~FIREFLY KNIGHTS~
Bleach Copyright Tite Kubo
Firefly Knights Copyright Illand Girl
'For those that need a Guardian.'
Chapter 34:Divided
"Hello?"
"Can you..."
"Can you..."
"I've... been..."
Everything hurt as I bolted out of bed.
I hissed, my legs gave out, and I landed on all fours. Shooting pain rushed through me so strongly that stars burst from behind my vision.
"Fuck...ngh!" I shook, feeling like I had been lit on fire. It was dark in here, a small candle was lit on a table away from me, but other than that there was no light save for a window somewhere above me. Where was I? I didn't remember getting here, or even what happened when I went to sleep. Wherever I was, it was dark, probably nighttime.
Slowly, with great effort, I managed to turn and drag myself back onto the bed. I cursed, feeling like I was standing on broken legs as I struggled onto the mattress. I got a look at my body then, noticing I was in a soft white sleeping robe. My entire body- from my ankles to my fingertips- were bandaged.
What happened to me?
A hollowed screamed somewhere outside, making my blood run cold. Was I in the world of the living?
"We should go." He said, stepping around me. "Stay close to me."
That's right. I was with the little captain. The arrancar...
"I hope you do not disappoint me."
"Enclose, Murcielago."
In a flash, it all came back to me. I felt my chest tighten as I remembered why I had been fighting so hard.
Karin... Did you survive? Isshin? Where's Ichigo? Little Captain?
... Everyone?
That arrancar... Ulquiorra... did he take me with him? Why? What reason could he have to take me alive? If Aizen saw me as a threat, killing me was the right option, right? Right? What purpose could he have to keep me here? It didn't make any sense to me. I was so sure I was dead. Why would-
I felt cold dread build up in me as I remembered Kisuke's words from weeks ago.
"Is something wrong?" I raised a brow.
He watched me for a moment longer, not reacting to my words.
"Just a hunch but," he turned to look at Ichigo. "I would suggest not going anywhere alone for the next little while."
I covered my mouth, feeling like I was about to throw up.
"I just meant if you hurt yourself then Ichigo won't have anybody to assist him, right?"
Kisuke knew...
"The world is a dangerous place for cute little girls Naomi, so I wouldn't wander off alone too often."
I struggled to get off the bed, but I desperately needed to look out the window. It took more effort than I would ever admit, but I finally made it over to the wall, nearly falling through the glass-free opening. It was thick, and made of some sort of cold solid material like the seki-seki rock of the Seireitei. I took several deeps breaths, trying to calm down, as I gazed across and endless white desert sand. It truly was night, with the moon being the only thing in the sky. No stars twinkled, no signs of life-
A hollowed roared, somewhere in the distance.
I leaned over to edge, wincing as the cold stone pressed into my tender ribs. It was a huge drop from here, I felt like I was staring off the edge of Sōkyoku Hill. Jumping would not be an option in my current condition. I inhaled a deep breath through my nose- then froze.
I couldn't smell anything.
I sniffed again, but realized I couldn't sense a single spiritual being here. Was I alone? No, there's no way. I winced, pulling myself off the opening to turn, allowing myself to slide down the wall. My butt hit the floor, and even that hurt. I licked my fingers, waiting for the little cuts and welts to heal. Waited for the sizzling to happen.
It didn't.
"No..." I felt my energy drop as tears sprang to the corners of my eyes. What did he do to me? Why couldn't I heal? Why would you do this to me?
I felt shame, remembering the day I left my mother behind, I felt like I did then. Weak. Alone. Helpless. Hopeless.
Slowly, I let my body slide sideways, falling to lay on the cold stone floor.
"...And that brings us up to yesterday."
Chiyo stared at Kisuke for a long, long minute. Her eyes blinked once, as if locked in slow motion, and then she turned to the sake and took it in her hands. One gulp, two gulps... The men remained quiet as Chiyo drank to fill the silence. When she put the bottle down, her eyes still remained vacant, staring at Kisuke as if not entirely believing everything.
"You lied."
Kisuke remained quiet as Isshin looked between them. The blonde remained stationary as he locked his eyes with the mother. Chiyo's eyes narrowed at the lack of reaction.
"You told me Naomi would be safe. You promised me Kisuke, that you wouldn't touch her." Chiyo rubbed her face with her hands, caught between wanting to punch the man and wanting to shake him senseless. Isshin frowned, putting a hand on Chiyo's shoulder. She tensed, but peaked an eye out from behind her hands.
"I'm sorry, Chiyo," he looked down, unable to keep her gaze. "My powers have begun to return, but... they're still not what they once were. I couldn't-"
"I don't blame you," Chiyo cut him off. She swallowed a lump when Isshin met her gaze. "For once I don't think it's your fault."
Isshin scoffed, but felt his throat tighten up.
"That's rich, coming from you." He said weakly. Chiyo rolled her eyes despite herself, some of that old fire coming back to them. She looked across the table to Kisuke Urahara then, and frowned when she saw him staring back at her.
"You made a horrible mistake, Kisuke." Chiyo folded her hands on the table, gripping them together to keep from striking out at the guy. "I understand your reasoning, I really do, but you made a big error in letting him take her."
"She is not her father." Kisuke interjected. Her eyes narrowed.
"Does Aizen know that?" Silence. "Logically, if he truly wanted her out of the way, ki-" she hesitated. "-killing Naomi would've been the way to go. But Aizen's not the type to make big gestures to try and take down the enemy. He plans. So the fact that he went through some serious effort to collect her means he has no intention of killing her. And from what you've told me, you understand why."
Isshin glanced between the two. Chiyo didn't move an inch while Kisuke ducked his head slightly to hide under the brim of his hat. The admission was silent, hanging in the air between them. Chiyo felt drained; she'd surely have grey hairs before the end of this.
"My husband never trusted you." Chiyo said in a low tone. "I should've listened to him."
