Ichigo felt heavy. He felt like he was weighed down by something, and it felt like his eyelids were glued shut. He struggled with this for a minute before he sighed and wondered if he should try or just let it be. Shiro, though. He needed to find Shiro. His eyes came open and he found himself staring at an unfamiliar ceiling. The last thing he remembered was being told they were going to be killed before the night was through. He reached over and felt another body beside him. He turned his head to the side and saw a head of blond hair. Naruto?

He slowly, and rather painfully, sat up. Groaning, he looked around to find they were all four in two big beds in a large bedroom of some sort. He saw someone seated on a sofa that looked like they were asleep. He couldn't tell immediately if it was a man or a woman, but they were scantily clad with pink hair pulled back from their face. He shook Naruto beside him, but he was still out it seemed. Inuyasha was on the next bed to them, and Allen was on the other side of the it. He could see that all of them were bandaged, and he himself had been cared for as well.

Where was he, though? He slipped out of the bed and quietly moved past the person sitting on the sofa. He got to the door and opened it quietly. He had to find out where they were and how to get out. He had to find Shiro. He snuck out into the hallway and was for a moment disorientated because he could tell immediately that it was longer than it appeared. Down the hallway he went, finding a set of stairs at the end of the hallway. He made his way up the stairs and stopped at the top where there was an open door. There was a woman standing there with green hair and a horned skull on the top of her head. She had her back to the door he had just come through, but she looked alert for anything around her.

She was in between him and what looked like the door to the outside, so he snuck around the side and saw a set of stairs going up. He made his way to those stairs and crouched down beside them. The woman still had her back to him, and she looked like she was looking at someone else. Then he heard a male voice, and she responded. His breath caught. There was more than one person there. He had to get up the stairs and find a place to hide and think.

He managed to sneak up the stairs without her noticing him. Coming up to the top of the stairs, he saw that he was in a wide-open room. He had no idea where he was, but he knew he had to figure out a way out of this place, so he could find Shiro. He heard people moving around nearby so he ducked down and opened a door to hide in a darkened room.

Downstairs, Allen was the next one to come to consciousness. He felt the throbbing in his ribcage before he even opened his eyes. It felt like everything had been broken in his ribs and he couldn't help the whine that he emitted when it hit him. He blinked sleepily, turning his head to the side and seeing a head of silvery hair that he knew belonged to the dog demon boy, Inuyasha. He was on a bed with him. He heard someone moving, a shuffling of feet and his breath caught in his throat. Who was there? He squeezed his eyes shut tighter and didn't want to know. He was really in too much pain to move.

"Are you awake, sweetie?" he heard a man's voice nearby.

His eyes opened, and he was staring at a scantily clad guy with pink hair and glasses. "What? Where am I?" he panicked immediately. He pulled away from this strange man and ended up almost kneeing Inuyasha in the face. His movement did wake the dog-eared boy, however. He sucked in a deep breath and rolled his eyes over toward Allen and the stranger. He also looked like he was about to panic as he scrambled off the bed to fall to the floor.

Allen covered his head with his hands and pulled his legs to his chest, which was painful to do. He nearly sobbed out at the lancing pains that shot through his middle. Inuyasha had taken up a place against the wall in a defensive stance.

"Easy, easy," Szayel said, holding both hands out in front of him. "You're safe."

"Who are you?" Inuyasha asked, claws displayed.

"You're in Las Noches, in Hueco Mundo. Safe from Purgatory," Szayel said gently. "I'm Szayel, and I'm an Arrancar so you're not in any danger. See, you don't have any sealing cuffs on any longer."

Inuyasha didn't move but looked around him. He was panting from the exertion already. "What…what happened?"

"There was a raid on Purgatory by the Black Order and a few other people. Everyone got out that could be saved." Szayel still put himself between them and the doorway. "Wait, where's the other one?"

"Allen, are you alright?" Inuyasha asked, hands starting to tremble from the effort he was putting into standing.

Allen looked up and nodded. "I'm fine. I hurt, but I'm fine."

Szayel smiled and moved to sit on the bed beside Allen. Naruto was still out, and he could tell how frightened they were. "You've all been treated. But it seems like your friend got out of the room without me knowing."

He leaned over and pressed a button on the wall and it made a buzzing sound. "Yes?" came a woman's voice.

