Bleach Fan Fiction ❯ The Many Faces of Revenge ❯ Misunderstood ( Chapter 4 )

[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]

The darkness was almost unbearable. The silence and the cold that it brought, the heavy sense of hopelessness that threatened to choke him. Being unable to move only proved to make matters worse. Unable to occupy the mind with anything but the overwhelming thoughts of the unending, absolute darkness. Not even the tiniest sliver of light penetrated.
There was nothing but his own company and at the best of times, he could hardly stand himself. And yet, if it was dark and quiet, it meant that the crazy scientist wasn’t around. That was the only thing that made the darkness bearable. All he did was ask the same series of questions, occasionally spicing the interrogation up with some torture. He could take that though. If only the man knew what he’d been through in the past century, he wouldn’t bother with the weak attempts at pain.
If only the Taichou had known what he had suffered, at his hand no less, he would have a better idea of how to torture him. But then, he had already suffered that and was numb to the effects.
That thought brought a pang of new pain. He had promised her he would return in a single month. That deadline was coming soon. Only a few more days to save her life. If he failed, his life would be worthless. He just had to find a way to make it out of here. To either get them to let him go, or to kill them, all of them. They didn’t deserve the lives they lead, the lives they took for granted.
The almost inaudible sound of the door sliding open made him cringe it seemed so loud. The flash of dim light sent spikes through his eyes. How long had it been since he had been given any stimulation for his senses? They were grating and painful. The room was bathed in a dim, pure white light.
Then, the oddest thing happened. He felt the restraints at his feet loosen and fall away. Then one hand, a form leaning over him slightly. Finally, his opposite hand and neck were free. Perhaps this was the window of opportunity he had been waiting for.
Jumping up, he pinned the small form to the wall, his arm at the neck, cutting off the flow of air as he pressed against the windpipe. It took a moment for his eyes to adjust to the extreme light, but the blurry black form had been enough for him to judge the attack. He could feel that the form was smaller, definitely not the man that had been visiting him. He could slowly begin to make out the feminine features, black hair, a softly angular face, high cheek bones flushed with the lack of oxygen and most likely surprise.
The sight of her lilac purple eyes made his own eyes widen and he stumbled back, hitting the table hard and nearly falling back onto it. A name tumbled from his lips in shock before he realized that this was not the one he’d so shockingly mistaken as his Hisako. By then, it was too late to correct for that mistake.
Nanao, furious at being attacked, lashed back. She didn’t bother with kidou, she was too angry for that. She flipped his legs up from under him, tossing him over the table, using his own weight against him. Jumping over, she landed with one foot on his chest, knocking the wind out of him. His head was tilted at an odd angle against the base of the steel table.
“Kurotsuchi Taichou assured me that you were acting docile and complacent. I thought that we could talk like two civilized people. Would you rather I invite Kurotsuchi Taichou back inside?” She asked, obviously furious.
“No…I apologize.” He gasped out, still trying to catch his breath.
“That’s better.” She said, letting him up but being more on guard then before. He had been rather lucky he’d backed off when he did. It allowed her to subdue him. Had he persisted, the zanpakuto hidden in her sleeve would have been revealed rather quickly.
Pulling himself up, he sat up on the table and regarded the woman slowly. She looked nothing like the one he’d mistaken her for, except the eyes. They were so similar it was frightening.
“What’s your name?” She asked simply, right to the point. His silence was deep and foreboding, his gaze chilling. “What could telling us possibly do? We already have you so at this point, it’s just adding a label to a cell.” She commented. “Besides, I’m one of the officers that has been assigned to your investigation. If I brought something back to my Taichou, even a tiny amount of information, he would be very pleased with me.” Nanao explained, trying to make idle conversation, perhaps allow him to loosen up slightly. Let down his guard.
“What’s your name?” He returned, chilling gray eyes watching her every move.
“Fair enough. Ise Nanao.” She offered him, her own eyes cold and calculating. She was already running through the workings of the conversation to bring it where she wanted it to go.
“Ise Nanao…Ise Nanao…” He murmured it several times, as if trying to analyze it. “Interesting composition. Short staccato followed by a beautiful flow. A very fitting name I think.” He said, voice thoughtful. “Who is it that claims you, Ise Nanao?”