"His stubbornness condemned Naomi before she even had a chance." Kisuke cut in, surprising Isshin. There wasn't any bite to the blonde's words, but they still cut deep as Chiyo flinched, looking away. "The fact that Naomi still lives after what he did is incredible. It's proof that her willpower is far stronger than any normal human's."
Chiyo tensed, eyes snapping to Kisuke.
"If you hadn't-" She was cut off as Kisuke continued, holding up a hand in submission.
"I'm not blaming the man. I'm simply stating a fact. What he did was the only thing he could do at the time to save her." He didn't move as he spoke, knowing that Chiyo needed to hear this. Isshin, however was completely left in the dark.
I jolted when someone came in my room, not used to people being able to sneak up on me so easily. I hadn't even seen that there was a door at the end as it was seamlessly against the wall surrounding it. With effort, I managed to sit up, my eyes winced as a bright light surrounded the person entering.
No... Not a person...
I recognized those green eyes. Ulquiorra looked at me the same way he had when we first met. Disinterested and removed from his current task. My shoulders tensed; I began to struggle to my feet, reaching for my sword. When my fingers grasped thin air, I realized with horrifying clarity that Espejo wasn't with me. The arrancar said nothing as I stood on shaky legs, huffing and puffing from the effort to get up that quickly.
"Good, you're finally awake." He said, eyes roaming over me. "Though it appears you've not healed yet."
I said nothing, doing my best to stand straight, and failing at it. My legs felt awful, wobbling even as I leaned against the cold stone of the wall. The bandages on my left arm turned dark red from my scrambling. Ulquiorra glanced at them, then my eyes, before turning to walk out the door. Standing became impossible after a few moments. I hissed, struggling to hobble forward and managed to fall onto the mattress. It felt like pins and needles were being shoved between each of my joints. The relief I felt after struggling to sit on the bed was quickly replaced with nervousness as I watched two other arrancar walk in, carrying bowls and bandages with them. One looked small, smaller than me, while the other looked tall and skinny. They had various bone fragments on themselves like all the arrancar did. Ulquiorra returned to the room, standing by the door.
Both arrancar walked to the table with the candle, placing various things around or opening containers. I frowned when they turned to me. My hackles rose as they began to walk forward. I tried to scoot back on the bed, spooked by them, uncertain what their intentions were.
"What are you- no wait!" I panicked when they stepped towards me, but the small arrancar grabbed my right wrist and held onto it, beginning to undo the bandages. I paused, watching as the other did the same to my left arm. It stung as some sort of salve had dried against my skin. I let out a hiss, they hesitated, then at that point they used a wet cloth to coax the bandages to soften. It wasn't too terrible, not until they began to pull at my robe. I tensed, trying to pull away, but both were far stronger than me.
"No- wait- stop it! I-I can do it myself!" I felt my cheeks turn pink and my skin grow hot as they forced my robe away. My whole torso was bandaged, but they were slowly working their way down my body. I felt exposed, naked, ashamed. I clamped my eyes shut, insisting once more to let me do it myself.
"Stop resisting. They are here to heal you." Ulquiorra's drawl made my eyes snap open. To my horror, he was still watching. I crossed my legs, shaking as I realized my chest was now exposed.
"Stop staring you creep!" I snapped, trying- and failing- to turn away from him. However, Ulquiorra's eyes snapped to mine from surveying my body, and then he did a half turn to look away.
"Your kind has reservations about skin that my kind does not have. Do not mistake me for a human male." The black-haired arrancar said, dismissing my discomfort. I wanted to hit him, but instead I swallowed a cry, blinking rapidly to stop tears from falling. The other two continued to work, not reacting whatsoever while they systematically stripped me completely. I shivered, feeling like I was in a freezer, the room was so cold. My cheeks turned pink as I realized my chest was very aware of how cold the room was.
This is so humiliating!
I didn't feel human like this, I felt like an animal at the vet, about to get a treat for behaving. The two arrancar continued to work in silence. As much as I wanted to ask questions about where I was and what was happening, I didn't have the interest in speaking with the asshole ten feet away from me. So I sat quietly as they scrubbed my wounds clean, applied new salves, touching me without any reservation or politeness.
I got a view of my body then, of the mess that was left, no wonder I felt so weak. I could see the blast from Ulquiorra where it burned a huge portion of my left side. I had other injuries from when I was fighting him and didn't heal, but the left side seemed to be the worst of it. Faintly, I remembered the cracking of my ribs when he knocked me around, and many cuts and stabs littered my body. There were also strange markings all over me. One looked like a giant chain and wrapped around my entire body, while another looked like black rings along my forearms, I had never seen these before.
When did these appear? Why were they here? In a brief flash, a flicker of brown eyes, pain, then nothing. Was this Aizen's doing? What did Ichigo look like right now? Was he safe? Briefly, I considered asking Ulquiorra, but didn't have the heart to know. I took a deep breath to calm down, the arrancar that was re-wrapping my torso frowned at me as I interrupted their work, but I didn't acknowledge them, my eyes locked on the floor between Ulquiorra and I.
When they finished, they didn't put the robe back on me, instead they walked back to the table and began to pick up their supplies. I remained where I was, crossing my arms over my chest and keeping my knees tightly together. Ulquiorra kept to his stance for another moment, before walking to a small door I hadn't noticed. It was a closet, filled with nothing but white and black garments. I frowned as Ulquiorra turned to pointedly look me in the eye.
"Find what you wish to wear in here." He said, not moving. I glanced at the closet, then looked back at him.
"I want my old clothes." I said stiffly, feeling small under that piercing gaze.
"Those clothes were destroyed." He said simply, placing his hands back in his pockets. "I do not understand what it is with you humans and clothing, but it is only you and the soul reapers that will be bothered if you opt out of the attire."
I pursed my lips to stop from snarking again, taking his words as facts. My gaze went back to the closet, then him.
