as if the whole world was crushing down on her. She just wanted it to end and put her out of her misery.
However, what came next was the last thing she was expecting.
"One month. You have one month to train the captains on how to break free of your Zanpakutō's hold and within that month, you must learn how to remain in control upon its release. Your Zanpakutō is yours to control and I cannot allow it to control its wielder. If by then you do not complete these objectives, your Zanpakutō will be taken and destroyed and you will no longer be apart of the Gotei 13." Said Head-Captain Yamamoto as he opened his eyes just wide enough to show that he did, indeed, have eyes.
Nyruki's head shot up to look at the Head-Captain, their color softly shaking as her grip on her sword's sheath tightened.
"But, Sir! I've worked so hard for this! I will gladly give up my sword if it means staying! I don't care what I do, but please don't banish me from the Gotei!" Nyruki begged, her arms lowering and still with her Zanpakutō clutched in her hands.
"This is not open for discussion! Those are your terms. It is up to you if you complete them, or not." The Head-Captain said.
Her eyes still wide, all she could manage was a gulp as she reserved herself to stare at the floor. She was in utter disbelief, as she had expected to lose it all right then and there, not be told she had a month to train every captain of the Gotei 13 how to break free of her Zanpakutō's control. That alone seemed like an impossible feet, as she was certain it couldn't be without her Zanpakutō's help.
That was it. That was what he meant. His true intention. By training the captains, in turn, she would train herself and it would all be because Kibōyūwaku was willing to help. That would be her proof.