“Claims me?” She asked, the warning in her voice clear.
“Well yes, surely a beautiful woman such as yourself is claimed by someone. Perhaps your Taichou?” He asked, indicating the badge on her arm. “Is that how it works these days?”
“How what works?” She asked with a growl, her eyes darkening.
“For every Taichou to receive their own, personal plaything?”
His goal had been to rile her up, to make her angry enough to get careless, perhaps offer some sort of information that might help him escape. Yet, it wouldn’t be until he woke up again that he would realize he’d gone to far with this particular woman.

He finally woke to a soft tisking. “Come on now. Wakey, wakey!” Someone was calling, the voice deep. “You have a lot of explaining to do.” His skull was throbbing in pain. He didn’t particularly feel like waking up at the moment.
“My little Nanao-chan, she hit’s hard, eh?” A large face loomed over him, unshaven and shadowed under a large straw hat.
“So I was right?” His own voice sounded small and weak to him. Perhaps he’d been hit so hard his hearing was going.
“Hardly. Nanao-chan is quite the opposite of my plaything.” He grinned, standing straight and letting the full force of the bright room flood his eyes. “She’s a hard working woman who earned her position through that work and in no other way. In fact, it is I who have had to work for her affections. She plays a mean game of ‘hard to get’.” The man continued, almost rambling.
“Still does most of the time. I have a hard enough time getting the woman to relax at all. Your little comment is going to set me back quite a bit. I hope you realize that. My poor little Nanao-chan will fret and worry that I’ve given her my affections due to her rank and not her personality. I will have to woo her all over again. But I can handle it. She’s worth the effort. Perhaps flowers, a secret meeting at the lake under the moon light.”
“Will you please shut up?”
“Can’t you just imagine it? A cute little sun dress, those blushing cheeks, soft skin. How beautiful flowers look in her black hair, such a perfect contrast.”
“What is with you? Are you some sort of stalker?” If he could have managed to stand up and hit him, he would have. Oh, would he have loved that. Instead, he just continued on as if he hadn’t heard the objections at all.
“Such a wonderful feeling. To hold the one you love. To feel their heart beat against you, the way they look at you. The tone in their voice, the smile and the looks that are reserved for you and you alone. For so long you can search for it in all the wrong places but when you find it, you know it. It’s the only thing you’ll ever need.” The big man said with a wistful sigh.
“Please! Shut up!” He yelled, even at the expense of his own comfort.
“What?” He asked, managing to act like he had been unaware of his annoying topic choice. “Am I bothering you? Have I, perhaps, found the topic of conversation that sends pangs of jealousy through your very being. The topic that makes your heart ache? Well, that was the discovery of my beautiful, intelligent Nanao-chan.” He trilled happily.
“See, she realized that you’d mistaken her for someone else. Hisako? Was that her name. A lovely name indeed. It was then that she realized that you’d attacked people who secretly had couples. Amazing that you would figure it out. Nanao-chan and myself. Urahara and his little kitten. Though, you really did botch with Nemu. Mayuri cares not for her.”
“Yes, so I noticed. Anyway, I wasn’t attacking with that intent. It just so happened that the freak and the homemaking shopkeeper were already on my hit list. Getting ones that could be close to them were just wonderful bonuses.” He spat out. “Don’t flatter yourself. That a woman such as her could ever love you. But you love her and that was enough to make her a target. Too bad I didn’t succeed. Can you imagine how I would have torn your world apart?”
“Mm, indeed you would have. However, that would have been very bad for you. You see, had Nanao-chan been lost to me, my only thought would have been killing the person who harmed her. That night you were captured, it was her who decided to bind you rather than kill you. Do you have any idea how easy it would have been for her to kill you?”
The only response he got with that was a dark glare of hatred.
“So tell me. Who is Hisako, this woman who you would kill for and where is she?” He could see the man’s relaxed, almost playful demeanor harden. “All of our patience is running out when it comes to you.” He warned. “Who are you, where did you come from and what have we done to wrong you?”
For along few moments he debated. If he told, would they destroy him anyway? Would they help? Or just put him back where he’d been and forget about them for another couple hundred years?
