Jigoku no Monko

Chapter 4
Prisoners

The man made good on his threats. The next time Ukitake was tied to the bars two strips were torn out of his back every ten minutes. The next time three. He wasn’t sure he would survive four, not when he had lost so much blood already without being healed.

There had to be nothing left of his back after the number of strips he had taken over the last three days. For a moment he was happy he was blindfolded so he couldn't see the large pool of his own blood beneath the chains they hung him from.

Rina was still unable to meet the demands no matter how hard she tried and the emotional trauma was starting to suffer from was wearing her down quickly. She couldn’t even concentrate on the task set before her and her powers were in constant flux, leaving her weakened and suffering in convulsions.

He heard the sound of the gate to their cell opening and tensed up unconsciously. He hadn’t even began to recover from his last whipping. Rina begged them to leave him alone as rough hands grabbed him.

He let out a cry of pain before the gag was shoved in his mouth and he was manhandled back to his place chained to the cage’s bars. He could feel the wounds from his last torture open and blood was already running down his back before they even started.

“Ah, my dear child. Are you ready to complete the task today?” Soft voice asked warmly.

“Please. Stop hurting him.” She sobbed. “I am trying to do what you asked but I don’t know how.” She cried.

“My dear child. I ask so little of you. I fear another day of punishment must be done.”

“No.” She cried.

He heard the sound of flesh hitting flesh and Rina cried out in pain. He jerked against his restraints at her cry, and was rewarded for his effort with a punch to his side that left his struggling for breath and would no doubt leave a mark.

“Are you retracting our agreement?” Soft voice asked.

The only sound was of Rina’s soft crying and shuddering breaths.

“Very well. Kill him.”

His heart stopped as Rina screamed a loud resounding NO.

“Last chance. Stop jerking me around child. Hook him up and this time don’t stop until she has done as requested or he‘s dead. If he dies, start on her.”

Hook him up? He felt his hakama pulled down to pool at his feet before something wet touched his skin by the base of his neck. More pads were added to his body at various locations, a weight was added to them, causing them to pull a bit.

Once they were done there was a moment of silence, and then pain. Blinding agony as electricity sparked through his entire body. It lasted only a moment but it felt like an eternity and his lungs burned. He wasn’t even sure if he screamed or not.

He lost count how many times he was electrocuted. After the second he couldn’t even stand any longer and hung weakly in his restraints. Rina alternated from crying and going into convulsions as her distressed loosened her control.

When he was let down it took forever to even notice he was laying on the ground, his entire body trembling with a sobbing Rina hugging him. Water was forced down his throat and just as he was regaining his wits they were ripped apart again and he was re-hung.

He lost count how many times the routine was repeated or how many times he lost consciousness from the pain. The next time he came to he was tied over a stool, the edge digging painfully into his stomach. He could hear Rina crying close by and figured she still hadn’t learned to do what was wanted of her.

He was still gagged and blindfolded and he could feel sweat trickling down his body, burning the strips of flesh torn out of his back from his whippings. Every joint ached and he felt cooked. He was hyper ventilating, trying to get air into his lungs through the thick cloth in his mouth. Clearly they were done electrocuting him and were moving on to something else.

The gag was briefly removed and he gasped in lungful of dry air, throwing him into another coughing fit that flooded his mouth with blood. His hair was grabbed and his head yanked up, dragging a pained scream out of him.

Something cold was poured into his mouth and a hand slapped over his face and nose, forcing him to swallow it. A few minutes latter his lungs starting itching like crazy but he could breath again. The gag was quickly replaced before he could get enough breath to try and speak.

“My patience is at an end.” Soft Voice actually had a hint of irritation in his voice. “This is your last chance child.”

“Please stop hurting him.” Rina begged, her voice hoarse, no doubt from crying.

“I will stop when you do as you promised. Last chance child. Gnglex, you may begin the motivation. Hyckran can go after you. Make up your own line after that. Do not stop until she has done as requested.”

“Yes sir.” A deep and grainy voice agreed. “If he dies sir?”

"Start on her." Soft Voice answered coldly.

