I know its been like forever since I wrote a story and im really sorry. Ive been looking for work and trying to go to college but its life after high school so yea... I will try to write more stories! This was actually supposed to have been released in May around Aizen's birthday but I never got around to doing it. I know, I fail. .
To be honest, I kinda held off on publishing this for a while. I cant tell you how many times I proof-read this and I gotta tell you, I still feel like I should tweek it but that's just procrastinating... I know that its been a while so my writing might be off and Ive grown rusty, so please tell me!
The Escape
The cell that held the traitor, Sosuke Aizen, was a rather dark, empty, and lugubrious place. While the realm of the Hollows was a world of perpetual night, this cell was a cell. There was a moon in that place; this place did not. Hueco Mundo was a desolate, bleak, lonely place that may have held a quaint feel to it but this place was just…dull. This cell didn't allow any light, and the infernal bindings that shielded his eyes only helped to serve the darkness. It was a cell: nothing more, nothing less.
What was more infernal than that was the hush that this place had. Its piercing silence was deafening. He sighed, waiting simply for this to end. His time would come, and he would make sure of it. They would all bow to him; he just needed to gather his thoughts, organize a plan, and exploit a weakness when it showed itself.
He was Sosuke Aizen, the future King of the Heavens, leader of Arrancars, a traitor to the Gotei 13, the former master of the Hogyoku, and lastly an immortal. Aizen sighed again, when was this sentence going to be over with, again?
'Oh, that's right. 20,000 years or so...'
Aizen made a slight chuckle. 'Those fools... They think they can sentence me? Ridiculous.'
He lightly tapped his free fingers on the armrest of the chair. The Hollow King simply waited for this sentence to be over. He hummed lightly. After all, he had all the time in the world to plan his great escape. But for now, he wanted those fools to think that they could contain him. Honestly, how can one contain a god? So he decided to do some reflecting, and learn from his mistakes that his previous plot held.
Where did his plan go wrong?
Ah, yes. He underestimated his enemies, though he had every reason to. He had planned every small detail out for centuries and some of the captains to him-were really no threat. Yet, here he was, sentenced to 20,000 years in Avici.
Aizen sighed; he really didn't blame anyone for the failure of his plan though. He didn't blame Gin, Urahara or even Kurosaki Ichigo. The one Aizen blamed most out of this, was himself. When the Hogyoku had awakened, he allowed his foolish Pride to take over. Instead of careful planning and dispersing the enemies', his power made him careless. Aizen had thought he could take on everything, but gravely miscalculated. He rushed in recklessly, foolishly allowing his opponents to attack him. His enhanced power gained from the Hogyoku was lost because of his ego. His hubris was the cause of his defeat, and now its power was sealed.
Yes, it was still within his body, and some of its great power still flowed through his body. This is what gave him immortality, and it stayed with him; therefore, even if the Hogyoku where to be removed again, he'd still retain his immortality. However, that was the full extent of it, all the power of the Hogyoku was all but sealed away. It no longer gave him enhanced speed, strength, or high-speed regeneration.
Secondly, he let his anger get a hold of him. Instead of keeping a cool head, he allowed his rage to get consume him. He lost the battle because his rage kept him from thinking rationally.
This humiliation would not do. He would escape; create the Oken and his Arrancar army. Only this time, he'd succeed. After all, this planning was trial and error. Yes, he had errors but he learned from those and would execute it to for his next plan.
With new resolve, Aizen chuckled and hummed again. He smiled under the restraints, positive that this would work. The traitorous taicho tilted his head, craning his neck slightly to alleviate some discomfort. As Aizen did this, he heard something he hadn't heard in a long time. It was the light sound of footsteps and a voice. The Espada leader followed his head toward the footsteps, trying to assimilate which direction they were coming from. It was coming closer, just who or what was it?
'Probably just another fool that wishes to ridicule me' Aizen thought.
Unfortunately, the restraints were covering both his eyes and mouth, so he could neither see nor talk to his visitor.
"Aizen-taicho?" a mousy voice asked.
"?"
Aizen recognized that voice, and secretly smiled underneath his restraints.
'This couldn't be more perfect.'
The visitor untied some of Aizen's restraints, so he could speak and see his visitor. For the first time in a while, he could see again. To his displeasure though, it'd been a while since he used his eyes, looking at the light was quite uncomfortable. Aizen instinctively closed his eyes, trying to get used to it.
