Trial of Fire

7dragons7, this chapter is for you. While not my fav its got a revelation that has been killing me to keep quite since way back in crossbreeding. It's after Midnight so its a new day and I am getting it out of my system.

Chapter 24
Journey to the West

Beating up as they were the first part of the journey was going very slowly. Also ‘to the west’ was a rather vague destination, but it was all they had. They pushed forward, traveling as fast as they could with their beaten and bruised bodies.

Azucena forced them to rest at what would have been night had this world had phases and healed the worse of the damage. They pressed forward, Zan and Leon frequently disappearing off to the sides with their Sonpo to check for Reina’s reiatsu or anything else out of the ordinary to either side of their forward path.

The further West they traveled, the more they started to feel the reiatsu of hollows that had been outside of Akusesshou’s purge range. Most of them were wise enough to keep out of range of the murderous reiatsu the HMK’s were giving off, the rest just added figurative notches to their belts.

All Kinomi could think about was the terror that had been Reina reiatsu. Something had her friend terrified beyond belief and that terror felt like a whip cracking at Kinomi’s heels, urging her to run faster.

The terrain for the first three days was the typical desert expected of Hueco Mundo, but soon the sand turned more rocky and by the fourth day there were trekking their way through a small mountain range, sand still present.

Taka merged with Azucena and the two now one took to the air to scout a path through the maze of mountains. It took another two days to get through the maze like mountains, fighting off ambushes from the hollows who had made their homes there and even having to skirt a village carved into the rocks to avoid unnecessary fighting.

They were expecting to emerge into more desert, but instead found themselves in a forest. The trees did not feel like any sort of wood they knew of and they took to the top branches to better see their way. The forest wasn’t very large and they made it across in half a day, greeted once again by the sandy desert they knew Hueco Mundo to be.

One thing was clear though, the tail end of the forest had a lot of stumps as if the trees had been cut or harvested and off in the distance they could see a palace that was rather strikingly similar to Las Noches.

They approached it with a large amount of apprehension. They could not sense Reina’s reiatsu but that didn’t mean anything. After all they couldn’t sense Grimmjow while looking for him so it was safe to presume Akusesshou would have blocked Reina’s.

“Do you think Aizen built Las Noches, or just took it over?” Zan asked as they approached what could have been the twin of Las Noches.

“I do not know.” Kinomi admitted. “I don’t think anyone bothered to research that. I can‘t really see him building another fortress way out here though.”

Her hand unconsciously wrapped around Kyatssuai’s hilt, her Zanpakuto’s spirit hovered in the back of her mind and Kinomi let her through so the spirit was riding shot gun in her mind.

“You still refuse to use ‘tera.” Kyattsuai commented.

“?” Kinomi sent back. “I used her against Monban.” She retorted, her hand subconsciously brushing from the hilt and down the sheath of her Zanpakuto.

Kyattsuai sighed in her mind, but spoke no further. Kinomi shrugged it off. She had more important things to worry about at the moment then trying to figure out Kyattsuai’s game this time.

On her back ‘tera gave off a small pulse of reiatsu before gentling caressing against her own.

“Sounds like ‘tera just told someone off.” Kinomi teased.

Kyattsuai huffed in annoyance, causing Kinomi to chuckle softly in her mind while reaching back to brush a hand along what she could reach of ‘tera’s sheath.

Kyattsuai stayed at the forefront of her mind though. They were approaching what was probably Monban’s fortress and if it wasn’t there was bound to be something powerful occupying the place, a Vasto Lorde no doubt, and likely an ancient, powerful one.

As her father had learned when he went to rescue Orihime, the size of the palace made them seem closer then they actually were and it took late into the night, by their watches anyway, to reach the wall of the massive structure.

“I sense no reiatsu.” Zan commented.

“Me either.” Leon added.

“Kinomi, there is a gaping hole in the ceiling.” Taka reported as she landed, folding her wings behind her back.

“Stand back.” Kinomi ordered.

The others gave her some space as she drew Kyattsuai.

“Hitonomi, Kyattuai. Toranekosuto.”

The wall burst apart as the strike bore into the stone. Once the dust was clear they walked in and spread out. The place was the spitting image of Las Noches and with ease they navigated their way to the throne room taking various routes.

The walls were soaked in black blood and gouged. Only the odd remains of bone and mask fragments remained of what had once been the inhabitants of this place. There was no way to tell how long the massacre had taken place, but it was at least a year.

“This place is almost more depressing this Las Noches had been.” Taka commented.

“Yeah.” Leon agreed.

“I think I found something useful, and rather interesting.” Galgo commented, walking up to them with what appeared to be a rolled parchment.

