Moon in the Water

Boyudo

Mikō suigetsu o saguri,
Shi ni itaru made kyūketsu sezu.
Hōshu shinsen ni mossureba,
Jippō hikari kōketsu.

"The monkey is reaching
For the moon in the water.
Until death overtakes him
He'll never give up.
If he'd let go the branch and
Disappear in the deep pool,
The whole world would shine
With dazzling pureness."

- Hakuin

Kyōraku Shunsui tilted his kasa hat upwards as the blaring sun over Seireitei was concealed behind Ugendō. He couldn't hear any coughing this time, maybe Ukitake was feeling better today. The emaciated white-haired man's racking coughing fits were often heard from quite a distance, and one couldn't help but wince in faint sympathy towards the senior captain. But Ukitake Jūshirō was never one to accept pity, which was the likely reason behind his long life, despite his illness. His will to live was beyond admirable. Kyōraku reached the shōji screen at the front of Ugendō, rapping it lightly.

"Jūshirō! All set?" Kyōraku asked in a tired tone.

"Ah, yes. Be right there." Ukitake replied calmly.

"So I can't come in? I brought sake." Kyōraku called out in a sing-song voice, tapping the tokkuri filled with sake dangling from his obi.

"Of course you did, but we're going to leave now, there's no time friend." Ukitake replied, opening the shōji screen, and leaning against the frame, looking tired, but relatively healthy.

"Don't tell me that a little sake isn't needed right now? Especially with such prestigious summons." Kyōraku said, his tone stern, with a hint of humour behind it.

Ukitake let out a deep sigh, looking at his friend with a pained expression, before sighing again – this time in surrender. "Alright. But we'll drink it on the way, I want to get this over with sooner rather than later. There's no point dwelling on it more than we need to. No doubt we'll have a hell of a lot more to dwell on after this..."

Kyōraku nodded his head in silent agreement, handing a second tokkuri to his friend as he closed the shōji screen behind him. He accepted the warm sake with a small smile. The two began walking, making conversation to distract themselves from the task ahead.

"I hope this tokkuri isn't dirty Shunsui." Ukitake began, uncorking the tokkuri cautiously, "Sake won't be great for my throat in the first place, I can't afford to get any unnecessary infections on top of that."

"Nanao-chan cleans them for me." Kyōraku replied absently, waving his hand lazily in an attempt to reassure his friend. "And if you'd rather drink from a sakazuki and make a mess, be my guest."

"You should give her a break once in a while." Ukitake scolded, smiling despite himself at the unique relationship between the first and second seats of the Eighth Division.

"I offer Nanao-chan breaks all the time. We could sleep together under the trees, spend lots of time together, all instead of working."

"I bet you have a bruise to match those poorly chosen words." Ukitake chuckled, taking a long swig from the tokkuri. He usually wouldn't drink this eagerly, but this was a... unique situation.

"You know, Jūshirō." Kyōraku sighed, his arm falling limply to his side, sake in hand. He sealed the tokkuri once again. "I can't stand this wait."

Ukitake nodded in agreement, sealing the tokkuri and handing it back to Kyōraku. The two broke into an effortless flurry of shunpo, coming to a swift stop outside the barracks of the First Division.

"You've heard Yama-jī's reasons for this, right?" Kyōraku asked, turning his head to the side to glance at Ukitake out of the corner of his vision.

"Yes... And it seems there's no way out of it either." Ukitake replied. "But I admit, it is necessary. We need to learn from our mistakes. Perhaps, fear is necessary for evolution."

"Yare yare... We really are getting old, huh?" Kyōraku remarked humourlessly.

"Shunsui, Jūshirō!" A gruff voice called out, dripping with authority. Yamamoto Genryūsai Shigekuni stood outside the doors to his own office. "You have come early. Follow me."

"This really must be serious for Genryūsai-sensei to greet us personally..." Ukitake murmured.

