Chapter: 10

The sun was setting quickly. It was already twilight. Soon it would be completely dark. Ichigo had to hurry if he wanted to make it by then. He had been moving constantly for the past few hours. At least it felt like hours. He couldn't tell. When he first started, he was running. Now that he had been traveling a while and taken most of the Quincy's directions, he slowed his pace to make sure he didn't overlook anything that might have been important. He had a feeling he was growing nearer to his destination. He was in a rocky area where Yagi said Ichigo would find them.

Ichigo had never been to this part of the Soul Society before. The wind-carved boulders seemed to grow out of the earth like trees, confusing his way and disrupting his balance. There was grass growing but most of the land was taken up by rocks that he barely took notice of it. His aching feet fought the uneven ground as he climbed upward. The uneven earth was part of a hill which grew steeper in certain areas. After a while, it became hard to tell what was earth and what was stone. He could no longer tell if he was climbing a hill or a boulder.

He took no breaks, intent on his movements and his self-appointed mission. He had to reach their hideout soon. Wiping sweat from his brow, he climbed between rocks and stopped, taking in the sight of a large stone. It looked almost like a cave, only the stone was by itself and didn't make contact with a hill or any risen earth. This must have been it. It had to be.

Ichigo stepped forward and observed the enormous boulder from different angles. He checked to make sure no one was hiding in a crevice and that there were no hidden traps he could trip. When all seemed safe, he moved toward the opening. It was narrow and he was just able to fit inside. Looking down, he spotted a staircase leading down into a chamber underground. He didn't want to enter a place he would likely be trapped, but he had no choice.

During the entire way here, Ichigo tried to think of a plan, as Shinji encouraged him to do. Ichigo wasn't going to surrender. Of course not. He would get Yagi to cure Linnette and then he would battle him again and win. Now that he was here it all seemed like wishful thinking. How would he get Yagi to give up the cure? What if he went back on his word? What if he fought Yagi too early and he refused to comply with Ichigo's wishes? In addition to those worries, Ichigo was also concerned about what Shinji had pointed out about not knowing much about the enemy. Ichigo knew Yagi wanted him alive, but for what purpose? None of this made any sense. Ichigo had to figure something out quickly.

Thankfully, he did come up with a plan. Whether it would work or not was still unclear.

At the bottom of the stairs, Ichigo walked into a wide open chamber. There were torches on the wall and uneven masses on the walls that formed natural seats. Yagi was sitting on one of them.

Ichigo growled inwardly, his body getting ready for a fight. He had to remain calm, no matter how much he wanted to give in to these urges and attack him.

Ichigo took a step forward. The sole of his foot landed on something hard and round, like a jagged marble. He went stumbling into the wall. There were rocks on the floor, no doubt tracked in from outside. He pulled himself off the wall and carefully made his way into the chamber.

"Welcome, Ichigo. I see you found us ok." Yagi's voice was an irritating as ever. "Stop there."

Ichigo stopped.

"Lay your weapon on the floor," Yagi instructed.

Ichigo's hand went to his sword. "Not very trusting, are you?"

"Can you blame me?" Yagi asked him casually. "Lay your weapon on the floor and move away from it."

Ichigo started to remove his sword, slowly. Before it left his hand completely, he eyed Yagi suspiciously, noticing how he wasn't doing the same. He had no way of knowing if Yagi was armed or not. Being a Quincy, he could hide his weapons very well. Ichigo knew this having known Uryu.

"I'm unarmed," Yagi told him. Maybe he could read minds. "Lower your weapon slowly and drop it on the floor."

Against his better judgment, Ichigo did as he was told. His sword made a small ringing sound as he placed it on the stone floor which was so much louder in this spacious room underground. He stood up and, stepping over his sword, stood before Yagi.

"Thank you, Ichigo."

Ichigo returned his warm words with a glare.

"I'm glad you've come."

"You didn't give me much of a choice," said Ichigo. "I only came here so you wouldn't attack anymore of my friends. Now that I'm here, cure Linnette."

"So you did come here for her."

"I came for all of them."

Yagi chuckled. "You are every bit as kindhearted as I thought. So noble."

"Cure her now." Ichigo wasn't in a gaming mood. Clearly time wasn't an issue for Yagi. There wasn't much left for Linnette. Ichigo needed Yagi to cure her now otherwise she would die.

"She'll last a few more minutes. I wanted to speak with you first, Ichigo."

"I only came here for my friends, not to hear you talk. I'll listen to you after everything is fixed."

Yagi chuckled again. "You don't even know why you're here. Do you, Ichigo? I thought it would be obvious."

Yagi wasn't going to do what Ichigo wanted and there was no way he could force him to. Ichigo was forced to wait until Yagi was good and ready. Ichigo didn't care why Yagi called him here though he was a bit curious. Maybe Yagi would get a move on if Ichigo listened to him chat for a bit. As long as he was here, Rukia and the others would be safe. He only had to hurry for Linnette's sake.