"Can you leave?" I asked, trying to stiffly stay polite. Ulquiorra didn't move. "Just until I'm dressed... please."
I wanted to burn my tongue for staying polite, but I didn't. It worked apparently, as Ulquiorra made for the door. He closed it behind himself, but I had no doubts he was just outside. I struggled to stand, but after being awake for a while I seemed to have regained some of my motor skills and stiffly walked across the room towards the closet. The pins and needles sensation was lessening the more time passed. Thank God, I didn't think I could handle it any longer.
Upon inspection of the closet, the options were all the same colours, black or white, just different styles. I found black pants that reminded me of joggers and a high waist. Black shoes that zipped up to my calf with white lines on them, reminiscent of the sandals the soul reapers in the Seireitei wore. I found a top that was more like a cheongsam than a shirt. However, it only covered up to my ribs before splitting to expose my hips and thighs. The back covered my legs but the front easily exposed up to my hipbone when I walked. However, with the pants I was nearly completely covered with the hemline stopping just below my knee. It would be a good length if I had to run- though in my current state the only running I would be doing would be mental sprints.
The chill of the room was still felt, so I searched for a cloak of some kind. I found one, it reminded me of the captain's haori of the gotei 13. This one was a staunch white, with the black trim, but the fabric was made of a heavier material and blocked out the cold around me. The sleeves ended at my elbow, which was fine since my top's sleeves went to my wrists. The hemline for the haori was near my ankles, so it covered a lot more. There was also a hood to this thing, and I felt quite cozy despite myself.
It was a horrible reminder though when Ulquiorra opened the door unannounced. He'd likely gotten tired of waiting as it took me much longer than normal to dress in my current condition. His eyes glanced over me, before he looked straight into mine.
"Come." Was all he said, expecting me to move. I scowled, planting my feet despite the ache it caused. Ulquiorra's gaze narrowed. "Lord Aizen wishes to speak with you."
I bit my tongue, weighed the repercussions of refusing, then decided it wasn't worth the consequence and took a shaky step forward. I had to use the wall, but progressed to the doorway eventually. Ulquiorra began to walk, but I couldn't keep up, I didn't even try to. It was abhorrent how slowly I was progressing, needing the wall to support me every couple of strides.
Ulquiorra paused at the end of the hall, turning to look at me, eyes sharper as if irritated. He didn't react as I staggered along, waiting somewhat patiently, not interrupting or jabbing at me. I tried to keep my chin up, feeling like a child learning to walk. I hadn't even brushed my hair, carelessly tossed it into a bun instead, and felt like garbage still. I bit the inside of my cheek to resist making noises of pain or discomfort as I struggled along.
Wherever we were going, it was horrendously far. At least more I walked, the less stiff I became, but five minutes into our walk I was already exhausted. This was horrible, why did I feel like I was wearing my hierro? I felt tight, like my body wasn't big enough for me, like I was wedged into tight sleeves of a shirt three sizes too small. Still, I managed to keep walking, wincing a few times when I stumbled.
"If you go any slower, I'll toss you over my shoulder and carry you." Ulquiorra threatened from where he was waiting for me, making me pause. I pursed my lips to keep my voice quiet, feeling like I had in that stupid house, with Akito laughing at me as I struggled to my feet. Maybe it was because I couldn't sense him, maybe it was how he looked at me, or maybe it was because of the sheer embarrassment I felt. I don't know what straw broke the camel's back, but I was feeling pretty fucking petty at this point.
My legs buckled, I slid down the wall to rest on the ground, without breaking our stare I crossed my arms. Ulquiorra's eyes narrowed.
"Carry me then." I said, refusing to move. Something flickered through Ulquiorra's gaze- annoyance? Hostility? I wasn't sure. What I was sure about was that the asshole was true to his word. He tossed me over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes and I gasped when he did, pain blossomed when my ribs hit his shoulder, but I didn't say another word as he marched along. Some part of me had hoped he would find touching me repulsive. Apparently pleasing Aizen was above that repulsion. Lucky me.
While I propped my elbows against his shoulder, I could lift myself up enough to see the long hallways behind us. Several arrancar passed my view before disappearing. Some looked at us, others ignored us. We passed a few, some bowed to Ulquiorra while others ignored him or turned to glance at me. I said nothing, slung over his back like a caught hog.
Somehow it felt more humiliating than struggling to walk.
Ulquiorra walked for another five minutes, releasing me as I slid off his shoulder without warning, I had to claw at his jacket to keep upright. He frowned, not even moving despite my actions as I gripped onto him. As soon as my feet were under me, I stepped away and towards the wall, feeling scorn and disgust with myself. He glanced at me once, then turned to another door. He opened it, standing in the doorway to bow.
"Lord Aizen, Naomi Sakurai has woken up." He spoke in a polite tone. I resisted the urge to scoff, then remembered it was Sōsuke Aizen inside that door. Any disobedience would be considered a slight to the man. It made me nervous, anxious, and embarrassed all at once to think that I had to be in the same room as him again.
"Thank you, Ulquiorra, is she here then?" Aizen's voice drifted from inside. Ulquiorra looked at me, I stiffened, part of me wanted to run away. It would all be for nothing though; I knew Ulquiorra would catch me before I limped two steps away. Swallowing my nerves, I hobbled in through the door, trying to keep my back straight against the wishes of my body.
The room was vast, with a seating area in front of a fire place on one side, and on the other was walls and walls of books. This seemed to be a parlor of sorts, but at the back of the room was a massive opening like a covered balcony. A single chair said with a small stand next to it, faced to the open view of the desert sands.
Standing by that balcony was two people, both I was loath to see. Gin Ichimaru with his perpetual grin, and Sōsuke Aizen with his usual unreadable features. It took a lot of strength, but I steeled my spine and raised my chin higher, watching as Gin's grin minutely grew.
"My my, ya didn't die on us after all." He taunted. I said nothing, trying to keep my face neutral. It was difficult when I wanted nothing more than to beat him with his own sword. Aizen took note of my reaction and looked to his little helper.