"Summon the others back. Our patients have woken up," he said and clicked off the com.

"Aren't you worried about Ichigo?" Inuyasha asked, dropping down to one knee and heaving a deep breath

"He can't get outside the building, so he's somewhere in here. He probably is scared like you…" Szayel started.

"I'm not scared!" Inuyasha snapped, dropping down to his other knee and taking a few more deep breaths.

"Come back to the bed," he said and beaconed him over. "We'll find your friend, and we'll get you all up to speed on where you are and who we are."

Inuyasha couldn't do much except stumble back to the bed and drop into it already exhausted by the effort. Szayel looked up as Grimmjow came into the room with Shiro right behind him.

"Wait, where's Ichigo?" Shiro asked, looking franticly around the room.

"Relax, Shiro. He's somewhere in the castle. He just woke up and snuck away. I'm sure we'll find him before too long," Szayel assured.

"I have to find him," Shiro said, staring at Grimmjow.

"I'll take him to go look," Grimmjow growled, nodding at Szayel.

Szayel smiled at them and nodded. "Yeah, go ahead. He can't have gone far."

"What you get for wearing yourself out fucking your bitch," Grimmjow muttered as he disappeared out the door with Shiro.

Lenalee and Rukia came into the room and walked over to the bed. The last one laying there groaned and rolled his head. Lenalee put a hand on his leg until his blue eyes finally opened and stared back at them. He, like the others, gasped out and began trying to push back on the bed. He whined though and stopped moving, obviously aggravating the wounds on his back.

"Shhh," Rukia said as she held up both hands. "You're all safe."

Allen looked between Szayel and the two women. "Is it true? You rescued everyone?"

"We did. We got in there and got everyone out that we possibly could," Lenalee confirmed. "You're in Las Noches because there was an Akuma attack on the Black Order again. We had to get you all somewhere safe, and the stronghold of the Arrancar is the safest place we could take you."

"What's the Black Order?" Inuyasha asked as he leaned against the head of the bed with his hands draped between his knees.

Lenalee smiled at him. "You haven't heard of us?" she asked.

Inuyasha shook his head. "I lived in our hometown until it was raided by Akuma and they locked me away for a while. Then they were taking me somewhere else and I escaped."

"We're known as demon hunters," she told him. "But we have a lot of demon blooded and half bloods in our ranks. We also use demonic relics called Innocence to help us. We don't hunt demons unless they are preying on humans in some way."

Inuyasha stared at her for a moment then looked at Rukia. "Who are you? Are you with the Black Order?"

"No, I'm with the Shinigami. I'm Rukia. Have you heard of us at least?" she asked.

"I think so," he said and nodded. "You are kind of like police officers for blooded and half-bloods."

"I guess you could say that. We often police demons and humans alike. We don't abide by destruction. We try and keep a handle on both demons and humans in the world."

Rukia moved to sit down on the sofa with a soft smile. Allen still looked wary, but he didn't say anything. Naruto didn't seem to be capable of arguing the point with his injuries. He did turn his head to the side and then asked hoarsely, "Where's Ichigo?"

"They're looking for him," Szayel confirmed. "He's in the building somewhere, just woke up and snuck away while I was sleeping."

"You fell asleep?" Rukia scoffed.

"Yeah, yeah," Szayel said, waving a hand toward her. "I guess Button wore me out."

"Well, if you didn't have to fuck him every which way when you see him, maybe you wouldn't get so tired out by him!" Rukia said and rolled her eyes expressively.

Szayel sighed and crossed his legs. "Well, he was gone a whole day."

Lenalee just kind of stared between the two of them, still getting used to the open way they talked about sex around this place. It was so much different than anything she'd ever been around. She cleared her throat and spoke up.

"Let me check your bandages, if you don't mind," she said to the three boys that were staring back and forth between Szayel and Rukia. She stood up and walked over to the side of the bed where Inuyasha was still crouched.

He gave her a wary look but sat down on the edge of the bed and allowed her to check his bandages.

"What's your name?" she asked as she sat back.

"Inuyasha," he said tentatively. He still looked like he didn't entirely trust them.

"I'm Lenalee. The guy with pink hair is Szayel, and that's Rukia." She reached out and checked a bruise that had risen on his face.