“Tetsuya.” He offered, his growl telling him how much it pained him to release the information. “I’m a mod soul, created by Urahara Kisuke. The body I’m in is a gigai, also created by Urahara, back when he headed the development department. We were merely tools to be used. There were ten of us all together, to go with the ten gigai he was testing. For that I hate him. When he left, all of his experiments at the time, not joined with the current mad scientist heading the department, were sealed away. That freak sealed all ten of us in a deep dark floor of the labs. For that, I hate him.”
“Finally, all of you. You go on with your lives, pretending that nothing is wrong. We’re just artificial so you don’t care about what happens to us. As long as you get to run your perfect little lives up here. You-”
“Now, now. Don’t go judging what you haven’t observed. First of all, the rest of us had no idea what was going on. That time was very turbulent for us. Things were hectic. As for Mayuri, well the rest of us can’t be held responsible for the insane things that go on behind his closed doors.” He nodded thoughtfully, leaning back against the wall, lowering his head to hide his eyes under the rim of his hat.
“I can see where you would be angry, naturally. I would be rather miffed as well. However, that wouldn’t put me on a killing rampage such as the one you displayed. Who is Hisako?” He persisted. He stood up suddenly, looking rather sheepish. “Oh! I almost forgot my dear, NANAO-CHAN!” He yelled the last, calling his fukutaichou in.
She was clearly unhappy with having to be in his presence again. Her eyes were dark and cloud seemed to follow her in. Seeing her in such a hostile state almost made him want to apologize. She stood near the door, chilling him with her gaze.
“Please, continue with your story.” Shunsui urged happily.
“Hisako is the one I love. She was another of the mod souls who was trapped in the room with us. In the beginning, one decided to end his life immediately. He held out no hope that one day the room might be reopened. Three died shortly after, defects in the designs of their gigai. Another mod soul was simply faulty and began to go slowly insane. We had to put him out of his misery for our own safety. Slowly, the others faded away until it was just Hisako and I. Recently, she began to grow weary of her life.”
“She said that she loved me, but that she couldn’t continue on like that. She wanted to die. To end all of the suffering. I seem to be the only of the ten who was built well enough to retain my full strength through the century of our captivity. When one is desperate enough, it’s amazing the strength you can manage.”
“The floor we were banished to is huge. Mostly dark. Even with ten of us there was no way of knowing the extent of it. What possibilities for escape there might be even though many of us did look for a long time. I found one. I managed to work my way to a small access hall. It led me out one of the many hidden back doors of the 12th division headquarters. Hisako is not strong enough to make the hard journey. It would have been equally as hard to protect her if we had been caught.”
“I told her to wait for me. One month. I made her promise. One month alone in that dark hell. If I did not return, I was either dead, or unable to return to her. If that was the case, then she should end her existence. It would be far less painful.” Both Nanao and Shunsui could hear the pain he tried so hard to hide.
“You know, you’re pretty lucky that you were put away where you were, when you were.” Shunsui pointed out, almost idly.
Immediately, Tetsuya’s gaze turned deadly. “Excuse me?”
“Not too long ago there was a rather large group of mod souls that were destroyed. At least, in this instance, you had a change to survive, and survive you did.” He pointed out.
“I haven’t exactly made a good argument for being left alive now, have I?” He asked bitterly.
“No…not exactly.” Nanao bit out, still angry.
“Then so be it. I did what I had to in order to help the woman I love. I would rather die than go on living, knowing that I’ve failed her.”
“Why? When did the deadline pass?” Shunsui asked casually.
“Three days from today.”
“Taichou. Are you really going to allow him to get away with this?”
“Get away with it? Certainly not. But there’s no reason why we have to let his mate suffer.” He stated reasonably. “But sadly, I’m afraid you’re going to have to stay in here for a little while longer. Nanao-chan?” He offered, waving a hand toward the door.
The two left him alone once more. They’d left the lights on and his restraints off. Perhaps he had been wrong about the shinigami in general. These two seemed to be decent enough. He rubbed his still sore jaw, head still throbbing. If not easily rattled.