"Thank you Ulquiorra, you may go now." Aizen said, waiting for the arrancar boy scout to bow before looking at me again. "You seem to be still in good spirits."
I didn't say anything, biting my cheek to keep my mouth shut. The alternative was the possibility of saying something stupid that might get me killed. I shivered, doing my best not to show it under all the layers of fabric. Aizen hummed, glancing over my attire. The action reminded me of Ulquiorra staring at me, and I felt humiliation colour my skin as I finally looked down, gritting my teeth together.
"What is the matter?" Aizen asked, his voice wavering between curiosity and neutrality. My eyes snapped to his, for some reason the once soft features of his face looked sharp and aware. I took in a small breath and remembered myself.
"Why am I here, Aizen?" I held my gaze as he remained impassive. This didn't feel like before. Aizen was always an imposing presence, but now there was something more, was this what he felt like to everyone else? He felt greater, taller even. We locked eyes for a moment, before he tilted his head slightly.
"Here? You are here as a guest." He said easily. Gin stifled a laugh, but I heard it and clicked my tongue before I could stop myself.
"That's not what I meant." I said, biting back as much snark as I could. Aizen watched me for another moment, eyes narrowing slightly. He turned away from me, walking over to the table piled with food. When he arrived, he pulled a chair out and looked at me.
"You must be hungry. Please, come sit." He said in that same voice he used when we first met. It reminded me of the apple. My gaze went from him, then to the food. I wanted to be petty, to tell him I wasn't hungry, but before I could, my stomach growled. Gin snickered somewhere nearby while I closed my eyes to take a deep breath. When I opened them, Aizen hadn't moved yet, waiting for me.
I tensed, walking stiffly towards him. I realized he was pulling the chair out for me when I looked at him, and did my best to keep a composure as I neared him. Were his eyes always this calculating? I thought of the looks he gave me in the underground hall. Back then, I felt more like a lab rat, scurrying about in an unknown experiment. This felt different. It felt far worse.
I took my seat. I hissed as I tried to sit carefully, but ended up pulling something in my left leg. I leaned away from his hands resting to hold my seat in place for me, resisting any touch where possible. Aizen didn't react, instead he moved to take a seat across from me. Sadly, Gin pulled out the seat beside me. I could feel him leering at me, but ignored him. He pouted as Aizen grabbed some food. His gaze rose to me briefly before he continued.
"Eat as much as you would like, Naomi." He said easily. I flinched at my name, feeling like a child allowed to sit with the adults for dinner for the first time. Looking over the food, I hesitantly reached for an apple, then paused as I remembered the apple Aizen had once given me, and reached for something else. Gin chuckled beside me.
"Ya act like we poisoned it." He teased. I still didn't look at him, but quietly took some more food. There would be no merit to poisoning me right now. In any scenario, it felt like it was an unrealistic outcome. No, Aizen wouldn't do that, right? I couldn't claim to know the man, but I did know he had a massive ego. He had a silver tongue and a brilliant mind too. Which meant that he would not waste the effort of abducting me just to kill me in the most indirect way possible.
"That would mean wasted effort." I said quietly, earning a hum of agreement from Aizen. He said nothing as he sipped his drink and ate with impeccable table manners. Gin chuckled next to me as I ate hesitantly. My stomach was in knots the moment I began to eat, but I forced myself to eat slowly, politely.
"Aw, ya seemed like a lot more fun in Seireitei. Ya were such a fun lil' thing." Gin taunted. I said nothing, having no desire to play back and forth with my captor. I began to think about the encounter we had when I saw Momo. How conflicted he looked as he considered stabbing me. Was he considering killing me then? Was it because he knew what was to come? A mercy kill?
Was it fun for you then, Gin?
My gaze shifted to Aizen across the table, who was quietly eating. Considering the level of detail he put into all of his schemes, I didn't put it across him to be listening intently and carefully to all our words. Or at least there seemed to be great effort and detail. Between his rant of how he fooled the Gotei 13 on Sōkyoku Hill, and what I could glean about my abduction, this man planned things thoroughly. Probably had a backup to his backup plan should things have failed. He seemed a bit like a control freak to me, very a-type and in control.
What's more, his scent was so powerful, usually almost overwhelming, and yet I could smell him at such a close range.
"Why is it that I can't smell you?" I asked, causing the man to look up at me with a lazy gaze. "What have you done to me?"
"That's a harsh accusation," he said slowly, I felt my spine tense, but his mouth curved ever so slightly upwards, like he was enjoying my reactions. I didn't fall for the taunt, didn't get angry. Instead, I quietly stared at him, then glanced to the balcony to view the endless sands and dark sky.
"Where am I?" I asked, not expecting a straight answer. To my surprise, Aizen did reply without riddles and rhymes.
"You are in Las Noches, my palace inside Huecho Mundo. Have you heard of this place?" Aizen asked casually. I nodded.
"Kisuke mentioned it." I noticed that when Urahara's name left my mouth Aizen's lip twitched as if to frown. Then I remembered the escape that these guys had made back then with the menos.
"Try and catch up, little ryoka."
I looked to my plate, pushing around my meal.
"-real borin' tryna talk to 'em too, Naomi. They ain't good conversation." Gin drawled, pouting. It took me a moment to realize he had been speaking to me. "It's been a while since someone fun came along. Since y'all killed Luppi I've been lonely."
I remembered that one, wrinkling my nose at the memory. Gin liked that guy? No, scratch that, it made sense to me. They both seemed like total gossips when I thought about it. So he was dead then? Good, then maybe that meant Isshin was still alive and well. And... hopefully he saved Karin. I closed my eyes for a moment, trying to remember that night.
"Tell me, what does Lord Aizen want with you children, hm? You don't seem his type, if he even has one."