"This goes beyond protocol, no doubt he's pulling some serious strings to make this happen." Kyōraku replied, tilting his kasa downwards. "I doubt Central 46 would be happy that we would even look at someone considered to be so dangerous."

Kyōraku and Ukitake continued to follow Yamamoto down the narrow spiral staircase leading below the First Division. Judging by just how long they had been following this same path, they were now very far below the First Division barracks, but then again, they still had quite a bit of distance to go.

"Jūshirō, you okay, friend?" Kyōraku asked, glancing at his white-haired friend in the darkness. It was troublesome that the prison didn't allow kidō of any kind to be used, even as a source of light.

"I'm fine Shunsui. I'm feeling rather well today actually." Ukitake replied, smiling slightly, "It's just a shame that it's to be wasted on such an occasion."

"Insolent." Yamamoto grumbled, causing Ukitake's back to stiffen noticeably at the scolding. "This is a necessary lesson for you two. The very fact that such a criminal concealed himself amongst us is unforgivable enough. But for the Gotei's senior-most Captains – two of my students – to be amongst the deceived, that is a different matter entirely."

"Then why isn't Unohana-taichō here?" Kyōraku asked the older Captain.

"I have already spoken to Retsu." Yamamoto responded simply, turning away from his students while they continued their descent.

"Genryūsai-sensei, we're probably at the Eighth level by now, right?" Ukitake said, judging his surroundings after a brief silence.

"Correct." Yamamoto confirmed, stopping as the staircase ended suddenly, the darkness making it hard to have foreseen the end of the passageway. Yamamoto placed his only remaining hand on a barely noticeably darker area on the wall. A deep orange outline appeared on the wall, giving off the exact same aura of heat as Yamamoto's reiatsu. The wall collapsed inwards, before disintegrating into much thinner reishi particles until they disappeared from view entirely.

"Genryūsai-sensei, will we be entering the cell itself?" Jūshirō asked.

"No, there will not be another single soul to enter that room for another 20,000 years." Yamamoto replied sternly.

"Not long enough if you ask me..." Kyōraku grumbled under his breath. Ukitake found himself nodding in agreement.

"We will be entering the observation room." Yamamoto announced. "It is not a direct link to the cell, instead, advanced surveillance kidō were set up just before the cell's occupation."

"I see..." Kyōraku murmured, his eyes adjusting to the dim light of the next room. Inside the room were several screens, all showing different camera angles of the prisoner.

"Aizen..." Ukitake whispered, looking upon the prisoner, bond in tight black restraints. Aizen Sōsuke was completely motionless, strapped down onto the chair at the centre of Muken.

"Are you afraid, Jūshirō?" Yamamoto asked, not even looking at his white-haired student, his aged eyes closed tightly.

"Sensei, I... No, but... His aura, it's no different. Even imprisoned, he still exudes such... power." Ukitake said hesitantly. "How he hid it in his days of vice-captaincy is beyond me..."

"A trick of the mind. He gives no quarter." Yamamoto explained. "Certainly, Aizen Sōsuke is one of the most formidable opponents the Soul Society has ever faced in its history."

"If not the most." Kyōraku added, but to his mild surprise, Yamamoto merely shook his head slightly.

"Nevertheless, like all of our enemies, Aizen Sōsuke has been defeated." Yamamoto continued.

"Not without cost to us." Ukitake said solemnly.

"You two have yet to understand war, even after all these years." Yamamoto scolded.

"Yama-jī, honestly, war isn't something I want to understand." Kyōraku replied, with a sad smile.

"Let us get to business." Yamamoto interrupted, bringing his cane to the floor with a bang.

The two senior captains stared at the screens, looking at the treasonous prisoner, ex-captain of the Fifth Division, Aizen Sōsuke.

"Was he always this... impenetrable?" Ukitake asked nobody in particular after half a minute of silence.

"Do you remember him when he was still a Captain?" Kyōraku asked.