“What is that?” Zan asked curiously.

Galgo walked up to the table in the centre of the room and spread the parchment out. Kinomi and the others stared at it in shock. For it was clearly a map, but not just one of the castle or surrounding area, but rather of all of Hueco Mundo, complete with the locations of many towns and castles.

Kinomi spotted Las Noches, clearly marked on the map. Tracing their path, she found the lake and castle Akusesshou had claimed first and moved her fingers to the West until her hand fell on one of the four castles.

“Las Tardes” She murmured.

Her hand moved further west until another smaller fortress appeared. Nodding, she rolled the map back up and handed it back to Galgo.

“We got a destination, let’s go.” She declared.

“Strange isn’t it, to see such a detailed map of Hueco Mundo? Hell, it even has cities and trade routes marked. Who would have thought such things existed here.” Taka murmured, flashing as she separated from Azucena.

“More importantly, what caused the failure of such an advanced system.” Galgo corrected.

“The world is a large place, perhaps Akusesshou has been systematically destroying the place for longer then we realized.” Kinomi pondered.

“Perhaps.” Barbo agreed.

Kinomi looked over at her cousin, who had been rather silent, or rather more silent then usual, since Reina’s abduction.
She knew it was hitting him the hardest, not just because it was clear he had a huge crush on Reina, but because he had failed her. And if it was one thing Kinomi knew Kuchiki’s could not handle it was when they failed at something.

“There was nothing that could have been done to prevent this.” Kinomi declared. “We will make Akusesshou pay for taking one of our own.” She assured him.

A slight incline of his head was the only acknowledgment she got from him. With a sigh she pushed them towards the castle listed on the map. Every second Reina was left with the creature was another second she could be being hurt.


Five days after being forced to eat she was led from her cell for the first time by the mindless creature. She had never really paid attention to it before other then noting its lifeless eyes, but now that she looked at it she felt her throat tightening in horror and shock.

His hair was actually silver, not white like she had originally believed. It was limp, covered most of his face, and was long enough to hang to the small of his back with split ends showing and was greasy as if it hadn’t been cared for in a very long time.

He wore nothing more than what was basically a lion cloth letting her clearly see the scares that ran all over his body, a clear sign of the similar violent torture Grimmjow had been put through, only these were very much older and there were far more of them. In fact she almost didn’t recognize him at all.

After all he so seldom had his eyes open and his hair had always been short and not in his face. She wasn’t sure she had ever seen him with anything but a smile on his face.

“Gin-san?” She asked softly.

He made no motion to indicate he had heard her. She wondered if this was the real him, or if like the espada Akusesshou had snagged his soul before it could re-enter the circle of life and locked him down like he had the others. Hell maybe it was just his corpse reanimated, but then why all the torture marks?

Her memories of him were not so strong giving the age and time since, but she did remember he was always smiling, and what more he use to smuggle her and the others treats when he was babysitting them. He would even let them ride his shoulders and would read them stories to put them to sleep.

Only later did they realize he was watching them to leave their parents free to fulfill the duties placed upon them by Aizen. At the time to them it just meant fun time with Gin-san.

She also remembered the sad look he would toss her mother when he thought no one was looking and it wasn’t until she was older she understood what those looks had meant. She tried his name once more but still there was no flicker of emotion or recognition.

She didn’t try a third time, instead following him while he led her to another room, a room that was very extravagant with silks the likes she had only seen in the Kuchiki manner. A room that was so vibrant in color it clearly didn’t belong in the bleak place that was Hueco Mundo. A room that was clearly a Bedroom.

Her entire body froze in terror and her escort stopped walking. She took a step back, and would have bolted had a cold hand not caught her wrist, rooting her to the spot. She sent pleading eyes to her escort, but those once vibrant red eyes remained lifeless and dull, not even looking at her.

If he hadn’t lifted a hand to help her mother when he had his wits, there was no reason to think he would lift one to help her now.

“I see you have arrived.” Akusesshou’s voice broke into her mind, causing her to turn to the double glass doors that clearly lead out onto a balcony where the man was coming from. “It is good to hear you have been eating again. I have had a bath prepared for you, please bathe.” He ordered.

Before she could think of anything to say her escort pulled her aside and into another room, this one steamy and with a large gilded tub full of hot water. Her escort left and the door was closed, leaving her alone.

It had been over a week since she had a chance to bathe and the hot water called to her like a sweet siren. She let her uniform fall to the grown and quickly crawled into the hot tub, letting the hot water sooth her slightly before scrubbing all the dirt and grime from her body.