He could feel his visitor near-by. His eyes were finally adjusting to the light, and he reopened them. One of his eyes was purple, while the other was still brown. The cause of the other purple eye was from the Hogyoku. Aizen looked up at his visitor and gave a smile.
"Now that's a face I haven't seen in a long time", his voice was bit hoarse from not using it.
"Aizen-taichou."
"You still call me that, eh Momo?"
She nodded fervently at her former captain.
"So, has anyone ever replaced me as captain, yet?"
"N-no. Not yet…No one seems to want to take the Captain's seat."
"How…disappointing."
"No ones become captain of the 3rd squad either."
"Really?"
Momo gave another fervent nod.
"Has everyone forgotten about me already?" Aizen smiled.
"No one could ever forget about you, Aizen-taicho."
"Yes, because of how I betrayed the Gotei 13?"
"N-no! I think the best way of remembering you is what a great captain you were! In fact there are still some people that are loyal to you!"
'Her hope in me is truly…amazing.'
"I don't think you betrayed anyone! It's just…its still hard for me to see you like this Aizen-taichou."
Aizen let out a hearty chuckle at Momo's expense, earning a pout from the brunette woman. He almost couldn't believe what he was hearing. Then again this was Momo Hinamori, and she trusted him more than other person in the world. She joined the Gotei 13 because she wanted to get closer to him. It was so easy to take advantage of her feelings and emotions toward him. The Hollow King made an inward smile.
'She's so naïve.'
"If I may be so frank, why are you here, Momo?"
"Well, I uh…" Momo looked away shamefully.
"I mean, you could get into trouble if you're seen with me."
"No! I requested this for a long time non-stop and they finally let me see you."
"You really shouldn't have come if it was worth so much trouble."
The mousy girl stayed silent and didn't say anything to her former captain. Aizen really wasn't that different from the man she knew. He was still soft-spoken and polite; his voice was still smooth and deep, that half-smile extenuated his handsome features, and his calm demeanor. Momo lightly shook her head as she tried reminding herself that man never existed and that it was just a ruse, but it was so difficult. She began falling for those beautiful eyes all over again. The lieutenant of the 5th squad looked at her former commanding officer.
'Aizen-taichou…'
To her, his handsome face still held that caring, compassionate look. Those eyes, though different, to her still looked the same-cool and mysterious. She may have been naïve for thinking these things, but she couldn't help it. Beneath that caring nature, was actually a man who would discard those who no longer served him any purpose. An arrogant man who thought he could get away with any, while using others as simple pawns in his game. A manipulative man that made others turn on each other.
Aizen continued to smile; he could see right through her. It really was easy to manipulate people when they were getting emotional. This was something he excelled at.
'I swear, I can play these people like a violin. Sometimes, its gets rather boring…'
He let out a sigh.
"You should leave; I don't wish to take up your time away from your other duties, Momo."
"There is no where else I want to be right now, Aizen-taichou."
Aizen flicked a piece of his bang away. He'd play this mind game a little longer before escaping.
Momo brushed his hair curl out of the way; looking at him without it reminded her of when he was still her captain. She made forced smile, remembering Aizen as he was. The 4'11 woman bit her lip as Aizen watched her, clearly amused of what she may do.
She placed her hand above his. His eyes staring straight into hers, knowing exactly what was going through her head. He could read her every move, could read her body language and all the emotions she felt at the moment.
"You know the old saying, Momo? The eyes are window to the soul," Aizen said in a calm voice and smiled.
Her lips quivered as he looked at her. He really did seem like the old Aizen that she knew. She straightened up and placed something on his lap.
"Hn?"
"I'll be going…" Momo said shamefully as she made her way to the door.
"?"
Aizen blinked twice, slightly confused as to what his former lieutenant was doing. He looked down at the object on his lap and smiled. The Espada leader laughed inwardly; what a wonderful thing she had given him! Aizen wondered how she got hold of it. He would have thought that the Gotei 13 would keep this under lock-and-key since it was such a dangerous thing; especially, if he, the rightful owner, were to be reunited with it. Then again, she was his lieutenant and it would be quite understandable that they would leave it in her capable hands.
It was his blade, Kyoka Suigetsu, the blade of dreams, the sword that could hypnotize anyone. A Zanpakuto that had everyone fooled, and for so long. Even if they knew it was false, there was nothing they could do about it; once hypnotized, there was no escape but a slow and painful death. It was perfect blade for someone as cunning and deceptive as him.