Luppi had said that, but he'd also spoke as if I wasn't the target. Was it really all just chance? No, Ulquiorra coming out of nowhere didn't feel like chance. It felt like a setup the more I thought about it. Instead of voicing my thoughts, I reached for more food. True to his word, Aizen said nothing about how much I ate, and neither did Gin, surprisingly.
When I had finished eating, I resisted giving a big sigh of relief. This bizarre event should be over soon, right? I felt sleepy now, and wanted to resist the urge to go to sleep right there. At my apartment, the counter wasn't far from my bed, so I only had to fling myself across the space to sleep. Here though, I was far from any surface to sprawl on. A sudden pang of wanting hit me, as I imagined sharing my tiny apartment with little captain, laughing at how he ate his watermelon.
"May I be excused?" I asked Aizen, feeling the weight of my half-lidded eyes. Perhaps being polite was the key to getting around this place? He looked at me as he sipped his tea, lowering it.
"You may." He said with approval. I gripped the back of my chair, and the table, before slowly getting to my feet. Gin was suddenly silent behind me, but didn't move to help me as I stood. With a wince, a bit of struggle to walk on my now stiff legs, I moved to exit the door. Before I could get very far, however, the doors to the chambers opened. In walked a rather familiar ex-captain.
"Kaname, you were late to dinner." Aizen said without looking. Tōsen looked in the direction of the table, frowning. I looked at him, feeling tension in my shoulders as my back stiffened.
"I see Sakurai has awoken." Tōsen said tightly. Aizen hummed.
"Is that a problem, Kaname?" He asked, his tone light and airy. Tōsen said nothing, staring in my general direction. My chin raised, on instinct I reached for Espejo once more. When I grasped air, I made a fist. Then, as if I didn't exist, Tōsen turned away from me.
"No, it is not, my Captain."
"Hold on, back up a second," he looked between the two. Chiyo and Kisuke remained locked in place. "I think there's some things you left out there."
It was silent between the three for another minute as Isshin gauged the two. Chiyo took a shaky breath.
"There's... been a lot of things, Isshin." She grabbed the sake bottle again. "I didn't want to interrupt your little family, so... I dealt with this asshole."
She took a long swig. Kisuke pulled out his fan and grinned behind it.
"My my, you always had such harsh words, even after all I've done for you Sakurai's." Kisuke teased. Chiyo put the bottle down, with a little more force, pointedly, eyes narrowing at the blonde again.
"What do you wanna know, Isshin?" Chiyo asked, her lilac eyes drifting to the man in question. Isshin racked his brain, trying to get all the pieces in order. There were so many questions he had. His gaze drifted to Kisuke, then back to Chiyo.
"When you left Karakura to go and travel, you said you met your husband there." Isshin asked, noticing how Chiyo looked away. "That's a lie, isn't it?"
Chiyo was quiet as she stared at the bottle. It was her only friend in the room right now.
"I met him the same night you met Masaki." She said simply. Isshin's eyes widened, surprised by her admission, then the woman sighed. "After I lost my powers, I spent the better part of my university career trying to figure out what I wanted to do. That's when he showed up again."
Chiyo looked into Isshin's eyes, and he could see the years of struggle she endured. Her eyes were so much duller than he remembered them being. Unlike Naomi, Chiyo had a softer eye, one that belayed kindness despite her sharp tongue.
"We did fall in love then, well, I did." She looked to her hands. "I don't know how it was possible, but I became pregnant."
Isshin frowned.
"You never took sex ed as a teen?" He asked, causing Chiyo to bristle. Isshin scratched his chin. "I mean it should be quite common in this day and age to at the very least know the reproductive aspect to-"
"I took fucking sex ed you idiot!" Chiyo snapped, redder than a tomato. Isshin narrowed his eyes, but felt a little smirk on his face. This was the Chiyo he was far more familiar with. Chiyo took a deep breath, calming herself. "I meant I don't know how it was possible because- well, he's like you."
"Like me?" Isshin repeated, trying to understand. He frowned. "You mean-"
"Yup, that's right." Kisuke fanned himself, smirking behind his fan. "Her father's a soul reaper."
Isshin stared in shock, but then frowned.
"Hold on, but that means that Naomi should have some sort of soul reaper powers in her." Isshin pointed out.
"That's not how it works, but points for trying." Kisuke fanned himself while Isshin and Chiyo glared at him.
"Go on Kisuke," she said slowly. The blonde's gaze slid to hers. "Tell him what you did."
To Urahara's merit, he didn't waver. Instead, he shut his fan, tapping it on the table in front of him.
"To put it bluntly, we weren't exactly friends," Kisuke began, looking to Isshin. "While the gigai made for you allowed you to become a human on command, and maintained as a tether for your soul to Masaki and your children, the one Hiroshi stole was made with a different intent."
Hiroshi , Isshin had heard that name before. Where had it been? It was on the tip of his tongue...
"The gigai I conveniently left out for him was meant to gradually prevent a soul from collecting reishi. Instead, the bonded reishi would act as an adhesive, effectively making it more difficult to eject the soul over time. The attachment to the gigai becomes greater with each use until it becomes impossible to separate." Kisuke explained as he stopped tapping the fan. Chiyo huffed.
"Yeah well, you could've mentioned that." Her mouth twitched. "But it didn't entirely work. Hiroshi could still leave his body, but he became weaker overtime."
"It was a prototype." Kisuke dismissed. Chiyo rolled her eyes. She thought for a moment, gathering her thoughts, trying to figure out a better point to start with that didn't exactly call out her tragic love life.
"I suppose I should explain his zanpakutō, as it's a key piece to this story." She searched around the room, wanting something other than sake to drink. Kisuke noticed, getting up to retrieve some tea. He knew this part well. Isshin watched the man go, before looking back at Chiyo.
"His zanpakutō was... special. It's the only sword that I have heard of that doesn't have a second release. It only had one purpose," she looked to the door Kisuke had left out of. "To cut."
"To cut what?" Isshin asked. Chiyo looked back at him.