Urahara scratched his head thoughtfully beneath his hat. “Mm, I see. It all makes quite a bit of sense now.” He flipped open his fan and began waving it briskly. “I had been working on several different types of gigai when I was exiled. His must have been the multi-user. Make it a little easier to keep gigai on hand for more than one shinigami. Change the face, change the user. However, the fault was the power. As we saw. It was quite a match to even the more powerful squad members.”
“I had no idea what had happened to all of my research after I left. I certainly hadn’t imagined that they would be locked away, still fully aware and awake. That would be rather unpleasant.”
“Although I don’t like it, I can understand why he might have been so eager to lash out at you.” Nanao agreed. “I was angry at him at first. He said some rather…distasteful things. But, after knowing the whole story, I can see how he might come to the desperate actions he took.”
“Mm, it is rather sad indeed. Since I am in part responsible, I will make the arrangements you have asked. Thank you for letting me know. I know how inconvenient it is for you to make these trips. Though, it must have been nice to come on your own? No annoying distractions.” He grinned.
“Indeed. My Taichou is very hard to look after.”
“But you do so well.” Urahara assured her. “Such a good mother figure. If anyone needs it, it’s Kyoraku. So, you make sure to take good care of him.”
“I will.” She assured him, standing from his table with a formal bow. “And thank you again. I will let you know ahead of time when we are ready on our end.”
“Very well. Bye bye, Nanao-chan.” He called, waving happily as Tessai escorted her to the door.

“Nanao-chan, you’re back!” Shunsui said happily, drawing her up into his arms and sweeping her inside.
“Taichou, what are you doing in my home?” She asked, scrunching up her face for the reign of kisses.
“Waiting for you to get back.” He said simply, placing her back on her feet. “I wanted to see you in your casual clothes before you changed back into your uniform.” He grinned. “Is that so bad of me?”
She floundered for an answer. He brushed back her hair before elegantly sweeping her off her feet. “Don’t worry Nanao-chan. I know you’re still uncomfortable with our hidden love. I understand. But have no fear, I will keep you safe and hidden. It is the least I can do.”
“Perhaps he was right.” She commented, allowing him to hold her in his arms.
“What?” He asked, clearly confused and caught off guard by her comment.
“Perhaps I do take this life for granted. Take you for granted. Do you wish you had more?” She asked, looking up at him with her thoughtful purple eyes. “Do you wish that I was-”
He stopped her with a kiss, his dark eyes capturing her gaze with one of his boyish grins. “Nanao-chan, I wish for nothing more than you give me.”
“I just wonder. Do I take you for granted?”
“I really don’t know what to say. I only had a speech prepared for the opposite of this. I was ready to reassure you that I wasn’t using you and that you’d gained your position all on your own. This…..I am totally unprepared for.” He admitted lamely.
She shook her head gently before laying it against his broad shoulder. Her bangs tickled his neck slightly. Settling down on a cushion, he settled her on his lap. She fit so perfectly against him. He wondered why it had taken him so long to realize that his boyish infatuation was something more than just that.
“I shouldn’t be using you the way I am. For my own pleasure in hidden rooms and shadowed corners. I should be woman enough to admit that I’m yours to the world. Or, I shouldn’t be allowed to have you at all. Instead of this indecisive ninny that I am.” She sighed. He didn’t much care for the way she was berating herself. She was being overly harsh.
“Nanao-chan, you silly, silly woman. It isn’t like that at all. I thought I’d already explained this to you. I’m perfectly happy with you the way you are. I couldn’t ask for anything more, even if I wanted to. I don’t feel like I’m being used at all. I’m happy just to have you. I had already gotten used to the fact that you would never accept me.”
“I’d told myself that I would never accept you. You were lucky I had a moment of weakness.”
“Dare I believe that my Nanao-chan is teasing me?” He asked, with exaggerated surprise.
“It is my misfortune to be assigned to the least intelligent of the Taichou.” She sighed, shaking her head slightly.
“But you fell in love with him.” He pointed out with a very blatant tone of satisfaction. “But no, I must not blame you for that. Who could resist my charm?” She could hear the grin in his voice.
“You really are impossible, Taichou.”
“That’s what I have you for, to keep me in line.”
“I certainly do try my best.” She assured him, closing her eyes and letting him hold her close against him.
“And I won’t be taking that, or you, for granted, my dear Nanao-chan.” He promised.