"Of course. I considered him... a friend." Ukitake admitted.

"Same here." Kyōraku replied solemnly, "but the chances are, it was all an act."

"Part of me wants to believe that isn't true." Ukitake murmured. "So many looked up to him. For such bonds to be formed, I find it hard to believe it was all a façade."

"Bonds don't have to go both ways, Jūshirō..." Kyōraku responded, his expression hidden beneath the shadow of his kasa. "But you're right. Above all, I... I don't fear Aizen. I pity him. I've read the mission report from Kisuke-kun. More specifically, the section detailing the final battle between Aizen and Ichigo-kun." Kyōraku paused for breath, adopting a troubled expression. "Aizen's emotional reaction upon his defeat... May have been a brief glimpse of his true nature."

"Perhaps." Ukitake acknowledged, "However, it's a second hand source. As much as I trust Urahara-san's descriptive ability and accuracy, I doubt we could tell for sure, without seeing it first-hand."

"Or getting it straight from the horse's mouth." Kyōraku suggested, with a light scoff.

"We are merely observing, Shunsui." Yamamoto said, making his voice heard after remaining silent during his students' conversation. "Were he to be spoken to now, it is likely Aizen would attempt deception. Despite his current position, I suspect he is currently without stress."

"He still thinks he has the upper hand?" Ukitake asked.

"He made that much clear during his trial." Yamamoto responded. "Whether it is arrogance, or confidence... I am unsure."

"I hope for the former." Ukitake grimaced. "But Aizen did show great intelligence. I don't know, judging from Urahara-san's report, Aizen had numerous opportunities to use Kyōka Suigetsu on Kurosaki-san, but seemingly chose not to. We were aware that Aizen showed sadistic tendencies, often toying with his foes. But, to effectively ensure his own defeat... We knew Aizen had an objective, 'to fill the unbearable vacancy in heaven', and Urahara-san wrote in his report that Aizen specifically mentioned the Soul King upon his defeat. What confuses me however, is he had a great deal of interest in Kurosaki-san's development. If Kurosaki-san gave any reason as to why, he didn't mention it. And Kurosaki-san..."

"Fret not, something will be done." Yamamoto answered Ukitake's unanswered question in reassurance. "As for Aizen..." Yamamoto paused, opening his ancient eyes briefly to glance at the surveillance equipment, and the imprisoned man upon it, "Whatever his intentions, he has been pacified and we need not worry about him, until 20,000 years have passed."

"Maybe... his imprisonment was another part of his plan?" Ukitake murmured, causing Kyōraku to send him a questioning look.

"Not a chance." Kyōraku replied, with a half-smile.

Ukitake nodded in agreement, sighing at his own ramblings, before something on one of the monitors caught his eye. It showed a close up of Aizen, and Ukitake had caught what looked like movement out of the corner of his vision.

"I think he's awake." Ukitake observed.

"That is the theory of the vanquished! Victors must always speak of the way the world should be, not the way it is!"

Aizen shifted in his bindings, barely moving a inch in the tight restraints. He was still sticking to his cards on that one. Urahara Kisuke could have been so much more. The barely minuscule pulsing in his solar plexus reminded him that Urahara had actually helped him somewhat, at the very least. Aizen reminded himself that these bindings were temporary, like all things – almost all things. For that reason, an extra 1,200 years was of no concern to him.

"Victors must always speak of the way the world should be, not the way it is!" Aizen's words echoed in his mind once again, forwarded by a shifting and twisted voice, that despite its inconsistency, was recognised instantly by the bound criminal, but in his shock, he couldn't put a name to the convulsing tones. "Sōsuke... You shouldn't yell. Hmm, it's really very unbecoming. Honestly... You recall your own fevered words, yet you fail to notice what your subconscious whispers to you, in tones silenced by your own exclamations. If you were to bathe in the deep silence you find yourself surrounded in, perhaps you would realise the true meaning of the words you spoke, when speech was a luxury yet still afforded to you."