"Anything."
Her words feeling strangely heavy in his mind.
"It could cut anything that Hiroshi wanted to cut. Tangible or not. As long as he could clearly picture it, he said it was like he could see the place to cut it perfectly. If he wanted to cut through a building, he could. If he wanted to cut another zanpakutō, he could. If he wanted to cut through reiatsu, dimensions, memories-"
"What's the draw back?" Isshin asked, knowing if such a sword existed there was no way Central 46 would ever be allowing this man to roam free. There was just no way. Isshin might've been out of the game for a while, but he wasn't a fool. Chiyo snorted.
"Kusanagi, when wielded properly, will only ever cut what the target is. So in a group of people, only the targeted one will be hit. But that comes at a cost. Think of it as a double-edged sword. Each time he cuts something..."
"He would be cut as well." Isshin understood. Kisuke returned with the tea, placing drinks around the table. "I don't understand why I've never heard of this blade before then, what division was he in? What seat?"
"Oh, Hiroshi never had a seat, he had no interest in the military. He only joined because his friends did, but he never showed his zanpakutō, and it looked like an asauchi so he never ran into trouble." Chiyo explained, carefully handling the tea. Kisuke frowned, realizing Chiyo knew more than she had let on. It seemed none of the Sakurai's trusted him at all.
"Seems he had some loose lips while in the human world." He mused. Chiyo ignored him.
"I believe he was in the thirteenth division, if that helps, but he had no interest in work. I'm pretty sure Hiroshi left the Seireitei so frequently people forgot he existed. He was really good at escaping sight." She blinked, staring at her reflection in her tea cup. Chiyo's head felt fuzzy, like she was six pounds lighter all of a sudden. Getting this off her chest relieved her some. "He was always aloof, never one to sit in one spot for long. And I felt like he was just stringing me along. Still, he took care of me when I became pregnant. And then Naomi was born."
She remembered the once somber man's eyes lighting up when he held Naomi for the first time. It was something that she found incredible. She remembered how he cried, and held her any chance he got. A sad smile lifted to her lips.
"He loved her, he loved her more than anything else in the whole world." She wiped her misty eyes, returning to the story. "I know Hiroshi wasn't the best partner, but he did whatever he could for Naomi. And as she grew, I knew she loved him too. She was... devastated, when he died."
Kisuke didn't speak, neither did Isshin, as both men stared at the woman trying to hold herself together. Slowly, as if to not startle her, Isshin leaned a bit closer, gaining Chiyo's attention.
"What happened?" He asked, but Chiyo bit her bottom lip. Kisuke sipped his tea slowly, refusing to fill the silence for her.
I took a few steps, trying to ignore the tightness of the bandages rubbing my wounds. They had settled some against my now full belly and hurt.
"Just a minute, Naomi." Aizen called as I almost made it to the door. I pursed my lips, hand half raised to escape, when I looked back, he had risen from his seat. "Allow me to escort you to your quarters."
It wasn't an offer; it was a demand. Despite this, Aizen did hold the door open for me and offer me his arm to lean on. I hesitated.
"I can see you struggling." He said plainly. It wasn't out of kindness though; I could tell he didn't want to be slowed down. I held my chin higher despite the shake in my shoulders. Was this a slight? Would this be insulting? Yet in that moment, I just didn't have the energy to care.
"I appreciate the offer, but I'll manage on my own." I said as politely as I could muster. AIzen stared for a moment, before lowering his arm. With as much grace as I could muster, I turned and began to walk the way I had come.
"You are quite difficult." He said casually. Then, with a hint of humour. "Though you're more predictable than I expected."
I bit my tongue from snapping at him, trying to figure out what was going on. Why was he so keen to do this sort of thing? What merit did walking me back to my room give him? Merit. It was the easiest way to describe this man. He didn't seem the type to do anything without merit. Perhaps that was the key. Find the merit, solve the puzzle, stay away from proverbial landmines.
"Oh? How so?" I asked, careful not to exaggerate. This man set me on edge, and reminded me of how careful my speech had to be around Akito back then. Any comment, any perceived slight, could spell trouble. If I was in a half-right state of mind, I would've cared more. As it was, walking took most of my focus.
"You are a martyr. When it comes to fighting for yourself, you lack conviction. But as soon as any of your loved ones are challenged, you throw yourself in front of them with little to know thought to your own well-being." Aizen said, his voice slithering in my ears and making me shiver. "It is a very easy trait to manipulate, really."
"It leaves very little room for error as well." I said without realizing it. My jaw clenched as I spoke, my shoulders tensing. When nothing happened, I tentatively glanced at Aizen. He looked down at me from the corner of his gaze, whether he noticed my reactions or not (of course he did, who was I kidding?), no commentary of it left his mouth.
"Please explain." He said calmly. My brain had to replay the words that had left my mouth before to try and answer him. As my mouth opened, I snapped it shut again and tensed. "I assure you; no harm will come to you for answering me."
His word meant nothing, but I'd rather not tip toe around the place if he was going to be so blunt in his projection of me. I bit my lip, then hummed.
"You're a planner," I said quietly. "No, you're a strategist. I can tell you don't like to be surprised. So it's very likely you considered every outcome. Including ones of failure."
"Hm, that is a possibility, I suppose." Aizen said airily. Considering he was still paying attention to me, I continued on, feeling a bit bolder as I kept my thoughts rolling.
"Then you would understand how difficult it would be to get me here. How precise the planning had to be. How hard you had to work at not letting me die." My breath hitched when a step felt wrong. My hand found the wall as I paused. Aizen stopped, looking at me. Despite myself, I felt the ire briefly slicker to life in my soul. "Tell me, how well did that plan go for you?"
Aizen stared impassively down at me as I forcibly righted myself. We didn't move as he watched me, eyes locked and completely still. Then he turned away from me, cuing me in that we should walk once more.