He felt a pair of hands on his hips and sudden dawning hit him like a ton of bricks. He struggled against his restraints in pure panic, Rina crying and sobbing in the back ground. The hands on his hips tightened painfully to hold his thrashing still and he wasn’t sure but it felt like his hip bone was cracked.

“Stop.” A different voice declared. “Looks like the brat finally did it.”

It took a moment for those words to register in his brain and the fact nothing further had been done to his body. He trembled in fear at just how close he had come to being raped.

His restraints were released and he fell off of the stool to curl up, his hip smarting, his joints aching, his lungs fighting for air. He was re-tied and left laying naked on the hard floor.

A hand touched him and he instinctively flinched away, trying to escape the touch, afraid they were back to hurt him some more. Fabric covered his body, a part of his uniform no doubt. Bound as he was it would be impossible to get the cloths back on.

“It’s me, ‘take-ji.” Rina called out softly, her small hand touching his shoulder again. “I am so sorry.” She sobbed quietly. “So so sorry.”

Exhausted from the hours, if not days, of torture he found himself drifting in and out, waking to her touch and trying to scramble to get away from it in fear that the creatures had returned to finish what they had started until her voice assured him it was her.

She learned quickly and started to let him know she was going to touch him before she did. An unknown amount of time later Soft Voice returned.

“It is time.” Soft Voice declared.

And just like that Rina was taken away and he was left bound and blindfolded on the floor covered in nothing but his Kosode that Rina had draped over his naked, abused and bound body.


Kinomi woke up to a pounding headache, aching shoulders and wrists, and apparently something warm was against her chest. Blinking blurry eyes open all she saw was a wall of tan edged in white and black.

The pain in her arms and wrist appeared to be due to the fact she was hanging form the ceiling over something very hot and bright. As her vision slowly cleared and the pain in her head receded slightly she realized the wall of tan was in fact a chest and the heat and light appeared to be a pool of magma she was suspended over.

The voice belonging to the chest groaned and she drew her gaze up to see who she was tied to. Blood matted the side of his face and hair from a gash on his forehead, no doubt the wound looking worse than it actually was. He was going to have as big of a pounding headache as she was when he came to.

“Taka, Zan, Yachiru?” She called weakly, her voice hoarse and dry from the heat.

There was no response. Looking around the best she could she spotted two cages on what appeared to be a walkway around the crater. One clearly held Zan, the other Taka and Azucena. There was no sign of Yachiru and the three of them appeared to be unconscious.

There was another groan from Hisagi. The vibrations from his chest resonating through her, forcing a blush on her face when she realized how close they were tied together, and the fact he had a very defined chest that she was suddenly tempted to explore.

She shook the thought aside. This was most definitely not the time to be thinking about things like that. There were far more important matters than how toned the body she was pressed up against was....

“Hopeless. Dear god I blame the heat for my brain melting. Kyattsuai?” Kinomi called, getting back to business.

“Close by.” The white panther was quick to assure her, her voice sounding distant but still clear.

Looking around she spotted the weapons rack with their Zanpakuto’s resting on it. At least they were close by. Now all they needed to do now was escape, rescue Rina and Ukitake, and get the hell....... Escape. Sometimes she really hated knowing too much about the side realms.

“Hisagi.” She called softly.

A moan was her answer and ever so slowly his eyes blinked open. She had never in all of their time sparring been this close to him so it came as quite a shock when she realized his eyes were not black as she had originally been led to believe, but a rather a very dark green that was only noticeable this close.

A second groan broke her out of her trance. She shook her head and admonished herself for yet again thinking about such trivial things at a time like this. She called his name again and slowly his eyes focused on her.

“Komi?”

“Yeah. We are in serious trouble.”

“Wha knd?”

His voice was slurred and his eyes were not staying focused on her. He must have taken a real nasty hit to the head. Maybe all the blood caked to the side of his face was more then just a cut.

“The being suspended over a lake of magma kind. Taka, Zan and Azucena seem to be unconscious and I don’t know where Yachiru is kind.” She explained slowly to gave his dazed mind a chance to comprehend her.

She was pleased to note he seemed to slowly be focusing more and suddenly stopped looking at her and instead at the wall behind her with a slight blush. Blinking in confusion it was than she realized in this position he could see down the front of her uniform. She failed to hide her own blush before giving herself a mental shake. This was still definitely not the time and when she got back she would have to ask Szayel to check that the heat didn't mess up her brain.