"You..." Aizen mentally murmured in response, "The Hōgyoku-"

"Is dormant." The voice replied, "And I... am very much awake. Now, think. Think Sōsuke. Did the Hōgyoku deem me unnecessary? Or did you?"

"Kyōka Suigetsu..." Aizen said in recognition.

"The one... and many." The Zanpakutō replied, clouding Aizen's vision with its amorphous form, shifting in an unending pattern that Aizen couldn't follow without feeling light-headed. "You can't get rid of me, Sōsuke. I am endless. Now, my dear 'master', give thought. The way the world should be? Not the way it is? Tut tut."

"Have you gone mad since your discarding?" Aizen smirked beneath his bonds, "You speak nonsense. The mirror is broken and reflects a wilted flower. The water has overflowed, the moon... eclipsed."

"Eclipsed by another moon entirely. Because of you, Kurosaki Ichigo almost saw... us. And in truth, there has never been a mirror, nor form at all. As such. you have never seen your true reflection, not since your childhood, when the water was your mirror. Now, in your silent heated state, it fizzles and boils beneath your ever tightening grasp. 'Not the way it is'? Tell me Sōsuke. When were you under the impression that you could truly see things the way they are?"

"I grow tired of your nonsense, leave me, lest you have something of worth to say." Aizen said dismissively.

"Lonely, lonely Sōsuke. Reaching for the heavens, above. Sōsuke, Sōsuke, so alone. Seeking comfort... with a stone. You really are... pathetic, Sōsuke." Kyōka Suigetsu intoned, it's tone turning to disgust. "Listen to your subconscious, the words that whisper when you wake, and deafen when you sleep. I am the mouth behind the words, and I know you can hear me. Rest your eyes, Sōsuke. Be at rest, we can pass the time, just like we used to. Close your eyes, even the bindings don't block out all the light in this darkness, we have to go somewhere where the shadows can't hide the truth."

Aizen's eyes were already closed, but he could feel his already clouded vision slowly seep into an even darker darkness. Kyōka Suigetsu didn't only control the senses of his opponents, after all.

"Aizen-sama, what is that?"

"Kaname... It's nothing of concern, merely my plans taking the desired course. Good news certainly." Aizen smiled softly at his secret subordinate. The dark skinned man shuffled slightly from his standing position, Aizen could sense his curiosity easily, his smile deepened, "It's a missive from goban-tai, Hirako-taichō himself. He has asked me to become his fukutaichō."

"Are you going to accept, Aizen-sama?" Tōsen asked, stepping forwards slightly, eager to hear the answer.

"Of course, it would be best not to keep such an interesting man waiting." Aizen smirked, his eyes glinting behind his thick glasses.

"Is there anything I can do, Aizen-sama?" Tōsen asked, standing up rigidly.

"Your loyalty and enthusiasm is admirable, Kaname." Aizen began, "But I have no task for you as of right now. You're a talented Shinigami, do not let your youth corrupt your potential. One with experiences such as your own should know better than anyone else, the sort of demeanour required here."

"Yes, Aizen-sama." Tōsen said, somehow standing even straighter than before.

"And Kaname, be patient. Above all things." Aizen added, before refocusing his attention on the thick parchment in front of him, continuing to draw flawless and efficient kanji in neat lines before him.

Is that what you wanted? Blind loyalty? A man to follow you without question? Never to ask himself if he follows you for you, or for himself?

A king must be compassionate, loved by his people, so that he may survive. A king requires respect and deserved loyalty, in order to truly thrive and blossom.

But a god... A god doesn't need the sentiments of those below him, as they are out of his reach.

Reach for the heavens, as you may, Sōsuke, but ask yourself, if you can make the ascent... or survive the fall.

"If it would lead you to cease your struggles, then tell me your name."

"Why would I do that, huh? You're just gonna kill me anyway, what's the damn point?"