"So you really haven't a clue. Then let me explain it to you." Yagi pointed to Ichigo. "You are strong. That's a given. But how strong you are is to be determined. I prefer to measure your strength by the way others value you. What I mean by that is that anyone can be called strong. But you... You were valuable enough to the Soul Reapers that they went out of their way to restore your powers when they were lost. That speaks volumes to me. I don't think they did it out of the kindness of their hearts. I believe it was a strategic move on their part. You are the equivalent to a weapon in their eyes, Ichigo. They restored your powers because they needed your strength."

Yagi knowing such things wasn't very surprising to Ichigo. Yagi had already said he had done his reach. If he knew where his sisters lived and their names, knowing details of his history didn't come as a shock.

All the while Yagi spoke, Ichigo's eyes never stopped moving around the room. He was looking for any place the enemy could hide. He was looking for weapons and traps, too. He doubted that Yagi would lure him here and have it not be a trap. He agreed with everything Shinji said. There was a reason why Yagi wanted him here alone and it wasn't to chat. He didn't trust Yagi at all. He was up to something.

The only way in and out of this large room besides the way he came in was through the wooden door behind Yagi. Surely the other Quincies were behind it. Including the one with the mirror. Those Soul Reapers wouldn't recover until that mirror was either smashed or the Quincy released whatever spell he had them under. Ichigo's main objectives right now were to get Linnette cured and handle the man with the mirror.

"Clearly that makes you a threat, Ichigo. The fact that the Soul Reapers relay on you so heavily means that you are even stronger than they are. I've done my research. You've even battled a few of those Captains and won. Commendable. Truly something to be proud of. Even after all that fuss they went through because of you and your friends, they still welcomed you with open arms. Anyone else would have been killed. I think it's because they wanted to use your power. They were impressed."

"It's also on account of Aizen and everything that happened with him," pointed out Ichigo.

"True, but that still wouldn't have stopped them from throwing the book at you. It's a complicated situation. I think it's because they were impressed and wanted you to come over to their side so they could use your power for themselves. Don't you see? They're using you as a weapon."

Ichigo clenched his fists. "I've heard that line before. But I don't care what you think. They're still my friends. They've helped me out when they didn't have to."

"Only to gain your trust. They don't give a damn about you. And besides, if anything happened to you, there goes their weapon. You see, Ichigo? They're only protecting you because they need you, not because they like you. It's a similar love to a Soul Reaper loving their sword. I understand that some love their sword very deeply so they're crushed when it's broken, but seriously. It's just a weapon. An object. I suppose such an example is wasted on a Soul Reaper like you. You're highly emotional as it is. Now that I think about it, it is a rather poor example. So never mind."

Ichigo kept his fists clenched. Was Yagi actually suggesting that his friends saw him as nothing more than an object? That he was like a dog who needed to be trained? All this time, everything good they had ever done for him was nothing more than reinforcement for his behavior and how he saw them? Maybe that line would work on someone else but not on him. Ichigo knew in his heart that wasn't true. Even if it was, that wouldn't change anything. He still respected them and saw them as friends. Even if they only did him kindnesses to get something from him in return, he was still grateful to them. He was stronger because of them. Even if they didn't care about him, he could use this power to protect those who did.

"Do you think I am heartless, Ichigo?" Yagi asked him.

It seemed like a loaded question so Ichigo didn't answer.

"I do things the smart way. Emotions get in the way and prevent you from making a good decision. Of course I still have feelings. Everyone does to some extent. It's just that I don't let them get in the way of what needs to be done. For example, if my relative were to try and kill me, would I kill them in order to save myself? Of course I would. Relative or not, they're trying to kill me. I can't let that happen."

"Are you also the type to use a relative as a shield to protect yourself?" Ichigo asked him, still glaring.

"Naturally." Yagi almost seemed proud to admit it. "I've done it before. I hide behind others all the time. I want to live. Even a fool would admit that. I'm alive to this day because I've done that. I use others all the time. I gain their trust and their love and then use it in any way I see fit. People are slaves to their emotions. It isn't rational. Because you love someone, you are willing to put yourself at risk in order to protect them. It's foolish. I mean, you're here for that very reason. Because you care about these people, you're here with me. That's risky."

Shinji himself said that it was a huge risk and a foolish thing to do, but he also admitted that that sort of thing is what made Ichigo strong. Stupid or brave, it didn't matter. Ichigo didn't mind doing something impulsive if it meant saving someone's life. It was worth the risk. He couldn't stand seeing someone in danger if he could do something about it. Even if it meant putting his own life at risk.

