I Should Be in Bed

[blood_crow]

Title: Smoke and Mirrors [Part Three]
Pairing: Akon x Grimmjow
Rating: PG-13
Warnings: Swearing
Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach, I only steal its characters so I can go on perverted conquests via fan fics. Also, all characters involved in sexual situations are fictional and above the legal age of consent in the state of California, regardless of what age these characters may be in the material they are derived from.
A/N: Honestly I was trying to avoid writing Mayuri in this fic.  I think his personality is hard to grasp.  But what can you do? EDIT: I'm cleaning the story up a little, and changing a few things to fit what's happening in the manga. So Yamamoto died in the war, and now Unohana, Ukitake, and Shunsui are in control of SS.
 

← Part Two

I learn later from Hisagi that Grimmjow Jaegerjaquez was taken for questioning after his recapture.  Normal protocol would have lead him to Central 46, but because they were massacred by Aizen, that leaves the captain-commander in charge. I'm willing to admit that I'm a little nervous, I don't know how the Soutaichou plans on interrogating the former Espada. Yamamoto was killed during the war, and since then the three eldest captains have taken over his duties. It seems that Ukitake Juushirou has supreme authority between the three of them, and though I know the white-haired captain to have a relatively kind demeanor, I can't help thinking that this will be the end of the Arrancar.  After the stunt he pulled, death can't be too far in the future. It's a little disappointing -- I was just starting to have fun observing the thing. But I resign myself to his hopeless fate. I knew all along that Grimmjow Jaegerjaquez would be exterminated at one point or another. The fact that it doesn't come as a surprise dulls the upset, somewhat.

Having resolved that in my mind, I focus my thoughts elsewhere. I'm dying to know how the Arrancar got free. Not only did he get out of the Research Institute, but he managed to rid himself of the reiatsu limiter. I asked Hisagi directly if he knew how it happened, but he denied knowing anything. Of course Kuchiki Byakuya wasn't anywhere to be seen after they took Jaegerjaquez to the captain-commander, so I didn't have a chance to ask him. Like he would've told me anything good, anyway. 

The rest of Soul Society doesn't seem to be aware of the situation. If they are, it's been swept under the rug. Then again, it's not like it needs anyone's attention. Grimmjow Jaegerjaquez has already been repossessed, so there isn't a threat. Honestly, I doubt that anyone besides myself, Hisagi, Kuchiki, and maybe a few others even know of the hiccup.

Of course I'd ask Kurotsuchi-taichou (or Nemu) about the escape, but I haven't seen hide nor hair of them all day. It has me wondering if my captain was taken for questioning as well. It wouldn't be surprising; the Arrancar was under his care, after all. 

I frown to myself softly, arms crossed over my chest.  I'm in the lab room where Grimmjow Jaegerjaquez was being held. I came here to find any possible clues, hoping for something to shed light on the current situation. The first thing I noticed upon entering was the pane of glass. It's shattered in the middle, and the edges are blackened.  There's equipment around the lab that's been broken or overturned. The most interesting thing, however, is the reiatsu limiter lying on the floor of his cell. It's been split in half, and shards of it are scattered over white tile.

Oddly enough, it isn't the destruction that gets to me. It's the cold emptiness of the room. It feels hollow and lifeless, and the air is stale with the scent of artificial things and the stink of smoke. Standing here staring into an empty cell, it's suddenly, glaring obvious just how much energy and presence the Sexta Espada had.

Just as I'm thinking that, I feel something (or someone) lurking behind me. I turn my head to look over my shoulder, and I see my captain standing in the doorway. His arms are hanging at his sides, and his large head is tipped forward. I can't see him that well in the low light of the laboratory, but I can imagine the look on his face: one of false impassivity. Behind him there is a smaller shadow, and I know that it must be Nemu. 

"Taichou," I mumble lowly, turning around to face him completely. I uncross my arms and transfer my hands to the pockets of my uniform. The man in front of me doesn't lend a response, but I hear a drawled "hmph" as he walks closer so he's standing beside me. Once again I turn, keeping my eyes on Kurotsuchi Mayuri as we both face the abandoned cell. He stares through the hole in the glass, and a curious smile begins to form on his painted face. I know from personal experience that the toothy grin isn't a pleasant one.

"The Espada went to your rooms,"  the older man states, and in his tone I spy curiosity, along with something a little sinister. It sounds to me like there's a dark intrigue simmering in that scientific mind of his.