Halfway through the door opened and she jumped in shock just to see it was her escort retrieving her dirty cloths and leaving a fresh robe in its place before leaving without once even acknowledging her presence.

Once she was clean and turning into a prune she reluctantly got out of the cooling water and dried herself off with the rather large fluffy towels provided. She found all the items she would need to restore herself to full health, from a brush to q-tips.

She sat down before the mirror and set to work returning herself to meticulous health and looks. She paused when she noticed the ring on her finger, the only jewellery she wore, the old Christmas gift from Barbo.

Her friends were no doubt looking for her, assuming they survived Monban’s assault. No, they had to have for she had not heard from the creature since that day and Kinomi was not one to lay down.

Thinking of her friends she quickly checked her reiatsu, almost sobbing with relief when she felt it answer her call. So only the cell sealed it. She quickly sent out a trail to find her Zanpakuto.

Tenkou’s reiatsu pulsed against her own, but the blade was no where near her. That was not good. But at least she now knew where her blade was. So far it appeared as if Akusesshou, while clearly being aware of reiatsu, was unable to sense it.

She flared hers as high as it would go, praying her friends would be close enough to sense it before letting it drop least he have some sort of warning device for such occasions. The fact no one came bursting into the door to see what was going on was comforting.

She was completely restored to her normal appearance, all be it with a different outfit. She remained in the room however until the door opened some time later and Escort, for she could not bring herself to think of him as Gin, not looking like that, came in to escort her out.

Akusesshou was waiting for her out on the balcony, a pot of tea and two cups before him. With great reluctance but determined to show the noble side of her birth she sat down properly across from him and accepted the cup of tea with a polite and very formal thank you.

He smiled at this, and they drank half the pot in silence for a while before he broke it.

“I do not sense terror coming from you as I did before. Have you resigned yourself to your fate then?” He asked.

“No.” She answered simply.

“Oh?” He raised an eyebrow at her. “Do you think you can escape or beat me then?”

“I regret that my combative strength is not the highest level.” She answered.

“Then what has chased away your fear of me?”

“You have never had the displeasure of dealing with a Kurosaki, or a Kuchiki.” She responded simply.

He raised an eyebrow at her comment. “Please explain.”

“A Kurosaki will decline to relent or deter from a mission that they have undertaken upon themselves. A Kuchiki will not relent until the individual who has dared to tread upon their pride has been appropriately reprimanded.” She answered.

“I see. And why would that concern me?” He asked.

“My designated leader is Kurosaki Pantera Kinomi.” She answered with a soft smile. “And accompanying Kinomi-san is Kuchiki Barbo Halibel.” She added.

She felt it then, the responding flare of her friends reiatsu, much closer by then she could have ever hoped for. She couldn’t help it, she let a soft smile grace her lips. They were maybe a day away, no more.

“I have not seen Monban-san. Has he not returned?” She asked innocently.

There it was, a flash of irritation in his eyes. So the creature was dead, or at least unable to return here. Had she been anything but of noble birth she would have let her grin widen triumphantly. Instead she took another soft sip of her tea.

The flare of Reina’s reiatsu washed over them, causing them all to perk up. What more Leon and Zan were picking up softer traces of reiatsu as well. There were still people alive in the place ahead of them, and around them.

This region was considerably less depopulated then the other regions, clearly the purging hadn’t started here. They were close, they would reach the place by night fall.

There was no panic in Reina’s flare and after a small debate and declaring it most likely safe they flared their own, letting her know they were coming. They stopped now, resting up and recovering from the gruelling pace they had set and letting Azucena repair the last of their wounds.

“Our mission is to rescue Reina-chan.” Kinomi declared as they gathered together. “Akusesshou had been declared a threat by Soul Society so I have no doubts he will be dealt with, but he is far too strong for us to deal with.
“Once we have her, Leon I want you to summon a Garganta to the 11ths quarters. If somehow Akusesshou follows us through the 11th is the most fit to contain him.”

“Is it wise letting the Gotei 13 know about my ability?” He questioned.

“Right now they probably already know about it.” Kinomi sighed. “I want us in and out. We find Reina and we get out. Any questions?”

The others shook their heads.

“Good. Let’s move. Full release authorized upon arrival.”

With a nod they moved forward again, heading towards the fortress.


Reina held back her panic when Akusesshou finally stood up, indicating their little tea party was over. She needed to remain calm. If her reiatsu flared in panic Kinomi and the others would come flying in unprepared and possibly get themselves killed.

He pulled her chair out for her and indicated for her to follow him. Holding her emotions at bay with twenty years of vigorous training, she forced herself to calmly stand up and follow him.

