Voices Cursing Helplessness [Kaito, Kurai]

As she spoke, Kaito didn't bother trying to face her. He just kept feeling around the wall to see if there was something, anything structural that he could use against his captor. He doubted that they were being watched. Especially if the woman had captured a Shinigami, she would have stationed someone outside, and, as far as he could tell, there wasn't anyone outside. He couldn't hear any coughing, shoes scraping against the ground from readjusting their position, none of the idle sounds that might give something like that away.

But...then again, they could probably sense him. Depending on how refined their senses were, it was possible that his movements were being tracked. That wasn't going to stop him, though. He had to at least attempt, even if it just bought him time. Then, she mentioned an anchor. That was what made him stop. His arms dropped down to his sides, and his head lowered.

The only thing he could think of were the people that could come and save him. Hono, Byakuya, Hiroe, those he considered close to him.

"I've got something. But, that doesn't mean I'm going to stop trying to get it back."

Kaito immediately turned around upon hearing the door opening and the creak as it eased opened. From the torchlight in the hallway, he could see the staircase beyond it, considerably different from any kind of architecture he'd seen before. But, even still, he did his best to commit it to memory for when he was able to break free. As he heard the sound of boots clicking against the stone, he froze, unsure of what to do as he approached "Asuka" and took her.

A pang of fear suddenly crept into his heart at what the man said. The idea of it all made his skin crawl, and he wanted no part of it. Part of him also wanted to try and save "Asuka." He didn't want to leave someone subjected to that fate, especially when the thought of it made him so viscerally disgusted. Yet, part of him had a sickening feeling that he wouldn't be able to.

As the door shut, the dim candlelight was taken away, and now, Kaito was in the dark. Unable to see anywhere in front of him, unable to even see his Zanpakuto to derive some level of comfort, Kaito first thought to just sit back down and wait. But, instead, he turned back around and started feeling around again. Eventually, he found where his shackles began, and started to feel for their shape.

Holding a hand out, Kaito gathered energy to his fingertips, pointing them at the wall and casting Byakurai. It took him every ounce of patience and control just to keep the blast from firing. Carefully, he lowered the concentrated bolt of lightning to try and cut through the chain. The moment it touched, he could feel the electric current traveling through him, causing his body to spasm and jerk.

It hurt, so, so badly, but, Kaito gritted his teeth and ignored the beads of sweat accumulating on his forehead. He wanted to scream out in pain so badly, but, he tried to keep himself stable as he continued trying to cut through the chain. His arm wobbled and jerked to a random side with each spasm, but, every time, he forced his arm back in place to do it again.

It was the only thing he could do right now that wouldn't set off alarms.

He couldn't tell how long it had been since he gave on trying to break through his chains, or when Asuka had been taken. He just sat on the floor, back to the wall, in the dark, for however long it was until he heard the door creak open, causing him to jolt. He found himself trying to back up more as light came into the room as he saw that familiar face walk in, but, he already had himself against the wall. His eyes widened in dread as he saw his Zanpakuto was gone.

"...How do you know my name? I never told you that."

He flinched at each step she took, his head turning just the slightest bit away as she grew closer and closer. As she leaned over him, his eyes narrowed in a defiant leer. He shuddered as she touched his face, turning his head as far away as he could, eventually closing his eyes as he felt her finger slide across his jaw.

"I might be your prisoner, but I'm not your damn pet."

The mention of her listening made him flinch. He had thought she was just being paranoid -- but, no, she was able to monitor the room without issue. As she explained her other two rules, Kaito's eyes widened in fear as she grabbed his face and forced him to look at her, his breathing becoming shaky.

His head turned slightly as he felt her lips press against the corner of his, only for it to quickly be forced back to where it had been before. As she stood up and walked over to the shelf, it was only then that he noticed his Zanpakuto was gone. A look of despair came to his face as he stared at the empty shelf, before looking toward Kurai again. Even though she said he'd have to earn them back again, he had his doubts that she'd ever let him see a weapon again.

But, as she mentioned food and clothes, Kaito found himself looking at his dirty, charred shihakusho, and then the cold basement. His body scrunched up a bit at the thought of her taking anything more from him. But, there was a sense of a stubbornness, a dying flame of rebellion to go against the person who murdered his family for no reason, and burned his home to the ground.

So, rather than answer her, despite the tears welling up in his eyes, Kaito turned his head away, his body trembling, evident by the quiet jingling of his restraints.

The hours were miserable. Hunger, thirst, the cold, being unable to see, and the noises he could occasionally hear from the outside. Eventually, he just slumped in the corner, making himself as comfortable as he was able to against the wall. Upon hearing the door open, he jolted up, his legs instinctively coiling back to his chest as his eyes glued themselves to it.

He watched as three silhouettes filed into the room, two seemingly female and one male, listening to the fluttering of cloth or a blanket, the tap of what he could only assume to be a plate among other items. He physically recoiled at the sound of Kurai's voice, shuffling a bit in place as he heard two sets of footsteps leaving.

He was focused on the silhouette that he figured was his captor, wincing slightly from the sting of the small amounts of light outside. As the candles lit up, his eyes squeezed shut just a little bit more, slowly adjusting to the new light. He didn't say anything in response, only looking at her warily as she asked if he wanted to know what the other man was into.

The answer, and his methods of attaining it, however, earned a look of visible, visceral disgust from him, turning his head away from her slightly. As he looked at the plate of food, he couldn't deny that he was tempted. He found himself glued to the pitcher of water, his attempt to swallows having become difficult with the long hours of nothing to drink.

A hand slowly lifted, pointing toward the pitchers, and his lips parted.

"...Sho."

A small, weak blast of energy lit up the room just for a moment as the pitcher, as well as the glasses, shattered, spilling water and broken glass everywhere. There was a tinge of regret that burned, the lack of food and water causing emotions that would normally be repressed to rise to the surface. His lip quivered and his arm trembled, but his eyes still held a small ember of defiance.

It didn't take long for that regret to rise out of panic and fear, uncertain of what would happen next, but, his soul called to resist, to stay strong, and try to hold onto hope. He just needed to hold out until Byakuya, Hono, Hiroe, or even members of the Seventh Division would come and find him. They had noticed he was missing...right? They were coming to find him...weren't they?

Now, the rest of his body trembled as the doubt started to creep in.