"That's Allen, and Naruto," he said, pointing to each of them in turn. "And Ichigo's gone."

"We understand that you don't trust us yet, but we're here to help you all. You were all in pretty bad shape when we brought you in," she explained as she moved to check on Naruto's bandages. He didn't move much as she checked first the ones on his shoulders, then gently rolled him to his side so she could check the ones on his back.

Szayel, who was still sitting on the bed close to Allen, looked at the white-haired boy. "Can I check your bandages and make sure nothing got torn off with you moving around.

Allen nodded slightly. "Okay."

Szayel moved closer and lifted his shirt to check on the wrapping around his ribs. "Your ribs were pretty injured. I don't think any were broken, but they were bruised pretty bad."

"They hurt," he said quietly.

"I know. But they'll heal. All of you will heal." He glanced over to look at the other two. It would be a long road for all of them, but they would heal.

-oooooo-OOOOOO-oooooo-

Grimmjow walked down the hall with Shiro, checking the other bedrooms on their way. They didn't find him at all in the lower level, so they headed up to the first floor. As they came out of the door, Grimmjow waved at a girl with green hair that was waiting nearer to the door.

"Grimmy," she said, turning around.

"Nelliel, this is Shiro. We're looking for someone that looks like him but has orange hair and is in one of the medical wing's outfits. Have ya seen anyone like that?" Grimmjow asked.

"No, I've been here for the last hour or so with Pesche here," she gestured to a guy with a horned facemask on. "No one's come toward the front door."

Grimmjow turned around and looked back at the way they had come. He frowned and noticed that the stairs to the lab were close by. "Maybe he saw Nel and went for the stairs up," he told Shiro.

"That's the lab, right?" Shiro asked as they headed up the stairs slowly.

"Yeah," Grimmjow confirmed as they reached the top. They didn't immediately see anyone around. "Can't you like sense him or something?"

Shiro nodded. "I can tell when he's near."

"And?" Grimmjow asked, arching a brow at his pale companion.

"He's near," Shiro shrugged, looking at Grimmjow.

"Can he tell when you are near him?" he asked as they came to the first closed door.

"Yeah, but like me, it isn't pinpoint accuracy. More like a general feeling that we're close to each other," Shiro explained, opening the door on an empty lab room.

Shiro could sense that he was near, on this very floor. That was a good sign. He'd worried that he had somehow got out of the building, and they would have an even harder time finding him. He hoped that sensing he was near was enough to bring him out of hiding. If he was conscious, of course. He could be out considering the condition he'd been in.

"Ichigo?" he called as he opened another lab room. Grimmjow was checking across the hall.

There was no answer, but then Shiro didn't really expect one. If Ichigo were awake, he would have come out to see where Shiro was when he got close enough to sense him. They opened a few more doors until finally, Shiro opened on and saw feet under one of the tables in the back. He sighed and ran into the room with Grimmjow following him.

He knelt down beside Ichigo. He was curled up in a ball, leaning against the wall beside a desk. Shiro put a hand out and shook him. "Wake up, Ichigo."

Ichigo's eyes fluttered, his one black and gold eye locking onto Shiro's face before his other eye could even focus. He gasped and grabbed him.

"Shiro!" he exclaimed, and they hugged each other tightly.

"Ichigo, I found you," he said and almost felt tears come to his eyes. He felt like they'd been apart forever while Ichigo was unconscious. "And you're awake. Come on, now. This is no place to sleep, okay?"

Ichigo nodded and stood up, still clinging to Shiro's hand. His eyes fell on Grimmjow and his eyes went wide. Shiro squeezed his hand tightly.

"Ichigo, this is Grimmjow. We're in Las Noches, in Hueco Mundo. That's where they brought us to be safe," Shiro explained.

"Are the others safe too?" he asked, looking at him seriously.

"Yeah, come on, let's go back down to the rooms and you can see them, and meet some of the others," Shiro said as he pulled him out of the corner he was in.

-oooooo-OOOOOO-oooooo-

Ciel stood at the site they had acquired to build the embassy building. So far, it was an empty lot in the center of Londinium. A central location had been chosen that was well away from all the bases for the various factions. With him were several of the council members.

"This is a mistake," one of the older men commented as he stared with his beady eyes at the empty space. "Having an embassy makes it easier for them to spy on us."

