A/N: This is to be the first story in a series of one-shots about that fabulous pink-haired Espada, Szayel Aporro Granz. This is also my first attempt at fanfiction, so as of right now I'm merely trying to capture the different aspects of his personality in writing as sort of practice for later fics. I would really appreciate any reviews you may give me so that I can learn from my mistakes in this practice series and become a better author!

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters mentioned in this series, but Tite Kubo does. If you wish to steal them, I would recommend breaking into his house and not mine.

Caustic
Able to burn, corrode, or destroy living tissue

Szayel Aporro Granz pushed up his glasses before leaning down to check the progress of the distillation. Vapor rose from a boiling solution before passing down a condenser tube and dripping out the opposite end into another flask as a clear, colorless liquid. Everything looked to be in order, so far. His amber eyes drifted to the thermometer he had inserted: 83.2 degrees Celsius. A small grin curled the corners of the Octava Espada's lips as he straightened from his stooping position; he had achieved scientific perfection once again.

Of course, anything less than perfection was unacceptable. The invention of a new toxic weapon to corrode an opponent's spiritual power was only a small favor to his Lord Aizen, but Szayel refused to allow this project to end in anything but success. Failure would be an intolerable affront to his abilities as a scientist. This was also the reason that Szayel had performed each of the steps leading to the toxin's creation himself instead of leaving it in the hands of his thick-skulled fracción.

Now the effort he had put into the project was about to pay off. The distillation was almost complete, and the first sample of Szayel's newest spirit-weapon was nearly ready to be tested. Testing his own weaponry was his favorite part of the entire creative process. For him, seeing his subjects' contorted faces as they screamed in pain and terror was the ultimate confirmation that he was both a formidable weapons designer and a flawless scientist.

Szayel clasped his hands behind his back and contented himself with thoughts of testing his toxin as he watched it drip slowly from the condenser. He didn't immediately notice when a particularly dim-witted fracción carrying a large tub of orange fluid approached him from behind and began to bounce and chant, "Master Szayel Aporro! Hello, Master Szayel Aporro!" Szayel DID notice the presence of his subordinate after some of the orange liquid he carried splashed from its tub and landed on the back of one of Szayel's shins, turning a large portion of his hakama orange and sending a burst of pain up his leg.

An expression of surprise took over his features as Szayel glanced quickly down at his ruined pants. It was soon replaced by a snarl, and in a burst of rage the scientist seized the flask containing his freshly distilled toxin and drenched his shocked fracción with its contents.

Nothing happened immediately except that the fracción stopped bouncing to stare confoundedly up at its master. As seconds passed the creature suddenly dropped the tub it was carrying to seize its head with both hands. Shrieks of pain filled the lab as its soul began to corrode, releasing spiritual energy in erratic waves.

Szayel watched this display of agony dispassionately, then glanced down at the empty flask in his hands. The toxin worked exactly as he had planned! He would have to replace the fracción that was currently making a mess as it died on the floor of his laboratory, but such a price was small when it had bought him such an excellent demonstration of this new weapon's abilities. Knowing that it worked, Szayel would now begin to mass-create batches of the stuff for use by the rest of Aizen's army. His prowess as a creator of spiritual weaponry had proven itself again.

Szayel allowed the small grin to take over his features once more.

I know that this one-shot was somewhat dark in nature. In order to give a more well-rounded and complete picture of Szayel, I'll make some of the following stories more... fabulous? Unless, of course, you reviewers out there tell me to write some more about the dark sides to Szayel's personality. In that case, I'll write some of both! So, what did you think?