So it's Aizen's birthday but I got writer's block on Aizen oneshots so instead have a bankai planning session! (Part Two/Conclusion will be up tomorrow.)

The brown leaves outside crackled as they blew about in the wind. Inside, a pot of tea sat on the stove, bubbling gently. The captains of the Fourth, Sixth, Eighth, and Thirteenth Divisions sat around a small table, conversing loudly with Ryuken Ishida, Isshin Kurosaki, and Kisuke Urahara.

Not one person would ever mention this, of course, if the Head Captain had ever asked where they went every other Friday.

"It's simple," explained Shunsui Kyoraku. "Aizen's shikai controls our perception, therefore his bankai makes our perceptions reality! Like, if I imagine that the world is ending, the world will start ending!"

"Shunsui, that's too much like your own shikai – I think you're biased." Ukitake smiled. "I think since Aizen's shikai is based off some kind of reflection, his bankai makes a clone of himself!"

Isshin chuckled. "Ukitake-taicho, now who's being biased? Twin swords, so you think it's clones! Ridiculous. Now let's think about this simply: Kyoka Suigetsu means 'mirror flower water moon' so he will attack us with all four."

"Isshin..." Kisuke rose at a knock on the door. "That's just idiotic. Oh, it's Uryu."

Ryuken sat bolt upright. "I was not informed that my son was going to be invited to this brainstorming session on Aizen's bankai."

"Oh, come on, Ryuken." Isshin rolled his eyes. "We've had fifteen of these already, and nobody ever has a different suggestion. I say maybe it's time for a little new blood."

"That's easy for you to say... it's not like we'll ever have to let your son plan anything..."

Kisuke ended the argument by pulling open the door and letting Uryu in. The teen sat between Ukitake and Byakuya and made no greeting to the room except for, "My apologies for being late."

"All right, Kisuke, what's your bright idea?"

"Well, I still contend that Aizen doesn't have a bankai. I mean, he's never used it, and he could have just used illusions to convice people he had one." Kisuke shrugged.

Byakuya shook his head. "If that is true, all the better for us, but we must prepare for the possibility that you are wrong. Besides, I don't think Aizen would use his bankai even if he did have it. I believe he would consider that a declaration that we were his equals."

Unohana leaned forward. "Kuchiki-taicho, please elaborate."

"Well, Aizen is a classic example of what I believe is called a 'god complex'. He believes himself to stand far above mortal beings, worthy of ascending to immortality and omnipotence. Therefore I believe that to use the full extent of his power would be considered an insult to his own self esteem. Aizen would never use his bankai against us unless he believed he could gain even greater power by doing so."

"So we won't see it until he's either won or lost?" Kisuke nodded. "That makes sense. So what is it? Uryu, do you have any ideas?"

Uryu frowned. "Hold on. Kuchiki-taicho, what does Aizen consider us?"

Byakuya thought for a minute, then calmly replied, "Pawns. He merely considers us elements in play that he can maneuver to his advantage with little effort."

"Pawns." Uryu closed his eyes for a moment and leaned back. "He doesn't respect us as equals... because he knows he holds an ability that will ensure that we are never his equals."

By this point everyone was listening with rapt attention. Delving into Aizen's personality to ascertain his powers was a technique that Kisuke, Shinji, and Kyoraku had all tried before, but this teenager seemed to be able to weave all of their misconceptions and wild guesses together into the complex web that truly was the essence of Sosuke Aizen.

"Mind control."

He offered no explanation, and yet all those who knew Aizen believed him. In retrospect, there was only one ability Kyoraku Suigetsu's bankai could possess.

Pawns.

"Pawns." Aizen smirked as he faced down the might of the Gotei 13. "I don't care what they throw against me. There is nothing they can do to undermine my plan."

He had decided, after the disasterous events of the Winter War, never again to trust underlings or even allies to do his job for him. Gin Ichimaru had been a traitor, the Espada were guilty of the even worse crime of incompetence. This time, he would conquer the Shinigami himself, even if he had to use all his power to defeat them.

"Sosuke Aizen." He would never fail to recognize that voice. "Are you prepared to surrender?"

"I should be asking you that very same question, however I will not." Aizen smirked. "Not out of respect for your honor, but merely because I have decided that it is better that none of you should escape this battlefield with your will intact."

He noted a shifting of eyes to a young boy – the Quincy, Uryu Ishida – as Kisuke gave a nod. Uryu nodded back calmly. They had a plan... but there was no way it could succeed against him.

Enough waiting, Kyoka Suigetsu insisted. We can finally move. We can finally end it.

"Very well, then." For once Aizen and his sword were of the exact same mind. "No more waiting, no more plans. Bankai, Kokoro no Dorei."

There was only ever one ability Kyoka Suigetsu's bankai had possessed.

And Aizen looked over the battlefield, the strange, still battlefield. And he felt all their minds captive within his own, slaves to his will, to his power that nothing could ever break.

Sosuke Aizen won the war without ever lifting his blade.

"Kisuke."

"Yes, I know. We are under the influence of his bankai."

"Are you ready?"

"Of course. He didn't really expect it to be this easy, did he?"

TO BE CONTINUED