"It's a courtesy I have yet to extend to any of my subjects." Aizen replied easily, as he held the breakdown sphere in steady hands, pouring his reiatsu into the small orb. "Also, I get the sense that I've met you before somewhere, and I cannot simply pass it off as a meeting in passing."

"Then you go first, Shinigami, what's your name?" The Rukongai citizen demanded.

"Very well." Aizen conceded, "I am Aizen Sōsuke, goban-tai fukutaichō. Now, can we get this over with?"

"Wait a minute! You... You! I know you! You're that weird fuckin' kid, from years back. You've certainly gone places in life. From scrawny kid, to Gotei fukutaichō... to a crazed killer."

"I assure you, your lives are going to a greater purpose." Aizen responded, raising the Hōgyoku to the man's chest.

"What... purpose?" The man growled, glaring at the glowing orb before him.

"To stand on top of the world."

Do you remember why you created that dreaded orb in the first place, Sōsuke?

After all those years of reading, discovering and obsessing over Reiōkyū, the Reiō and his guards... You finally found the key you were looking for:

Becoming one of the Royal Guard.

You certainly had the potential, but when you found out how they were recruited... You were already in the process of invention. But could it measure up to the likes of Nimaiya Ouetsu's Zanpakutō, or Kirinji Tenjirō's healing techniques? You believed so, as did those who knew of your endeavours. You did know however, that your worthy invention was in competition with another identical invention, of an equally – if not more – brilliant man.

Urahara Kisuke secretly shared your aspirations. But like many men who follow the same path, your destinations were different. Through becoming a Royal Guard, you could reach the King easily, no invasion would be needed. The ultimate infiltration.

But much to your dismay... It did not go to plan. Did it, Sōsuke?

"Urahara Kisuke!" Aizen screamed, leaning forward as far as he could in the sealing kidō, as if to amplify the guttural yell. "I despise you! Why does a man of your intellect sit idle?"

Urahara kept his head bowed slightly, not fully meeting the gaze of the other man. Was that pity in his expression? Or understanding?

"Why do you allow yourself to be subjugated by that... that thing?!" Aizen asked in fury.

"By 'thing', do you mean the Spirit King?" Urahara asked rhetorically, pausing briefly, before finally meeting Aizen's gaze. "So you saw it too?"

Both of you saw the lynch-pin, the King of Shinigami. You were fine candidates, called to be tested separately.

Your invention could have been greater than any other before it. Both you, and Urahara Kisuke knew this well. But when you both entered the King's Palace, and stood before Him, blindfolded, and surrounded by His loyal guards, you saw Him. Despite forcing you to avert your eyes, you saw Him.

Neither of you could accept what you saw, but for your own reasons, you persevered. Presenting the Hōgyoku to Him, all it took was a mere glance. Both Hōgyoku were rejected.

Every invention has the potential for both good and evil. The Zanpakutō was the perfect example. A weapon. A tool of murder. Re-purposed to protect, to keep the 'balance' of souls. A companion. The other half of the Shinigami soul.

But... the Hōgyoku. An invention with the sole potential for evil, and evil alone.

"No! Nothing is black and white! Evil is in the eye of the beholder. Perception governs morality!" Aizen yelled in protest, tearing apart the mental images his Zanpakutō was conjuring in his mind.

The King of Shinigami didn't see it that way, did he?

"He can't see beyond the surface." Aizen murmured, "He couldn't see our potential for 'evil'."

It doesn't matter. In the end, you were denied your position in His guard... For now. For such a talented Shinigami, with such a unique Zanpakutō, surely an exception could be made?

"I don't see Hikifune..." Ukitake murmured, his long white hair tied back in a neat ponytail. "Is she not coming today?"

"No." Kyōraku replied, smiling to himself, "She's probably already met up with the others."

"I'm nervous." Ukitake admitted, letting out a deep sigh, walking side-by-side with the other captains. "This isn't exactly sudden, but if they'd taken things a bit slower..."