While he had been planning his escape for some time, but now that he had his Zanpakuto back, it seemed appropriate to escape now. Aizen let out a small flush of reiatsu, it whorled around him. As quickly as it appeared, it disappeared. The bindings around him weakened, from the sudden flush of energy. They weren't used to the sudden pressure and waned. His power was returning, with new resolve. Now that he had his sword again, he would and could destroy all those that got in his way. For now was the time of his long awaited freedom!
Aizen's blade called to him, and he let out more and more reiatsu. His bindings weakened with each flush of reiatsu, until finally all his bindings came undone.
He stood up from the chair that he had been restrained to for so long, and stretched a bit. The former captain of the 5th squad, flexed his muscles, craned his neck, doing whatever to make his body less stiff. He looked down at himself, though some of the bindings remained in place, he didn't seem to mind this. It wasn't that it wasn't uncomfortable; it was that he didn't want to run around in nearly nothing.
As his massive reiatsu encircled the room, it was beginning to draw unwanted attention. But Aizen didn't really care; he still needed to finish escaping. He attempted slicing through the door; however it didn't seem to waiver.
"Hm…seki-seki? It seems they're beginning to learn. No matter, there are other means of getting out of this cell…"
Aizen strolled down the long dark corridor of Avici. He heard footsteps of Shinigami approaching but paid no mind to the lowly ranks.
"There he is!"
"Try to contain him, men!"
"Call one of the Captains!"
Aizen listened to these idiots, smiling. They honestly thought that they could contain him? How ridiculous. He didn't want to have to kill these Shinigami for they were only doing their duties, but they were in his way, there would be more approaching and he didn't have a choice. With a simple flick of his wrist, one of the guards' heads went rolling on the ground. His blood splattered all over the walls of the corridor and some of his comrades. Looks of fear, shock, and anger were plastered on their faces. Aizen moved closer, chopping, slicing, stabbing, and slashing at them; they were bothersome flies. Blood coated his blade, and the half-smile that was always on his face, didn't waver. He let out a sigh.
'Why can't they see it's useless?'
Brushing off what just happened; Aizen realized he was getting a bit rusty. So he was actually quite glad that those guards came. Continuing on, he moved through the other levels of Avici, slaughtering the on-coming guards that crossed his path. One came close to Aizen, his blade came close to Aizen's abdomen, but he easily blasted him away the guard with a simple Kido.
"Hm…it looks like I overdid that one," Aizen told himself as he looked at the half-burnt corpse.
"Oh well…time to move along."
The other guards around him were too frightened to fight back and began running, which Aizen didn't mind at all. He decided that he had time to stroll around while escaping, and he was quite unsure of the passageways here. So the Hollow King decided to follow the fleeing Shinigami. As he made his way up the stairs that led outside, he heard a particular voice.
"AIZEN!"
Aizen turned to see his new opponent, his smile growing wider.
"Ah, Toushiro. I believe a greeting is in order."
"How the hell did you get out of your cell?"
"I suppose I had some assistance."
"Damn! Ill put you back in there then!"
"I see you still haven't fixed that temper of yours, Toushiro."
The miniature captain charged at the former Captain, their swords crossing. Aizen pushed off Toushiro, and aimed a slash at his torso. But Toushiro managed to back away, firing an ice dragon from Hyorinmaru. The traitorous Captain looked at it half-amused before slicing it in half and using shunpo to appear in front of his opponent. Toushiro flinched for a second; surprised but recovered when he saw Kyoka Suigetsu nearly come in contact with his heart. He shunpoed a few feet away, just out of Aizen's reach but was surprised when he saw Aizen appear behind him.
"!"
"Enough already."
Aizen slashed at the small of Toushiro's back, blood stained his captain's haori. He gasped as he watched Aizen walk away, but he wouldn't give up.
"Bankai!"
Aizen continued walking away, ignoring the icy air, his brown hair rustling slightly.
"AIZEN!"
The former Hogyoku master sighed at the miniature captain's attempt in reining him.
Toushiro zoomed forward, coating the floor in frost and the walls in ice. His rage began to take over again. He quickly turned around and blocked Daiguren Hyorinmaru, the half-smile on his Aizen's grew wider.
"I'm going to cut you into pieces!" Toushiro bellowed.