"The most basic of human instinct is to stay alive. Even animals know this. To go against it would be illogical. Think of it this way... If the house was on fire and someone was inside but the building was about to collapse, what would you do? A smart person would remain outside where it was safe. A foolish person heeding their own emotions would enter that house and most likely die when the place collapsed on them, killing the two of you. Now which is better? The clear choice is to stay put and let the house burn. Why risk yourself?"

This was taking too long. Ichigo had to get this back on track.

"Why risk yourself when chances are you'll die? It's that sort of foolishness that got my parents killed when I was a child."

Ichigo held his tongue. He gave Yagi a look, urging him to continue.

"I never expected you to know. You don't do research like I do." Yagi sighed. "When I was young, there was a Hollow attack. A whole swarm of them converged on our home. I wasn't old enough to use my Quincy powers properly yet. My mother was a Quincy and so was my father only he didn't have his powers anymore. The house was overrun. In the few moments we had left, my parents shoved me out through a trap door and locked it so I couldn't come back. Not that I would anyway. I ran for it. They were killed."

Ichigo swallowed. His fists were still clenched, though he was no longer angry.

"What I don't understand is why they didn't escape with me. Why stay behind? Looking back, I suppose it's because the more who tried to flee in that manner would be spotted. Still, why me? The smart thing to do in that case would be to leave me behind and escape themselves."

"It's because they love you," Ichigo told him. "They wanted to protect you."

"Which is foolish. They're dead. They could have lived." Yagi's face darkened. "They also could have lived if those Soul Reapers had shown up like they were supposed to when we were in danger. Or better yet, we might have been able to fight our way out if that damn Soul Reaper hadn't taken my father's powers away. We weren't strong enough."

Was that why Yagi hated Soul Reapers? Was this whole attack based on revenge? Yagi's parents were killed because Soul Reapers didn't come to help them. They were outmatched because a Soul Reaper had taken his father's Quincy powers. How and why did that happen? Why were his powers taken?

Something was wrong. Ichigo looked down at his hands. He wasn't angry like he was a minute ago, yet his hands were still clenched. He couldn't unclench his hands. Ichigo tried to relax them but they remained as fists no matter what he did.

"Even with the Soul Reapers out of the picture, the fact of the matter is that they could have lived if they made a smart choice." Yagi no longer had that dark look on his face. His face had changed back to its usual smug if not slightly bored expression. "I lived and they died. It was a foolish choice on their part. I've come across situations like that myself and I always chose to live. I never made foolish sacrifices like they did. And I'm still here. I get to live and continue with what I want to do because I never had an emotional decision. I was smart. I'm still smart."

Ichigo's face was starting to hurt. Unable to unclench his fists, he felt his cheeks with his knuckles. It was as if someone had stretched his skin back, forcing him to grin widely. Even his forehead was in pain. His legs, too.

"I was smart enough to know you would come with a plan, Ichigo. Based on my research, I know you would choose to fight me on your own in order to prevent your friends from suffering at my hands in the future. I also know that even if you kept me alive, you would attack the rest of my group. You want to stop us. Even with your sword on the ground, you can still throw punches. And let's face facts, you can easily pick up your sword and swing at me in a matter of seconds. Even less. And as I've told you I am unarmed. As I promised."

Ichigo couldn't move his legs. They were completely stiff. His arms felt like they were in a vice. When he looked at them, he saw them flexing unwillingly. It was his muscles. They were tightening and seizing and there was nothing he could do about it.

"I know you're smart, Ichigo. I never took you for a fool. You're foolish in that you're heeding your emotions and making poor choices as a result. But other than that, you are not a fool. I know you were coming here to fight me. I know you never trusted me. But I'm smart, too. Which is why I left that trap for you at the door."

Ichigo tried to turn his head to look at Yagi, but couldn't. His body was frozen. His entire body was contorted and still as stone.

"It was on the door frame you stumbled into."

Ichigo's eyes widened in horror. When he stepped on that rock, he fell into the door frame. That was the trap.

Yagi chuckled. "You've noticed by now of course." Yagi walked over to Ichigo and roughly pushed his head back. Only since Ichigo's body couldn't move, the action caused Ichigo's whole body to tip over and fall to the hard floor with a loud thud. He couldn't even brace himself so the fall hurt even more. "I just needed to kill some time until it kicked in."

Of course. That's what Yagi was doing this whole time. He was stalling. He needed time for this to take effect; whatever it was.

"You like it?" Yagi asked, bending down to get closer to Ichigo on the floor. "I created it myself. It effects the basil ganglia. Are you familiar with that? It's a part of the brain that's responsible for muscle control. My serum damages the basil ganglia so that all the muscles in the body tighten causing paralysis. In extreme cases, it can even cause the lungs to stop. But don't worry. It's not that bad. Not the dose you got, at least. It's temporary. You'll be fine when it wears of in two minutes. It's really quick."

Not quick enough. Not only was it hard to breathe, but Ichigo wanted to rip this man apart.