Ciel rolled his eyes and turned to face him. "With the power that we are up against, it is better to work on diplomatic solutions to this problem."

"What of the public perception of demons and their ilk?" another older man asked.

"The public will just have to get used to the demons and their presence. The only demons that are going to be difficult to work with is the Akuma and the Noah family," Ciel frowned because he knew that making peace with them was going to extremely hard, if not impossible. However, if they had the other demons on their side, they were much more likely to keep them under control.

"Still, maintaining gates to all eight realms?" the first man asked incredulously. "Who will be in charge of that?"

"The running of the embassy will be a joint effort between the Black Order, the Shinigami, and the Queen herself. We are in luck because the Arrancar have the last remaining known Quincy in their ranks," Ciel mentioned, keeping his back to the other council members.

There was a muttered discussion behind him in hushed tones. Then one of them spoke up. "How can we be sure that he is on our side? If he is with the Arrancar?"

"He is still human." Ciel wondered then if the rumors were true. "He is rumored to be mated to one of the Espada."

The men behind him chattered for a second about this idea. "Does that not make him even more on the side of the demons than anyone else?"

"It gives us a human contact inside the Arrancar," Ciel pointed out. "It will be useful in the long run. And that's what we need to concentrate on, the long view. The immediate future may not look that bright, but it is the far future of the human race we need to consider. If we want to live, we must take these actions now."

"What of Purgatory?"

Ciel did turn around now and looked around at the other six council members. "It has been shut down completely. Their operation will no longer be allowed to thrive in this city."

"Was it discovered who was running that awful place?" one of the quieter members asked.

Ciel shook his head. "It was being run blind with no one knowing who was in charge. Whoever they are, they're still out there. However, it will take them time to build that sort of operation again, and this time we're watching closely."

"Then they might try to set up such an operation again," another of the men said nervously. "If they do that, that could strain relations with the various demon factions even more."

"That's something we'll have to worry about when it happens," Ciel told him curtly. "Right now, our priority is the embassy building. Once we have treaties and agreements with each of the factions, it will make it easier to have a cross faction action group."

"Who will be watching over the creation of the portals to the realms?"

Ciel sighed. These men were infuriating. They wanted all the answers at one time and didn't want to wait and see what happened. "I will oversee the contacts that are necessary for the creation. I will be directly in contact with representatives from each of the realms."

"Why should we put our faith in a boy?" the first, and most annoying, of the council members scoffed.

"I am not just a boy," Ciel said through grit teeth. He wanted to tell them he was nearly thirty years old even though he looked like a teenager, but the Queen herself was the only one that knew that secret. It was one of the reasons she put faith in him. "The Queen trusts me with this; is that not answer enough for you?"

There was a murmured consensus among the council members, and he knew he had them. They gave their obedience to the Queen completely. Whatever she decided was deemed to be the law, even if she were disagreed with. Her final say was what would be done. And if she trusted Ciel, they would have to simple deal with believing him a child. He would show them his capability. The embassy would be a great success for them, and he knew it.

As the others left to go back to their various transportations. Ciel stood there with Sebastian at his back. He turned around and looked up at him with a smirk.

"Those old fools don't realize the importance of this building. They don't understand the reasoning behind it; they simply see the future as far as the ending of their pathetic lives. They have no long view for what will happen after they die." Ciel looked around at the empty lot again.

He could see the potential in the place. And he knew that it would take less time with the use of the technologies of demonic origin to aid the building. They would have to make certain that all the demons were represented in the embassy, and that included the pact demons like Sebastian.

"Shall we reveal ourselves at that time?" Sebastian said with a sly grin.

"We should be the emissaries for the Goetians. It only makes sense since you and I already are known by the Queen." Ciel walked out into the center of the empty lot. It was a large lot, actually three smaller lots of land together.

"Imagine what we can do with unfettered access to demon magic. The improvements to Londinium are endless. And it will put me closer to my goal," Ciel tucked his hands behind his back and stared up into the afternoon sky.

"Yes, of course, Bochan," Sebastian said with as smirk. "Your aim is to bring down those that murdered your parents and harmed you. We have had good luck in tracing the people to the lowest level of hell. You truly have been ruthless in your destruction of those that have caused you pain and suffering."