"The benefits far outweigh any losses." He said, his voice becoming careful. There was something about how he was speaking that made me entirely suspicious. I wanted to ask what sorts of losses he incurred, thinking of Luppi and Grimmjow, had both arrancar died? However, my words failed me in that regard.
"However," Aizen spoke again. "I did learn something rather interesting. Something I had not expected."
Now what? That mouth of his talked more than a nervous teen girl and was beginning to get on my nerves. Listening to each word carefully was exhausting. I knew not to trust anything he said, but I didn't know what to do to keep on his good side... if he had one...
"What is it?" I asked, my eyes starting to burn from fatigued.
"Surely you must've noticed it, the behaviour of the soul reapers that were stationed in the world of the living?" His words caused me hesitate; the memory of little captain rejecting my offer to heal him popped into my mind. "Don't you find it odd that they dropped a barrier around you and Ulquiorra's battle?"
"I... It was to ensure minimal damages were done to Karakura." I reasoned, finding it strange that he would say this. What was so odd about that? Aizen hummed.
"I forgot, you aren't a soul reaper, so it would not seem strange to you," he almost made me believe he'd truly forgotten. "When a barrier has been erected, it was ordered prior to the event."
His words caused my mind to hitch in place for a step. My eyes widened minutely. Hold on, was he implying... I felt his eyes on me, reading my reaction.
"You think they put a barrier to... Trap me?" I asked, trying to find a reason behind what had happened. It was possible the barrier was dropped because of how the fight was progressing but- but why was it just me and Ulquiorra? Why not Isshin and Luppi? The fight itself felt fuzzy, fragments coming to the surface but not wholly.
"Of the people who have seen your true power, how many reside in the Soul Society?" I found the list to be a staggering one. Tōshirō had seen me in my true form. "Of those people in the Seireitei, how many were stationed here in the world of the living?"
Tōshirō? Did you...?
"What a bizarre coincidence." Aizen said, the humour back in his tone. It cut through the illusion, stinging me further. The more I thought about it, the more I realized that he was right. Did they really send me to the wolves? A sharp jab stung deep inside of me as I thought of the little captain locking me in. That didn't feel like the whole truth.
No... I don't believe it...
"You're wrong." I said softly, weakly.
"You believe it a lie?" He asked. I swallowed, stopping when I was to look up at him. His eyes were as impassive as ever. I hated it, feeling like a little lamb when I once felt strong enough to protect my friends and family.
Friends that offered me up on a rack.
"I think it's a half truth." I reasoned, trying to understand the situation. Aizen raised an impeccable brow.
"You don't want to admit to it, but deep inside you know it's the truth." He said, eyes lighting up as I felt a heaviness to my own. This wasn't happening... "It's easier to accept only what makes you comfortable. It eases your mind and closes doorways for you."
"Stop." I said, taking a step back from him. Aizen didn't move, he didn't have to.
"You fear the truth, don't you? Truth and lies, they're just words Naomi. Words used to glean what people believe and disbelieve onto a society." He raised his chin, a cold smile on his face. It made something burn inside my chest. I ducked my head to escape his gaze. "But those things do not matter. What matters in this world is cold hard facts. Nothing refutable can be a fact."
Silence.
How dare he.
"That's... It's so..." I let out a shaky breath. This would get me hit, but would it matter? Was lying down like a dog and flinching whenever I displeased him worth it? He could kill me, and nobody would ever know. He could change his mind and snap my neck. I'd never see my friends or family again. I'd never see Ichigo again.
"You know I love you, right?"
Ichigo... I'm sorry.
Finding my resolve, I rose up again, standing as tall as my trembling legs would allow me, keeping my chin high.
"What an inconclusive statement." I said tightly. Aizen tilted his head as I continued. "Tell me, who gets to dictate facts from fiction then? Am I to take your word as a fact? Why yours but not mine? Am I to disregard logic and reason simply because you feel your argument is stronger than mine?"
"Disregard logic and reasoning?" He frowned. "I believe I gave some distinct points to prove to you the logic and reasoning behind my statement."
"No, you gave information that cannot be verified. Forgive me for saying, but I believe that facts need to be proven factual before considered as such. So far, all you have told me is your impression of the event. Conveniently, it would put me in a tumultuous situation that would imply I have nowhere to return to."
His gaze narrowed once more; my lip twitched as I realized he was annoyed with me. I mentally prepared for a strike.
"It would be mighty convenient to make a captive feel like there was nowhere else to go. After all, the easiest prisoner is one that doesn't realize they've been captured." I held my gaze, clenching my fists again to ground me. Kisuke's words drifted through my head, reminding me of the little captain again. Could it be they knew something I didn't? But why? If the barrier was dropped early, and they did sacrifice me like Aizen said, why would it be me specifically? "Even if they did sacrifice me, it still doesn't add up."
Aizen was quiet for another minute, his face cool and calculating.
"How strange," he hummed, his eyes roaming over my face to find flaws in my defense. He'd find plenty of chips, I knew that, but I refused to crumble on sheer principle of pride. "You admit it is a possibility that you've been abandoned, and yet you seem rather indifferent about it?"
"Because it doesn't add up. There's a piece of the puzzle you're not telling me. None of you are." I said sharply, taking a deep breath through my nose as I frowned. Aizen stared, watching and waiting for me to continued. My eyes narrowed as my gaze roamed over his face. Spotless armour, but it morphed too much. It was obvious it wasn't his real feelings, I could see it now, how rigid that defense was.
"Tell me Aizen, why was Kisuke Urahara so certain I would survive?"
There was no other logic. The man had made it pretty clear he knew I was a target. If he had been genuinely concerned, wouldn't he have rescued me or at the very least tried to assist me in some capacity? If his grudge match with Aizen was truly so intense, I doubted that he'd like me be taken so easily. No, it was illogical, irrational. Was the barrier, perhaps, a means to trap not me, but Ulquiorra? Was it to prevent him from escaping with me? It had shattered during our battle, so it was never something we could explore. However... It was a possibility.