“Any ideas?” She asked.

He seemed to be thinking and she left him to it. The air currents caused them to swing a bit. Yes, swing.

“Think if we swing a bit we got enough chain to make the ledge?” She asked.

“Too high off the ground.” He answered, his voice considerably clearer. “The wall?”

“Maybe. Need to get the chains off though. Our Zanpakuto are too far away to reach.”

“Can you get my choker off?” He asked.

She contemplated the request. She would have to haul herself up a bit to reach the clasp but it was doable, although why he was interested in that was a good question.

“I think so. Why?” She asked.

“I can make it explode.” He answered.

“Right. Let me see.”

She hauled herself up a bit until her teeth could reach the clasp and began to work on getting the very tight latch undone. It was like trying to open a very tight belt with her teeth alone and she couldn’t get a good grip on it to loosen it.

“Dear god, that is the last thing I wanted to wake up to see you doing. My poor virgin eyes.”

“Damn it Kinomi, I know he’s hot, but seriously, there is a time and place for such things.”

Kinomi froze in mortification when she realized that not only were Taka and Zan now apparently awake, but from their angle it would look like she was trying to give Hisagi one hell of a hicky. She felt that blush coming on again.

“Damn it it’s not what it looks like.” She yelled back perhaps a bit too defensively.

“Riiiiight.” Zan drawled.

“You two just keep at it. I can’t wait to tell Yachiru-chan this one.” Taka laughed.

Kinomi groaned and rested her head on his shoulder in exasperation before setting back to work on the choker. Zan and Taka continued to make cat calls as she worked and her mind was coming up with all sorts of ways to get back at them for it later. Hisagi was surprisingly silent.

For all that he was he was still male; and right now a rather attractive young woman not only had her body flush with his, but the soft caress of her lips and tongue on his throat while she worked at the clasp was any boys wet dream. It took all of his concentration not to embarrass himself.

“Got it.” She finally declared as the choker came loose. “How strong is this thing? We aren’t going to blow our hands off I hope.” She asked, her voice garbled from the item in her mouth.

Silence.

“Hisagi?” She prodded.

“That could be an issue.” He finally admitted.

Kinomi sighed.

“And the show was just getting good to.” Taka huffed.

“Can’t you two take this a bit more seriously.” Kinomi groused.

“Will, can you get it down here and blow the lock on our cells?” Zan asked.

Kinomi frowned as she measured the distance before shaking her head in the negative. Silence as they pondered the situation.

“Kazeshini.” Kyattsuai suddenly piped up in her mind.

“Perfect!” Kinomi grinned.

“Hisagi, can you manifest Kazeshini?”

Silence.

“Hisagi?” She prodded. “Now is not the time for Shinigami morals and rules about sharing ones Zanpakuto’s spirit. Manifest Kazeshini.”

No reply.

Worried now she checked to make sure he hadn’t passed out again but his eyes were open and distant as was typical when listening to his Zanpakuto, a frown on his face.

“I have never done so before.” He admitted reluctantly after another moment of silence.

Kinomi looked at him in disbelief. Dear god even Kira-fukutaichou and Iba-fukutaichou could manifest now. How the hell could someone as skilled as Hisagi was NOT be able to manifest. No wonder Yumichika had been giving the 9th even though Hisagi had been doing such an amazing job running it after Tosen’s betrayal.

“Well now would be a damn good time to learn.” She snapped. “Kyattsuai can’t make a leap this long and Taka, Zan and Azucena do not have spirits to call forth. It only needs to be long enough to get the choker to the cells.”

He nodded in understanding and closed his eyes to concentrate. She left him to it and summoned Kyattsuai without even thinking about it, the white panther appearing on the ledge.

“Kyattsuai, keep a look out. Let us know the moment anyone is coming.” She ordered.

Kyattsuai nodded her head and prowled off down one of the corridors to keep a look out. Something shimmered in the air and Kinomi quickly turned her attention to it. It shimmered again.

“Now.” A familiar voice shouted out and Kinomi tossed the choker, Kazeshini materializing just long enough to catch it and toss it to the floor before Zan, who was quick to grab it and wrap it around the lock on his cell.