To her relief he actually lead her out of the room and down the corridors until they came to what appeared to be a lab of some sort. He led her over to a table and then ordered her on it.

She found her body refusing to move. Escort appeared beside her and forced her onto the table, wrist and legs strapped loosely down so she could still move them but not get off of the table.

Akusesshou wasn’t even paying attention to her anymore and that took some of the apprehension away. In fact he was talking to another creature that looked like it was a mole based adjucas of some sort. The hollow was clearly in his own mind and still had his mask fully on so it wasn’t an Arancar or Vasto Lorde.

She couldn’t hear what was being said but eventually the Adjucas moved towards her with some equipment. He didn’t seem interested in her so much as his task and didn’t tell her what the device was for nor what he was going to do to her with it.

Her dress was lifted until her stomach was revealed and she forced herself not to squirm uncomfortably. He took some sort of paddle like thing from the machine and fiddled around a bit before placing it on her stomach.

It was cold and she twitched as the mettle hit her skin before forcing herself to lay still. The machine made its machine like noises and the creature ran the paddle over her stomach a few times before nodding and turning back to speak with Akusesshou, who had remained silent and off to the side during the strange events.

She couldn’t hear what they were saying, but Akusesshou seemed pleased and that could not be a good thing.

God did he rape her while she was unconscious and the device confirmed her pregnancy? She wasn’t about to ask, her mind still caught in the horror of the thought. The adjucas returned to her side and in his hand was a tray with two long needles filled with something white.

“What does that syringe contain?” She asked with a voice that shook only slightly.

“The future.” Akusesshou answered with a smile.

Suddenly she was strapped down tightly, far too tightly to move, straps going across her legs and stomach to hold her still as the adjucas picked up the first needle. The paddle was returned to her stomach until the adjucas found what he was looking for.

Akusesshou took the paddle from the creature, holding it in place while the adjucas took the first needle and began to plunge it into her stomach. It was uncomfortable and painful, but not scream in agony painful.

“What are you doing to me?” She demanded, not daring to struggle least she cause damage to her internal organs from the rather large needle, even if it was astonishingly thin.

The two ignored her question, staring intently at what could only be a monitor in the machine. Eventually the adjucas nodded and injected the stuff into her. He grabbed the other needle and repeated the process this time the needle going in at a different place.

Done they moved the machine away and released her from the restrained. Her hand immediately went to her stomach as she glared at Akusesshou.

“What have you done to me?” She demanded again.

“It is far more accurate and reliable then randomly rutting like animals.” He answered. “Return her to her room.” He ordered Escort.

She stood frozen and motionless before Escort prodded her body into moving, even as her brain remained in shock. Nothing entered her mind except one thought long after her cell door had been shut and locked.

“Does that count as rape or not?”

They lost Reina’s reiatsu and that almost put them in a panic, but there had been no flare to indicate battle or a large amount of stress, leaving them to speculate that whatever device or item had been used to restrain it had been returned. It didn’t matter, they knew where she was.

Zan and Leon took the lead, the two stealth ops trained boys leading them down the corridors and avoiding the few hollow they came across that were clearly servants here. A part of Kinomi wanted them to split up to cover my ground quickly while the other part wanted them to stick together so they were better protected and once they found Reina there would be no searching for each other.

They had to check each room and that was slowing them down. At one point a hollow had found them, but with the speed and precision of trained assassins Leon and Zan had it dead and its body dealt with before an alarm could be raised.
It took two hours of searching, hiding and back tracking before they finally found her. Kinomi indicated for the others to watch both ends of the corridor as she slowly forced the door open.

Reina bolted up from her place curled up on the bed, and to Kinomi’s stunned shock there were tears falling from the girls eyes.

“Oh god we were too late.” She thought as she rushed to Reina’s side, gathering her up in a hug.

“Reina?” Kinomi asked.

“I will recover quickly. We must depart. Tenkou is somewhere in the lower levels” Reina wiped the tears away.
Nodding the two left the room and Barbo spared a moment to share a quick nod with Reina that Kinomi was sure was an entire conversation much the way her and Taka or Leon and Zan could do.

Reina directed them to her Zanpakuto. They found the blade in a locker room several floors down. Reina moved up to claim her blade, the other half of her soul and power, grabbing it from the stand. The moment the blade was moved a loud, shrill alarm screamed.


Stay Tuned for chapter 25: Final Showdown

Where we meet Akusesshou's true form

Yes people, Gin has been alive all this time, although I am sure he long since wished he was dead.

As usual /love my reviewers and remember you have 24 hours to get in those last minute request.