DISCLAIMER: READ AT YOUR OWN RISK TORTURE INVOLVED IN THIS PASSAGE!!
Continued From: Eye for an Eye
Entering his lab Szayel had his fracction deposit the white haired captain to the large white marble table he called a research table.
“Restrain him please. We don’t want any more damage becoming the specimen.” Szayel told them.
They nodded doing their part then left the lab when their master turned toward them, waving them away. Szayel walked over to the lab table were Juushiro was laying. He looked down on the captain an almost sad look on his face.
“What a mess they have made of you.” Szayel reached above the captains head as the clatter of metal against metal sounded. “I am glad I have a clean foundation for you.” Szayel’s hand then appeared over the top of the captain once more. In them he held a pair of scissors as he lowered them down close to the captain. Lifting the sleeve of the haori Szayel started cutting away the ripped and tattered fabric that lay on his beaten and bloody body. Removing pieces of the clothing, dropping them to the floor. The worse injuries or the older injuries proved to be more difficult in removing the cloth from the captains person. The fabric adhered like honey or molasses to the wounds like makeshift gauze strips and pulling it away caused the scabs to crack like eggshells. Juushiro hissed and clenched his hands, especially when he removed the fabric from his shattered shoulder, which made a hollow popping sound as the large scab was peeled off. Szayel’s smile only widened as he uncovered numerous gashes from claws, a puncture wound from a sword and even a few cuts from a blade. “From the angel and looks of these cuts and the puncture wound on your shoulder, it would seem you faced off with a most formidable foe.” A wicked smile crossed his face. “Lord Gin perhaps?”
He continued to cut away at the fabric until the captain lay there in only his birthday suit. Szayel looked at the beaten body of the captain shaking his head. “The only times I have seen a body this badly beaten they are dead. You have amazing resilience, Captain.”
Szayel grabbed a near by towel and drape it over Juushiro’s privates as he turned away from him still talking. “We wouldn’t want you to be embarrassed if someone walked in. Though they would not be seeing much.” He stopped at a counter as the clattering of things being moved around caught Juushiro’s ears as Szayel looked for something. “You know I have gotten rather use to doing this. Working with an amazing specimen has spoiled me. I do so wish I could get my hands on more. Though, Lord Aizen is not finished with his plans. In time I am sure my lab will be filled with more specimens like her. She is my shining achievement.”
Juushiro turned his head to the side, his hands clenching his only reaction to the news given to him. He took a ragged breath and stayed calm.
Szayel walked back over to the table with a large empty syringe. “No comments? I was hoping you would agree with me. After all.” Szayel smiled. “She is a friend of yours.”
With that Szayel plunged the syringe deep into the captain’s chest straight into his heart, drawing it full of his blood.
The captain jolted up at that, heart lurching in his chest and sending waves of stabbing pain through his body. A low groan escaped him as his body fought against the restraints. His lungs convulsed. Clenching his hands, Juushiro fell back down onto the cold table, blood leaking from his mouth as he hacked weakly.
“You know--if you do decide to join us I can cure you of that.” Szayel told him, referring to his illness, as he pulled the syringe from the captains chest. He lifted the syringe flicking the side softly to remove the air bubbles. Then laid it to a tray above the captain’s head and the table. The sound of metal filled the room again as Szayel then lifted a thin needle about four inches long above Juushiro as he looked at the needle. His eyes focused on the closer object then moved to the captain.
“I want to test your pain tolerance. You took that syringe to the heart rather well.”
He lowered the needle down next to Juushiro’s side and flattened his hand on the table. The needle in Szayel’s other hand twirled between his index finger and thumb as he placed the tip of the needle between the captain’s nail and finger.
“Do you know this is a fashion of torture they used in the medieval days in a country called England.” Szayel looked up at the captain with a menacing grin. “Feel free to scream.”
With that Szayel slid the needle about two inches up under the captain’s nail bed. Clenching his teeth together until they were grinding against each other, Juushiro bore it silently, shaking uncontrollably.
“Aww, nothing?” Szayel questioned reaching for yet another needle. “Let’s see if you can bare a few more.”
When Szayel’s hand drifted back over the captain from the tray he had a handful of the needles as Szayel took another between his index finger and thumb. Again Juushiro’s hand was pressed flat to the table and another needle slid up under his nail into the bed. Still nothing as Szayel growed in defeat and continued with all four fingers then started on his thumb.
Closing his eyes, the captain bore with the torture. His body shook with both the need to express his pain and from damp perspiration. He did not scream. As Szayel growled lowly in defeat, Juushiro kept his eyes firmly shut, he took each consecutive blow of white-washing, all-encompassing pain. As he felt the final needle being pressed into the nail of his thumb, his body won out and he gasped for breath soundlessly. A tear slid down his cheek
With the last placement into the captain’s thumb. Szayel stood tall and looked at the him. “A tear I see.” He grinned and quickly walked over to the counter. “I guess I should have heated them up like it suggested. Then I wouldn’t have to continue the testing.”
Szayel grabbed a beaker burner and packed it over to the table where the captain was. He sat it on the tray above his head and the table. Then placed the remaining needles over the flame. “They said hot needles would achieve your goal much faster. But I figured you being a weak piece of trash the needle itself would suffice. How wrong I was.”