"I wanted you to be awake for this, but I can't have you attacking me and risk you damaging this." Yagi pulled something out from inside his coat and held it in front of Ichigo's face. It was a syringe filled with a foul green liquid. "Do you know what this is? I'll give you a hint. It's the origin of those Hollows that have been popping up recently."

Ichigo tried answering him but his voice wasn't working. Not even a grunt could form. All he could do was breathe rapidly to show his disdain and rage.

"That's right. It's the serum I've been using to experiment on all those people. Victor's serum. We all owe him our thanks, don't we, Ichigo? If he had never invented it, I would have never had my jumping off point. Of course, I did modify it a bit. Since you already have a cure and all. I had to make it more potent. Even change a few things around a bit." Yagi poked Ichigo's forehead with his pinky finger. "Do you know why? Go on, guess."

Ichigo didn't know what his face looked like right now but he really wanted to be scowling. As soon as this wore off, he was going to kill him.

"No? Then I'll tell you." Yagi waved the syringe in front of Ichigo's nose. "It's for you."

Ichigo gasped, inhaling sharply. He wanted to back as far away from that as he could but his body wasn't budging.

"That's right. All the trial and error, everything I've gone through with this serum to make it what it is now, all for you. I've always intended to use it on you. That was my reason all along. You see, you're a weapon of the Soul Reapers. You're powerful and so, so strong. Something they can be proud of. They feel safe having you around." Yagi lowered his face to whisper into Ichigo's ear. "Imagine how they'll feel when you go on a rampage and start attacking them? The very people you're sworn to protect, being slaughtered in droves by your hands. Rukia, Renji, and all the others. You're going to kill them all."

Ichigo would never do such a thing. Even when his Hollow got out of control, he always managed to pull back just before things got any worse. He came close to killing Uryu once, but he never finished the job. He could resist it. He was stronger now and could fight it better than before. But this serum took will power out of the equation. No matter what, once that serum was inside his body, he would go on a killing spree and would be unable to stop himself. Even if he wanted to.

"It's so strong now, Ichigo. As strong as you are, it's stronger." Yagi took the syringe away and uncapped it. He held it over Ichigo's neck, needle down.

No matter how hard he tried, Ichigo couldn't will himself to move. He was completely helpless.

"Oh. And another thing before you disappear and the monster takes over..." Yagi leaned down to whisper to him again. "That girl, Linnette, was never going to die. The technique I used on her is only supposed to bring her to the brink of death if she gets medical treatment. As long as she was seen by a doctor, she would survive. If she was left unattended, of course she would have died, but I know you people would never let that happen so she was never in any real danger. She would be close to death for two days and then recover. I designed it that way. Just enough to get people worried."

Ichigo was beside himself with shock. Linnette was never going to die? Just bring her close enough without going over? Did that mean that there was no cure either? Was it all a trap? Everything?

"I do have a cure that makes it clear up in less than an hour, but I was never going to give it to you. I keep it for my own Quincy posse." Yagi chuckled at his own attempt at a joke. "Oh, and my threat to your friends... All a bluff. I can only use that move once on a person in a day. I just had to make the threat seem real. The move also causes me great pain so I only use it in extreme cases. As far as using it on Soul Reapers is concerned, they would survive it without coming as close to death as she did. It's meant for a human body since they're weaker. Put frankly, your friends were never in any real danger."

This was all for nothing. Ichigo never needed to come here in the first place. Linnette was never going to die and his friends were never in danger. They needed him to come here in order to inject this serum into his body and turn him into a Hollow that was beyond even his control.

But why wait and do it here? Why not there when Yagi threatened Linnette?

"I had to lure you here, Ichigo," said Yagi. "If I had done it there, no doubt your friends would have helped you. Plus, I didn't want to risk them seeing me inject you. Then they would know something was going to happen. When I return you to them, I want them to be caught unawares. It will be a surprise attack. They'll never see it coming this way. Not to mention, since I told you to come alone, no one knows where we are except you. No one knows where you are either. No one is aware of anything. It's a perfect plan."

Ichigo felt sick to his stomach. He thought he was making the right call but he ended up making all the wrong choices. He, even knowing it was a trap, walked right into it. All to protect people who were never in danger. He could have avoided it all. Instead he was playing right into their hands. Now he was going to be used to attack his friends while Yagi watched from afar. That must have been his plan. Yagi even said that he couldn't understand people who put themselves into danger. If he did things this way, he would be far from danger but he would still get the job done. He wanted the Soul Reapers to die, and he was going to use Ichigo to do it.

"See what I mean about being foolish? Your emotional thinking led you to this. So don't blame me for what you're about to do to them."

Ichigo felt a sharp pain in his neck and a burning sensation entered his body. He couldn't even scream as his body started to boil and throb. He couldn't do anything.

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