Aizen snapped his arm back, seeing at tiny opening in the tiny captain's stance and attack, so he exploited it. He made a horizontal slash, making a deep cut across Toushiro's sternum. Toushiro made a groan of pain, but continued on attacking. He needed to wipe off that smug look off Aizen's face, bearing his teeth at the former captain.
"I think the reason she came by is to say she wants to join me."
"Bullshit!" Toushiro charged again, coughing up blood. He was in the perfect position and raised his zanpakuto high, ready to behead the brown-haired former captain.
"Since when did you get the impression that I was actually going to allow you such a weak attack?"
"?"
Aizen slipped his blade underneath Toushiro's guard, and slashed upward. Blood splashed everywhere, and the wing of his Bankai broke off. Air rushed from his slash slamming Toushiro back against the wall, and he hit his head against it. The wound on his back didn't help with this either and he was on the floor, gasping for air. His aqua eyes stared into Aizen's brown and purple ones, before blacking out.
"You're weakness is that you get to emotional."
Aizen turned around and began continuing his escape. He was nearly at the door, when he saw dozens of Shinigami standing in front of the door. The former captain sighed at these people; they really didn't know when to give up. He eyed them for a little while; some of them were so scared they couldn't even hold their Zanpakuto still. Aizen let out a soft chuckle at the troops.
"All of you really shouldn't try to fight me if you're really that frightened."
However, they stood their ground. Aizen gave a disappointing shake of his head, and sighed.
"Alright then, lets begin" he said in a soft voice.
Within seconds, the guards were lying on the ground. Half of them were dead, the other half, unconscious; it was like they didn't even know what hit them. For the few that were still alive, they groaned in pain and anguish as they watched the prisoner escape.
"You should stay there and rest" Aizen said, in his signature soft, deep voice. He stepped outside the door, free from Avici. Aizen knew he wasn't quite done escaping yet; even though he was no longer inside the prison, it was still possible for him to put him back. He felt the reiatsu of approaching captains, they would only prevent his escape, and he'd be imprisoned again.
But instead of frowning at the Gotei 13, he smiled. He heard more footsteps from more troops. Ignoring them, he took a moment to enjoy freedom.
The sunlight that eluded him in that dingy cell was now shining on his face. He felt the wind lightly rustle his brown hair and brush up against his skin. The former 5th captain let out a long exhale, hearing someone shunpo behind him.
"How did you escape?" Kyoraku asked curiously.
"Sorry, I don't have time to explain. I've other engagements to tend to."
"I don't think so!"
"Capture him at once!" Genryuusai commanded.
Byakuya used Bakudo #4, only for it to be blocked by Aizen's Danku. Soi Fon, Byakuya and Ukitake circled around Aizen to his left, while Kyoraku, Kenpachi, and Komamura circled around to his right. Aizen watched quite apathetically as they approached, but it was in vain when a beam of light enclosed around him.
"!"
"No!"
"Not again!"
Aizen stood in the negaccion as he was slowly being lifted up into the sky. He watched the Gotei 13 watch him escape for the second time to Hueco Mundo. The looks on their frustrated faces, they could do nothing while he was in this field. He turned his attention back to the door to see Toushiro stumble out from it, bleeding and heaving. Tousiro's face cut to ribbons, while his sweat was mixing with his blood. Frustration and anger crossed the youth's face as the man that inflicted these wounds was getting away again.
As Aizen ascended further into the sky, he looked down to see Momo. Her face twisted with shock, awe, and possibly pain as he escaped again. Aizen knew exactly what she was thinking; she longed to go with him; to escape with him to the realm of the Hollows. At first he smiled then he laughed, grateful of Momo's assistance on his escape. The Menos Grande above roared and struggled in the Garganta, waiting for their master to return to Hueco Mundo.
He would not underestimate anyone this time, even if they were as weak as they seemed. He would not allow his emotions like Pride and Wrath to get the better of him, for they would cloud his better judgment. Like before, he would plan out things far ahead, calculating every possible outcome for his benefit and exploit the enemies' weakness. He would take advantage of every opportunity that was convenient for him and make impossible ones, achievable.
"I should really thank all of you. You made me realize the flaws in my previous plans, and now I know what proper action to take. So thank you, Shinigami."
The Gotei 13 watched as the Menos Grande took him in their possession, like they had done so long ago. Aizen turned his back on the others below, ready to retreat to his old palace and rebuild his army. He took one last glance at Momo, before allowing closing the Garganta behind him and the negaccion to disappear.
Please review! no flames please...