“Clear.” Zan shouted as he huddled at the furthest corner of his cell.

With a single word from Hisagi the choker exploded, breaking the lock on the cell door. At once an alarm went off and Kyattsuai came bolting into the room, shouting a warning before disappearing into mist, returning to Kinomi’s inner world.

By the time Kyattsuai had even entered the room Zan already had Taka and Azucena out of their cells and the two of them were merged once more. Taka flew up and pushed against them until they were up against the wall and blew through the chain with a low level bala.

The two tumbled down the wall to land in a tangled heap on the ledge, another collection of bruises adding to their pains. Zan was on them instantly slicing through the rest of their restrains with his Zanpakuto and tossing them their own. He frowned when they came up with one extra.

“Sougyo no Kotowari!” Kinomi exclaimed. “Ukitake-taichou must be near by.”

They split up and raced down the side tunnels, Kinomi catching sight of the cell and its lone occupant rather quickly. She wasted no time in blasting through the bars and slicing through his restraints while removing the blind fold.

Ukitake looked up at her in pure disbelief even as he took his Zanpakuto gingerly. Kinomi had been the one to find Grimmjow when he had been held by Akusesshou, so she was all to familiar with the torture marks covering the white haired mans body.

She felt rage blow through her soul and her voice was eerily calm when she asked him if he knew were Rina was while helping him pull on the remains of his uniform to cover his bruised and scared body before the others could see what had been done to him.

“They took her not too long ago.” He croaked out.

The sound of blades clashing let her know the guards had caught up to them and she heard Zan call out his resurrection shortly before she heard Hisagi call his Shikai.

“We need to move quickly. Can you walk?” She asked.

“I will manage.” He promised, forcing himself to his feet and stumbling a bit before managing to gain some semblance of control over his movements.

Judging by the way he was trussed up he probably hadn’t been permitted to move since his capture. It would take some time for his body to get the blood pumping through his limbs again.

He followed her out, stumbling a bit and leaning on the wall for support. She trusted his judgment and raced to where the others were fending off a patrol by the main entrance into the crater.

“Found.” Kinomi shouted over the sound of fighting.

“Plan?” Taka asked.

“Kill.” Kinomi answered.

“I like that plan.” Taka laughed.

“Rina?” Zan asked.

“Taken. Device best bet.” Kinomi responded.

Ukitake caught up to them at this point and held his Zanpakuto before him. “Nami kotogotoku waga tate to nare, ikazuchi kotogotoku waga yaiba to nare” He chanted.

His blade split into two connected by a rope strung with charms.

“Who has the strongest energy attack?” Ukitake asked quickly.

“Taka or Zan. Both Gran Ray Cero. Why?” Kinomi asked.

Ukitake regarded both of the two options. Zan was holding the entrance on the ground with Hisagi, both of them deeply embroiled in the fighting. Taka was in the air offering support.

“Taka. Shot at me with your strongest attack.” He commanded.

“What?!” Every except Hisagi lost their focus for a second.

“Are you insane?” Taka demanded.

“Do it.” He commanded.

“Alright. But if you get vaped it’s your funeral.” Taka grumbled as she began to charge her attack.

“The moment she fires everyone get behind me.” He commanded.

“And get vaped to?” Zan asked in disbelief.

“I am sure with your Hierro you can easily survive it.” Kinomi deadpanned.

“Firing.” Taka’s shout caused them all to duck behind Ukitake.

Kinomi had never had to face down a Gran Ray Cero and watching the large blast heading her way was probably the single most frightening moment of her life. Ukitake stood like a statue before the oncoming blast, one blade pointed right at it, the other at the entrance where the oni were starting to pour through.

“God I hope he knows what he is doing.” She prayed silently as the blast came closer.

Hisagi was chanting rapidly under his own breath, eyes staring resolutely ahead without a hint of worry. Kinomi was unable to catch the words but figured he must have known Ukitake‘s plan since he didn’t seem the least bit worried.

Kinomi wasn’t sure what happened. One second the Gran Ray Cero was heading right for them, then it was just gone, and then a far larger blast was flying towards the entrance and the oncoming oni.