Aizen stared for a long moment, but then he let out the briefest of chuckles. After such a heated moment, it was rather disarming. I felt taken aback at the change in demeanour.
"You're quite clever, more than I expected, Naomi Sakurai." He said with a tone that didn't sound as condescending as usual. He then took a step towards me. I tensed as he invaded my personal space, clenching my fists to resist doing something rash that might be the straw to break the camel's back. This man was tall, a whole foot taller than me. I swallowed without meaning to. Then he raised an arm, reaching over my shoulder directly beside my head without breaking eye contact. There was pride in his eyes as he nodded to behind me.
"The door is open." He said in that taunting tone. I felt stuck, unable to look away from him despite the deliberate dismissal, that smug look remained in his eyes even as he returned to a neutral expression.
"You're evading." I pointed out. He hummed.
"As I said, clever." He took a step back, eyes mocking me as I raised my chin in defiance. It didn't have the effect I had hoped for, and any chance of him answering my questions was lost as the man vanished from existence in front of me. I blinked once, twice, then felt a cold rage rush through me.
Kanzen Saimin.
What an asshole.
When I entered my room and shut the door, the exit vanished from my vision. Whether it was hypnosis or something else, I wasn't sure. Then, as I attempted some semblance of an evening routine, I realized that was struggling to walk the floorplan of my tiny apartment. Realizing that, the bravado of the day felt like it was stripped away so suddenly as I sunk to the cold stone floor. The gravity of my situation, of how quickly I entered survival mode, of how real this had all just become hit me with full force.
"Ichigo..." I whispered, afraid Aizen was listening to me. When I went to the toilet to find a brush and other toiletries from me, I pushed them away to grip the sink. I thought of everyone in that battle. Surely everyone was okay? But what if Aizen was attacking them again? What if I was wrong, and I was just the first one taken? What if he would pick us off one by one? What if-
Stop it stop it stop it!
"They're gunna be okay." I whispered to myself, despite the tears falling. "Everyone is okay."
I didn't know if it was true, but it was the last semblance of hope that I could give myself, my last thread keeping me from falling apart.
"Have you ever noticed how Naomi's reiatsu is... virtually undetectable?" Chiyo began. Isshin nodded. He'd noticed that when his powers began to return, it was a blessing for her to hide easily, but also a curiosity to him. "It wasn't always like that. At one point, Naomi's reiatsu seemed to be like bait to hollows."
Chiyo remembered the nights of Hiroshi standing guard while telling her hollows were outside. She shivered, frustrated with her weakness and inability to do anything about them on her own, having to rely on Hiroshi for help.
"Even in our quiet home town, they'd find her. No matter where we went. One night, Naomi was grabbed by a hollow. Hiroshi rescued her, but by then it was too late. It had attacked her, and it's reishi had begun to mix with her own. In the span of a few hours, Naomi began to hollowfy. It was- I'd never seen it happen so quickly..." Chiyo dipped her head, teary eyed, and added in a smaller voice. "She was only five ..."
Without thinking about it, Isshin put a hand on Chiyo's shoulder. He felt it tremble, but said nothing. He knew what it felt like, allowing your children to come to harm. He'd never quite forgiven himself for what happened to Masaki. And knowing Chiyo had been in the same position, knowing what was happening but having no means to help- he didn't blame her at all.
"Hiroshi... tried to save Naomi. But because of the gigai, he was far weaker than he once was... It nearly killed him, and didn't hold for long." Chiyo reined her emotions in. "So we went here as a last resort."
Isshin frowned.
"You told Masaki you were moving back here after you husband died. You said it was to be closer to home." He sighed. "I suppose all of that was a lie too."
"Masaki knew," Chiyo said tightly, surprising Isshin. "You were so in your own little bubble, but Masaki took one look at me and- she knew something was wrong. So I told her. She was the one who insisted I trust him."
Chiyo's eyes locked with Kisuke's. It was quiet for a long moment. Then Kisuke spoke in a low tone.
"If I'm completely honest, there was no way to save Naomi. Not in the state she was in," he looked between Isshin and Chiyo, seeing the acceptance and sorrow in the mother's eyes. "Hiroshi was too weak to bond his soul to hers in such a state. No, even if Hiroshi hadn't done what he did, there wasn't a chance."
Isshin frowned, looking between the two.
"What did he do?" He asked, feeling a sense of dread as he looked at the shame on Chiyo's face. Kisuke stared straight at the woman, not letting her escape admitting to what her husband did. Chiyo sucked in a breath, eyes staring at the sake bottle once more.
"The sword that can cut through anything..." Chiyo whispered, and slowly, Isshin realized. He felt a cold rush through him, as pieces of the puzzle all began to make sense. The horrible reiatsu, the lack of presence, and the duality to her powers.
"He tried to-" She hesitated, but one look from Urahara and Chiyo Sakurai admitted the truth.
"He tried to cut the hollow out."
Silence.
"But he failed."
Wow, this is probably the biggest lore drop I've done yet, huh? Chiyo's not been completely honest with what's been going on, though can you blame her? Not like she knew Ichigo was running around with Naomi. As far as she knew, everything was still alright and her girl had normal girl problems.
So yeah, this chapter- I rewrote it twice. Admittedly capturing Aizen is difficult, I find myself wanting him to not speak but it's totally against his nature not to be haughty when he has a victory. In this case tearing a strip out of naomi. (which sort of backfired, we'll see)
Can i just say, we're almost done this book? It's been almost a year since I published it, and I'm hoping to finish before december, but we'll see.
Hope y'all enjoyed this chapter, and I'm seriously surprised nobody guessed Hiroshi was her father ngl. Had a wide range of guesses out there.
YukiDeviluke48: Ah, right on the money. Thank you so much for guessing the Naomi and Aizen relationship! Much appreciated!
Cheers!
Iland Girl