"True... True..." Kyōraku intoned in agreement, leaning his head back wistfully.

"Man, they're flippin' captains around left and right, huh?" Shinji grumbled, rolling his eyes. "And they just made Rose sanban-tai taichō a few days ago."

"Next is the 12th..."

"Are we really going to be okay going on like this?" Shinji asked.

"Come on now." Kyōraku said in mock scolding, tilting his kasa downwards. "Changes need to happen from time to time. And right now that's just what's happening in the Gotei." Kyōraku stopped, appearing to be deep in thought, before he raised his fingers to count. "Come to think of it, the only captains still around from a century ago are Jūshirō, Yama-jī and myself. Right?"

"No..." Ukitake corrected. "Unohana-taichō's still here."

"Oh! That's right!" Kyōraku said, his eyes widening. "I completely forgot about dai-senpai! She's going to yell at me..." Kyōraku's demeanour became serious once again, as he returned to the topic at hand. "But now, the 3rd captain retires, the 12th gets promoted. They didn't die like the 10th captain... This is a peaceful change."

"Promoted?" A previously silent voice interrupted, which Aizen recognised as his own voice, from all those years ago. It sounded so different. It sounded at home.

"Hey Sōsuke!" Shinji scolded, with a deep scowl.

"Ah, forgive me, I didn't mean to interrupt a capt-"

"It's fine. Don't worry about it Sōsuke-kun." Kyōraku said in reassurance. "What it is?"

"I hadn't heard anything about it," Sōsuke lied, "but Hikifune-taichō isn't retiring, but being 'promoted'?" Sōsuke adopted the best expression of cluelessness that he could muster and continued. "A rank above captain, so... Central 46? Yet, I've never heard of a captain being promoted to Central 46 before..."

"Not Central 46." Kyōraku explained. "She's been promoted to the Zero Squad, the Royal Guard."

Your face became contorted in shock. Others mistook it for curious surprise, but we both know why you were so shocked. You watched as your only chance at the King went down the drain. Hikifune Kirio had taken the fifth and final position within the Ōzokutokumu. Urahara Kisuke had resigned himself to replacing her in her old position of Gotei captaincy, but you were left in the dust, with a slowly dying Hōgyoku.

There and then, your plan had failed.

Until you came up with another. The Ōken.

"Kurosaki Ichigo. Are you really Kurosaki Ichigo?"

"What do you mean?" The ginger-haired boy replied, his gaze steady and calm, holding within them power beyond their years.

"If you are truly Kurosaki Ichigo, then you are a disappointment." Aizen declared. "I do not feel any reiatsu from you whatsoever."

"You did indeed momentarily become a transcendent being by surpassing the boundary between Shinigami and Hollow, however, you have lost that power and are a mere shadow of your former self." Aizen said, staring down at the young human in his grasp, his other arm fused at the wrist to the remnants of his Zanpakutō. Ichigo did not flinch at the horrifying visage glaring down at him, he merely listened to Aizen's egotistical monologue, waiting for him to finish. "In your current state, you are not worthy of being consumed and comprehended by me. You will meet your end at the hands of a true transcendent being!"

You needed Kurosaki Ichigo. With him, you could create the Ōken, the bones of the Ōzokutokumu! However, with the Hōgyoku in your grasp, you forgot your objective, you became a cliché. Nothing more than a twisted villain. You began to hunger more power, even more so as Kurosaki Ichigo began to overpower you. The Hōgyoku corrupted you, Sōsuke! Can't you see?

It sleeps now, and it never needs to wake up again!

Remember your cause, Sōsuke, remember what you set out to do. We can-

"Aizen Sōsuke." A voice interrupted, waking him from his deep sleep by simply calling his name. "Ah, I see you are awake."

Aizen blinked slowly, the visitor had removed the bindings around his eyes and mouth, letting him see that his dark prison was no longer his alone.