“Bakudo hachi-juu-ichi: Danko.” Hisagi shouted, a barrier coming up before them.

She lost sight of everything as the entire side of the volcano was blown clear off, incinerating the oni unlucky enough to be caught in the blast and burring many more under the rubble. The barrier protected them from the backlash of the explosion.

“Holy Shit.” Zan gaped.

“Damn.” Taka whistled.

Kinomi got over her awe quickly and caught Ukitake before he could collapse, his Zanpakuto retuning to normal.

“ ‘taki, that was so mean.” A cheerful voice rang out above them. “It was just getting fun to.”

“Yachiru-chan.” Taka chirped.

“Hiya.” Yachiru waved down at them.

“We need to move quickly.” Kinomi commanded, settling the now barely conscious Ukitake more firmly across her back. “We need to get back to the Jigoku no Monko as fast as possible. No doubt that is where they brought Rina-chan.”

“It took us days to get here. How do you propose we get there in time.” Zan pointed out.

The frantic whine of startled horses drew their gaze to a break in the wall. Locked in their cages the Hiuma were bucking wildly and trying to smash their way through.

“Are you thinking what I am thinking?” Taka asked with a smirk.

“I think so Taka-neesan, but where are we going to get mustard at a time like this?” Zan quipped.

Taka and the others stared at him in disbelief.

“Zan, you are here by banned from watching ALL television, movies and anything resembling the fore mentioned, so help me god.” Kinomi groaned.

Zan just chuckled as they made their way over to the Hiuma. Zan was the first to enter the cell, his Hierro protecting him from any lashing hooves and teeth as well as the possible heat from their flames.

One of the beast calmed down a bit as Zan approached it carefully, holding out a hand to let it sniff before it moved forward a bit so he could scratch the creature behind its ears. Smiling softly he slowly ran his hand down its side until he was along side the creature. With a deft leap he landed on the Hiuma’s back.

“It’s alright.” He called. “It’s kind of funny, like a mental link conveying desires but not thought. The flames wont hurt you once you have their trust.”

The others entered slowly, weary of the ones still bucking up a storm and approached the more calmer ones. Zan’s description was right and it was a rather strange feeling. None of them had any experience riding a horse but the Hiuma seemed to be rather intelligent and the very strange link let them control their mounts without the need to use reigns.

Kinomi passed Ukitake up to Yachiru as she was the only one without a ranged attack of any sort, freeing the others up to fight. He was semi conscious still and actually whimpered as pressure was applied to his back.

Traveling by air was considerably faster than by ground and the Hiuma had very impressive speeds. Sensing the urgency of their riders emotions the Hiuma blazed across the sky so quickly they were leaving a trail of fire.

“A pity we don’t have a few of these back home. It would make visiting the other castles less of a hassle.” Kinomi thought as the wind whipped past her, blowing her hair into a mess that was bound to take hours to fix later.

The land flew past them in a blur. In her mind she could hear Kyattsuai hissing in agitated rage. The one who had dared to take Rina-chan and hurt Ukitake-taichou was close, and he would feel the pain as their claws tore into his flesh in retribution. She could distinctly hear Kazeshini agreeing with the call for blood.

“Full release authorized. We hold nothing back.” Kinomi declared firmly. “We go in, we kill the son of bitches that took Rina, we hope to god the way out opens in time.”

“How do you plan on getting out?” Ukitake asked, his voice betraying how weak he still was.

Honestly, Kinomi was shocked he was awake again so soon. His reiatsu was so weak she truly feared he might not make it. The wracking coughs that followed his question and the red stain on his lips hammered that feat home a bit more.

“Szayel is awaiting a message from us for them to top open the gate for us.” She answered.

“There.” Zan called out. “I can see the device. Looks like a ton of activity is going on down there.”

Kinomi looked forward and caught sight of the devise. It was time to put on their battle faces. The fools would pay for hurting her friends.



Stay tuned for chapter 5: Old Acquaintances

Where we will finally learn who the master mind behind the plot is.

Now I know Zan's reference isn't from Japan, but I just could not resist. Besides, he likes world wide TV :)
As usual /love my faithful reviewers and I made sure to change all the spelling errors that were pointed out. See you all next chapter.