hiddenjudges[vintage-mix]01: sun-eating maggots

Itougaki was a poor sight, but his body was obviously trained towards one thing. Every movement he made was graceful. No chains or amount of time could ever remove the purpose that moved those four limbs. And in his eyes, Teruo saw the dead soul of a misguided child. No, not misguided. Just . . .different. 

“I have no number for you. You will kill and fulfill your duties as commander-in-chief of the Onmitsukido to ensure that the Seireitei is brought back to order.” I will regret saying this. “You will also be allowed to kill any quincy who has betrayed the pact. These days, there are many of them.” 

Some swords did not have guards or scabbards. Itougaki, Teruo knew, was one of those. But a guardless blade still could not cut someone who wore the proper protection. Teruo was a man who had lived more than seven centuries because of this knowledge. If anyone in the Seireitei could control the former Nibantai-Taichou, it was him. 

“She was killed by Nibantai-Taichou Yuu Yashin. Your predecessor, who shunned the Onmitsukido. I believe you knew him in your time as the Kidoshu Soshi, and a member of Central 46.” Teruo spoke the words as if he were talking about the weather. “As for Itada, he is currently crippled. He fought foolishly against an arrancar and lost.” 

Reaching into his sleeves, Teruo pulled out the lone key that fit both the cell door and the chains on Itougaki’s arms and legs. It took a minute, for both the key and the lock had rusted over, but it swung open with a long whine. As Teruo worked on the cuffs, he made sure to hold his spiritual pressure back. The moment Itougaki began to regain his powers, he’d be incapable of handling any strong power. 

“Do you still have that parasite in your arm?” Teruo asked when he reached the final cuff--the one linked to the infested arm. 

Teruo smiled. It had been a long, long time since he had last felt the thrill of battle. Had he been his old self, Itougaki’s attack would have been predicted and turned. Sadly, when he was let go from the wall, the Former Seven was forced to settle with what he could do. 

“Touch your cheek,” Teruo said. The moment he did, Itougaki was like to feel the brown bruise beginning to form. “You’re still as skilled as you used to be. Good.” 

If anything, Itougaki had just proven how unstable and dangerous he was. Teruo was unphased. He had expected nothing less from the former Nibantai-Taichou, and if he had not shown him his skills in this manner, disappointment would have lead him back to chains. 

“The new commander is one Koshitsu Sojiro. You’ll remember him as the Rokubantai-Taichou. He’s not a smart man, nor a powerful one, as Juken-Soutaichou destroyed his bankai. But he has powerful friends, and he is not above killing a shinigami for their asauchi.” 

Nodding towards the exit, Teruo beckoned for the assassin to follow him. “The Onmitsukido are as bloodthirsty as you these days. In the lounge you will be allowed to kill one soul. When we reach my manor, I will have a selection of prisoners meant for execution. Also . . .” 

Reaching into his sleeve, Teruo pulled out a small black key and threw it to Itougaki over his shoulder. “. . .You’ll use that to unlock the case your Tsukuyomi is kept in.” 

With that, Itougaki lead him upstairs to the maggot’s lounge. 

“I hit you,” Teruo said. 

Patiently, he watched as his new ally ripped off half his face. If Teruo had been a younger man, he would have been perturbed. Now he was just mildly disgusted, but there was no helping that. Unchaining this lunatic wasn’t the most rational thing to do, but extremes were the only thing that countered other extremes. 

When they reached the maggot’s lounge, most of the prisoners were gone. They had been moved to small rooms, leaving only one in the underground. He was a thin man, dying of some sickness or another, though his spiritual pressure was abnormally high. He looked at Teruo and Itougaki, coughed up blood, and slowly tried to crawl away. 

Teruo thought this sacrifice was fitting. At least they were not killing someone who had a long life left. “Kill him and let’s be done with it.”