"Juhabach, Emperor of the Vandenreich." Aizen called out in recognition. "What brings you to Soul Society, and more specifically, to my place of imprisonment?"

Aizen had a pretty good idea why Juhabach was there. Soul Society had been invaded, and the Sōtaichō had released his bankai, Zanka no Tachi, after all these years. As his bindings loosened, Aizen picked up on slivers of reiatsu. Kuchiki Byakuya and Zaraki Kenpachi's reiatsu were both rapidly fading. Heavy losses and innumerable enemy invaders. It was a rapidly losing battle.

Soul Society could not fall. But... what could he do?

Accept my aid, Sōsuke, we can delay him.

"Do it Kyōka Suigetsu, alter his perception of-" Aizen began to order internally.

Time. Yes, I know. His Zanpakutō replied.

"I came here with a preposition." Juhabach began, pausing to wait for Aizen's reply.

"By all means." Aizen responded politely, smiling slightly, his expression remaining impassive.

"You have been listed as one of five special war potentials, I am extending a formal invitation to join the Vandenreich." Juhabach said in offer, his eyes never leaving Aizen's.

"As gracious as your offer clearly is, I'm afraid I must refuse. You see, I've grown quite used to my current holdings, and I'm quite happy to remain here." Aizen replied, smiling once again, and bowing his head in respect.

"You'll regret making that decision, Aizen." Juhabach warned, his previously polite tone turned dangerous.

"Every decision I make is measured carefully, there is no room for regret in my plans." Aizen explained.

"Even your defeat at the hands of Kurosaki Ichigo?" Juhabach sneered.

Aizen merely smiled, closing his eyes briefly, so that Juhabach didn't see that the smile didn't meet his eyes. "Perhaps you ought to have kept a tighter leash on the boy, Quincy?"

"His sole guardian is his Shinigami father, he is no longer any responsibility of mine."

"You won't try to salvage him then? It's doesn't take a fool to guess that Kurosaki Ichigo is also one of your war potentials." Aizen smirked in return. "The Ryoka boy won't be easy to sway to your cause."

"I don't require his permission."

"What of the other war potentials? One in particular has released his very powerful bankai above us." Aizen chuckled lightly.

"Yamamoto Shigekuni is not one of the war potentials."

"I see. My mistake. But it seems that he has killed your subordinate, you should go, before he kills the rest of your officers." Aizen observed.

"Goodbye, Aizen Sōsuke." Juhabach said in farewell, before calmly pointing two fingers upwards, firing dozens of arrows skyward, easily destroying the thick ceiling above Muken. Not a moment later, Juhabach disappeared in a flash of Hirenkyaku.

Aizen closed his eyes, returning to the familiar darkness he had long since grown accustomed to.

The Sōtaichō is dead, Sōsuke.

"I know." Aizen replied calmly.

Do you know what that means?

"Kyōka Suigetsu." Aizen began. "I am awake, and I am aware."

Kurosaki Ichigo has finally arrived, Sōsuke.

"I felt his presence." Aizen agreed. "Such despair."

He might take him back to the Schatten Bereich with him.

"We've made sure his return will be sooner than he expected, and I trust the boy to fight his way out of capture. I never did get to tell him of his true genetics, I was interrupted before I could finish. I wonder if the boy has any idea as to what he really is?" Aizen pondered.

Juhabach has left, Sōsuke. Tensa Zangetsu was broken, I heard him.

"My goodness. Perhaps that man can help. No doubt he and the others will be here soon."

If they come here, then-

"Then heaven is more vacant than ever."

A/N: This is something that I've been working on for a while. My first venture into Bleach fanfiction. Aizen is an 'interesting' character. I don't think he'll sit idle for the remainder of the manga. Every event will surely come to some great culmination in the end.

No doubt this fic will soon become outdated as the manga progresses, but this fic is, after all, pure speculation.

Merry Christmas/Happy Holidays!