I settle for a small nod, resiting the urge to cross my arms once more. I rub my fingers over the pack of smokes in my pocket, using the circular motion to distract and soothe me. When I open my mouth I feel the beginnings of the word "he" on my tongue, and I have to pause for a moment to recollect my thoughts.

"It did," I say after a moment, my eyes drifting sideways so I can see Kurotsuchi Mayuri. "It stole a cigarette from me, but it wasn't in my room long before taking off."

"I wonder why it would visit you of all people,"  the painted scientist drawls, an air of laziness to his words. I can tell by the look in his yellow eyes that his tone betrays him, and that he's anything but lazy. 

I shrug faintly and try to appear nonchalant. "I observed the Arrancar twice, and both times it seemed fairly interested in my cigarettes. It told me more than once that it'd get its hands on one. I imagine that's why it came to my room."

"Why didn't you indulge its interests?" the man questions, and it's all I can do not to furrow my brows. I glance at him quizzically and he gives me a look that suggests he's dealing with an idiot. "You should have studied its mental and physical reaction to the tobacco."

My brows go up a little and nod my head, mumbling a low, "Sorry, Taichou. I wasn't sure what experiments you were conducting, and I didn't want to intrude."

How could I tell Kurotsuchi Mayuri that I really hadn't thought of testing the Arrancar's reaction to tobacco? How could I tell him that I was, dare I say it, more interested in teasing the former Espada? Yes, that's right. "Teasing" isn't a word I normally use -- it's not a part of my day-to-day vocabulary -- but it's the only term I can think of to describe it. I had more interest in testing the man's violent temper than testing his physical reaction to any substance. I liked watching him stalk the cell in anger, staring at me with those predatory eyes, shouting threats and promises. That's the thing I liked studying, but the scientist beside me wouldn't understand that.

After a moment of silence, I turn so I'm facing the other man. "Kurotsuchi-taichou,"  I begin, as casually as possible,  "I've been wondering how the Arrancar got free at all."

The twelfth division captain gives a little roll of his eyes, before that smile of his is slipping into view.  His white hand comes up and he's points at the cell, the nail of his middle finger tapping the glass.

"It seems the reiatsu limiter malfunctioned, and it was able to break free." 

I glance at the red collar lying on the floor. Malfunctioned...? For some reason, I'm finding that hard to believe. I'm finding it even harder to believe that Kurotsuchi Mayuri seems so unfazed by one of his specimens being gone.

"There was talk of moving the Arrancar to another division," he suddenly says, his arm hanging by his side once more.  He walks away from the empty cell, moving around the rest of the room as he continues speaking.  "Perhaps the rest of Soul Society has taken an interest in its fighting abilities, who's to say? But, now that it has broken free without permission, there can only be punishment. Either it is returned to our division, or it is executed."

As I listen to older man's words, things slowly start to click into place. Could it be... Grimmjow Jaegerjaquez's escape was staged? My eyes widen slightly at the sudden revelation, and I'm glad that Kurotsuchi-taichou moved away so he can't see. Of course, it all makes perfect sense. With the prospect of losing one of his test subjects before he was through experimenting on it... Even if the Arrancar isn't returned to our division, my captain could still obtain the man's body after execution. And a dead body to study is better than no body at all.

I turn my head slowly so I can catch a glimpse of the man lurking behind me. I've had the time to school my features into cool indifference, but for some reason my heart's beating a little faster than it was a few minutes ago.

"Taichou--"

"Akon."

The way the older man utters my name stops me from saying anything more. Amber eyes are staring straight at me, beneath lids that are lazily drooped, and the look in that gaze is more dangerous than it should be. Especially when it's paired with such a sluggish expression.  

"Need I remind you, that you are a member of the Twelfth Division's Research and Development Institute?"

I understand the meaning in those words, and I hear an unspoken warning in his tone.  I twist the rest of my body so I'm facing him completely, before bowing my head in acquiescence.

"No, Taichou. You don't have to remind me."

The older man stares at me for a moment more, his yellow eyes still bright with something unsettling. Then his painted lips are pulling back over large teeth, and his smile is just short of being deranged. But, I've known Kurotsuchi Mayuri for over a hundred years, and that smile of his is something I've gotten used to.

"Tidy this place up."