Szayel then lifted a brightly glowing needle above the captain and smirked. “You think this is hot enough?”
He lowered the needle flattening Juushiro’s other hand and proceeded sliding the hot needle under the nail of the captain’s index finger.
Juushiro jerked, another tear escaping his eyes, as he attempted to clench his now released hand and only succeeded in pushing the needles farther up his nail. The heat was scorching each segment of exposed flesh, spreading the pain much faster. He nearly passed out after the third finger but the immediate level of pain wouldn't let him. He moaned quietly.
With the placement of the last hot needle Szayel stood next to the lab table his hands now on his hip. “What a tough individual you are, Captain. I must say you have impressed me. Not even a God lasted this long with this torture. She screamed and cried out after the first hand and the needles were not even hot.” He turned off the burner still talking. “Though she withstood the lashing I gave her. Even with the hooks and the saltwater. Come to think she made it through the hot wax and oil too But the needles were more than too much for her.” Szayel stepped across the room with a soft chuckle. “But I did learn her weakness. It was so simple a child could have figured it out, but since I don’t have any I could not see it.” He turned quickly and looked to Juushiro laying on the table his head turning slowly from side to side. “I am sure if she saw you like this she would tell everything she knows to Lord Aizen. Not to mention the screaming and crying she would be doing. I would not have to worry about making you scream she would be doing enough for the both of you.”
Juushiro's eyes shot open at the bare threat exposed to him, vibrant green eyes bright with rage. "Leave her out of this," he hissed. "She won't be coming back here, and if she does," his eyes narrowed, "I will be gone. You won't be using me to break her," he spat, eye flashing.
Szayel cocked his head with eyes opened wide. “Well well. Another one that has a soft spot for her. Lets see.” Szayel walked over to him and leaned down on the table looking into his now opened eyes. “Which of the three are you? You're not Kisuke. I know that foolish man. You're not young enough to be the one she called Tsukiro and he is not a captain. So since you are. You must be Captain Ukitake.”
Szayel laughed more to himself then aloud as he pushed up off the table. “The one she looks to as a father figure.” He said stepping away from the table. “You know, when she and I would spend time together. She would always talk about you three. Of course it was always when she was between reality and her breaking point. She is very fond of you all. Her surrogate family she called you.” He laughed again, “how pathetic. A hybrid Arrancar associating with the likes of trash like you three.”
"A family is never trash," Juushiro stated plainly, hissing as his anger jostled the needles. He closed his eyes and began calming down again.
“Well we are about to see if the stories are true.” Szayel motioned for two of his fraccions to come forth. “Get him off that table and bind him to the block that Kita enjoys so much.” He then looked to Juushiro. “Lets see if the father is truly the strongest of the family.”
Juushiro cried out weakly as his hands were slammed down on the cold ground. His arms were bound before him, and each movement drove the long needles deeper into his fingers, sending new waves of white-hot pain. He clenched his teeth, focusing on keep them as steady as possible. It was impossible to keep them from trembling or curling up at all. Green eyes open and dark pools of deep-set determination, the captain drew on the radiating pain as a focus to stay alert for what came next, to keep his body from rebelling against the torment.
Szayel squatted down next to Juushiro as one of the fraccion placed a blindfold on his eyes. When Juushiro’s eyes were covered Szayel raised his hand up and took hold of one of the needles under his nail beds. Slowly and agonizingly Szayel removed the needle as he spoke to him. “I know where she is. It will only be a matter of time and Ulquiorra will have her back home with us. And when she is I will be sure to have her join us in the fun.”
With a final quick jerk the needle pulled from under his nail. Szayel then quick as lightning he removed all the needles, making it feel as if they all were removed at one time.
Before Juushiro could retort, his throat closed up and a loud cry of pain was rent from the him. He cursed and curled his bleeding throbbing fingers. The pulsing pain radiated upwards through his arms and mind. He took a deep ragged breath.
Szayel chuckled softly as he stood again walking over to a small box sitting on a table. He reached down into it and grabbing a handful of something. When he lifted his hand it was covered in white power. Next to the box sat a cat-a-nine whip with hooks and sharp razor like blades wrapped in the whips tails. He dropped the tails as they made a soft jingling in the room. Walking over next to Juushiro again he sprinkled the white power on Juushiro’s back and parts of his chest. Szayel only smiled as he stepped back and away from the captain. He lifted his arm, whip in hand and cracked it loudly. He then lashed the tails toward Juushiro’s back striking him the hook dug deep as the blades slashed across his pale skin. Szayel jerked back on the whip ripping the flesh. He lashed out again and again. Juushiro wincing in pain his perspiration causing the powdered salt that was placed on him to turn to liquid. Juushiro’s pain was now doubled.
As his flesh ripped and Juushiro's body jolted, salt poured into old and new wounds. He couldn't stop clenching his hands and his brow dampened further. One of the passes latched onto his weak shoulder. He cried out and Szayel yanked hard. The sheer agony this time forced a scream from the miserable captain, the first but not the last as the Espada continued on.