"Yes, but we haven't been able to defeat the one that incited the treachery that caused those humans to turn on their fellow humans," Ciel pointed out. "I have yet to destroy the King of Hell."

"You have grown closer to being able to locate him. We know he has escaped into the human world during the Four-Fold Demon War. It is just a matter of locating him." Sebastian put both hands on Ciel's shoulders. "We will find him and destroy him together."

Ciel let out a sigh. "This embassy will put me closer than ever before."

"There are others that wish to destroy or cage the Treacherous one. Uniting with them will increase your chances at revenge, my lord," Sebastian pointed out.

"I do not wish to cage this beast. I will see him destroyed like he destroyed so much of my very life," he whispered and put a hand on Sebastian's where it rested on his shoulder. "Let's go back and report to the Queen. I am her Watchdog after all," he said and walked back toward the horseless carriage they used. Ciel had no other servants besides Sebastian, but then he was much more than a simple servant.

Once they had returned to the castle, he requested to see the Queen immediately. It was only a scant five minutes before she sent for them. Of course, Sebastian was allowed with him. They came as a unit and that was the only way to see either of them.

"Your Majesty," Ciel said as he knelt before her. Sebastian did the same beside him.

The Queen, an older woman with white hair and a severe expression, turned toward them. "Rise."

"We have a report on the Council and the Embassy building plan," Ciel commented smoothly.

"Yes?" she asked. "Do go on."

"The Council shows some resistance to my presence, continuing to call my experience into question. I pointed out that I have your trust, and that gave them pause." Ciel glanced to Sebastian and back at her. "The plan to ally with the rest of the Goetians is still underway. Once the portals have been crafted, it should be easy enough to forge a peace agreement with the others."

"You are certain the other Goetians will want peace?" she asked.

"If I may, Your Majesty," Sebastian said, putting a hand to his chest and bowing slightly to her. "We are immortal demons and our numbers will not increase. Peace is in our best interest to keep our people alive. The many Goetians who have pacts with human families will go to war in the name of their pact bond, putting themselves at risk for death. It behooves us if the human world is not in turmoil."

"Hmm, yes, I can see how that would be the case," the Queen said and turned to look back out the window. "What of the other demon factions? Do you anticipate any resistance from them?"

"The only faction that has not already expressed interest in completing a peace accord is the Noah family. We have had two Akuma attacks in Londinium in the last few weeks, but these are but skirmishes." Ciel sighed. "But the Millennium Earl has been resistant to talks. We believe that we may be able to encourage peace with them given that the others will be falling in line."

"Very well," the Queen nodded. "Continue with the plans to construct the embassy. Use whatever means are necessary to speed the construction. I will put out a call for representatives to be selected for each of the other factions, including the Djinn and the Succubi/Incubi. I believe the Lord Sesshōmaru will be favorable to work with, and Cayote Starrk of the Arrancar has been amenable. We have yet to find a representative for the Tailed Beasts, but I understand that the Lord Kyuubi has a son that was pulled from purgatory recently." She paused and looked thoughtful for a moment. "The Millennium Earl may not come in person but will send one of the Noahs. This is sufficient."

She stood and motioned to Ciel to come forward. Ciel stepped closer and she embraced him as though he were a member of her own family. The young man returned the embrace stoically. She pushed him back at arm's length and smiled.

"You will have your revenge, my dear boy," she said with a knowing glint to her eye. "Those that created that awful cult will be found and punished. I have great confidence in you and your demonic servant. Do not let the words of the old men of the Council bother you. What you suggest is what we shall do. It is the right path for humans to take, and it also takes you to your goal."

"Yes, Your Majesty," Ciel bowed slightly. "I will have the construction begun on the embassy building. With demonic aid, it should take no more than three months to complete the building, including the manufacture of the portals."

"Very good," she replied and turned away from him. "I lay my trust in you."

Ciel bowed and left the Queen with Sebastian at his side. Once outside he paused and looked at the demon.

"This will lead to the end I seek," he told him.

"I believe it will, my lord," Sebastian stated, subtly smiling at him.

"Let's return to our room. I have need of you," he said and turned on his heel to go back toward their place in the castle.

"Of course, my Lord," Sebastian said as he easily caught up to the shorter of the pair.