Without another word my captain pivots, with Nemu following close behind as they leave the room. I stare at the open doorway for a minute or two, then sigh to myself quietly and get to work. 
 

***
 

It isn't until the following morning that I find out what happened to Grimmjow Jaegerjaquez. Hisagi Shuuhei is the one who gives me the news. I can honestly say I've been more surprised in these few days knowing the former Espada than I have been in my entire life.

"They're making it a shinigami?"

The tattooed captain gives a slow nod, his dark eyes looking only mildly surprised.  I put that down to the fact that he's probably had an hour or so to digest the information.

Just to make myself feel better.  

"I don't know all the details, but that's the gist of it. At first I didn't believe it either, and then I found out that he'd already been escorted to the Third Division. The reiatsu limiter is back in place to keep him under control, but other than that...he's pretty much a free guy."

My face goes blank. I don't know if I'm experiencing a (temporary) mental shutdown, but I'm at a loss as to how to look, what to say, or what to think. I decide that this has to be some kind of weird prank. 

"Pretty much a free guy?"  I ask, my tone unreadable, even to myself.

"Well, of course we're keeping a close eye on him. He just isn't considered a prisoner of war. Or, at least, not to the point that we have to lock him up like one."

For a moment I just stare at the ninth division captain. I would've never thought that the Arrancar, the former Sexta Espada, would become a shinigami of Soul Society. There's just no way. Even if the blue-haired man wanted to be a shinigami (and that alone I can't believe), it wouldn't be allowed.  It has to be against the law, right? Sure he may have "shinigami" powers, but he still derived from a hollow for fuck sake.

Something has to be going on. I pull a cigarette from my pack of smokes and I'm lighting it before it's even between my lips. I should be thankful, shouldn't I? I should be...no, I shouldn't be anything. Why should I care if Grimmjow Jaegerjaquez's life is sparred?  Why should I care if he's a shinigami like the rest of us?

I don't care.

I'm just a little taken aback. This is pretty much the last thing I expected to happen. 

After taking a deep drag to calm my nerves, I glance at Hisagi. "It was taken to the Third?" The scarred man gives another one of his slow nods. 

"Kira made the offer. They are looking for a new fukutaichou..." 

"You can't be serious,"  I mumble, unable to put any real emotion into my voice. At this point I feel exhausted and I don't even have the energy to deal with this new development. I'm not used to this kind of emotional stimuli on a daily bases. The blue-haired Arrancar is really starting to throw me out of whack.

"I said they're looking, not that they've appointed him or even plan on doing so." 

Hisagi leans against the table I'm sitting at, those dark eyes narrowing. "You know, I've never really seen you like this. Are you okay?" 

"I'm fine," I reassure him, waving my hand dismissively and taking another drag of my cigarette. "I'm just a little surprised. I didn't think that they'd even consider making an Arrancar a shinigami." 

Crossing muscled arms over a slim chest, the other man just nods. "I didn't think so either, but I'm not one to question it. If Ukitake-soutaichou doesn't see a problem with it... Besides, Jaegerjaquez has the limiter on. He can't do much damage like that; not to mention the fact that he's living in a city full of shinigami. He'd be stopped before he had the chance to start any real trouble." 

"The collar malfunctioned once, it could happen again." 

I know the collar didn't actually malfunction. I know that if it did happen to malfunction, that it was on purpose. Even still, I want to hear the other man's logical answer, because he seems to be full of them. It's starting to feel like I'm the only one that finds this whole idea a little crazy. But the strange look Hisagi sends my way has me wishing that I hadn't mention that small detail. 

"You know, in all these years I've never heard of one of those collars malfunctioning. It's a little weird..."

Taking one final drag of my cigarette, I crush it out in the ashtray before coming to a stand. "Well, let's just hope you're right. I don't think a single Arrancar could do much against so many shinigami. If it acts up, I'm sure it'll be taken care of." 

"Yea..." 

The scarred captain leans back when I get up, but before I can leave he points at the ashtray on the table. 

"He was asking about those. The one he stole from you, it got taken away when we captured him. Maybe you should go give him one, Akon. The way he was going on about it, I wouldn't be surprised if he drove himself crazy."

My brows furrow faintly, and something in the other man's tone tells me that his suggestion isn't all that innocent. But he just offers a small, almost secretive smile, before slapping a hand over my shoulder and sliding the shoji open so he can take his leave.  
 

Part Four →