Disclaimer: I don't own Bleach in any way. I only have my deep admiration and a mini Hershey's bar. I know, I know what you're thinking. "A Hershey's bar? Sweet!"
Aizen Sousuke was still in shock.
One moment he had been walking down the hallway and the next, he was in some kind of large throne room. In a split second, his mind noted seven things; one, he was in Hueco Mundo; two, he wore white instead of his traditional black Captain's robes; three, his hair was combed back on his head, with one twisting brown lock allowed to fall in front of his face; four, there was an odd, powerful pressure in his chest, and he felt far too strong for his liking; five, he had no idea what the heck just happened; six, he was sitting on a large chair-some kind of throne? Very egotistical, if you asked him-in the middle of the white room; seven, he had no idea what the heck just happened.
But in that split second, the hogyoku sensed the change, the sudden shift from a malicious, psychopathic megalomaniac with an obsession with perfection to a calm, kind, dependable Captain with the countenance and will of a steady rock and the unshakable strength to be one for his friends and comrades.
The effect was almost instantaneous.
All the Arrancars felt it. Most notably, the Espada.
Aaroniero Arruruerie (9th) yelped. "What the hell!" The greed and malice that had filled his very soul was suddenly ripped away, leaving him slightly disoriented.
Szayelaporro Granz (8th) paused, feeling a little confused. The madness that had driven him was now-well, no it wasn't gone. But it was . . . devoid of the black malevolence that had covered his hands like blood, glinted in his eyes behind the frames of his glasses and dripped from his tongue and into his words.
Now he was no longer evil. Just insane.
Zommari Rureaux (7th) stopped. Considered. And decided that he would really like some tea right then.
He walked off to see if Szayel would like to join him for a cup.
Grimmjow Jaegerjaquez (6th) stopped in the middle of where he was ambling across the white sand. He'd been about to give it a good kick just to try to alleviate a little of his boredom when he'd felt it. "What the hell?" he exclaimed. He suddenly wanted to go find that orange-haired Shinigami and taunt him into a friendly spar. Except that's just what it would be.
Friendly.
"What the hell?" he repeated, voice rising in volume.
Nnoitra Gilga (5th) looked up in mild curiosity. He absently noted that he should really get rid of that hood thing, as it was slightly irritating him. "Did you feel that?" he asked.
Orihime Inoue looked at in him confusion and a bit of fear. "Feel what?"
Nnoitra mused over it. "Hmm. I think something's changed."
Orihime stared at the abruptly very different Arrancar. She wondered if he had Multiple Personality Disorder or something. That could only account for the way he was acting.
Nnoitra shrugged and looked way, way down at the young girl, for he towered over her. "Do you wanna get some tea?"
Ulquiorra Cifer did not change expression, but he, too, felt the shift. He walked over to a bookshelf and perused the books before pausing on one and sliding it out. He held it carefully and, turning, made his way to the main meeting room where Szayel would invariably be setting out some tea.
Teir Harribel (3rd) calmly gazed at her friends, Emilou Apacci, Cyan Sung-Sun and Franceska Mila Rose. They looked back at her. "Something has changed," Cyan murmured.
Emilou frowned fiercely. "Do you think the others felt it?"
"We should get some tea," Franceska proclaimed. They all agreed.
She sensed it.
She knew.
Nelliel Tu Odelschwanck (previous 3rd) tipped back her face to look up at the sky. Then she turned and began to determinedly make her way to where she knew the other Arrancar were.
She knew herself now. She knew them. And she would know them again.
Baraggan Louisenbairn (2nd) hesitated. What had he been doing again? The old man, both in appearance and age, pondered for a moment. Then-
Ah! That's right; he'd been about to go get some tea, hadn't he?
"Wow! Didja feel that, Starrk? Ya know what that means?" Lilynette Gingerbuck aked gleefully.
Coyote Starrk (1st) opened his eyes and sighed.
"Tea!" she yelled. "And fer that, ya gotta get up!"
"Do I?" he mumbled, placing his arm over his eyes.
"Yeah! C'mon, Starrk!"
"Urgh."
Yammy Llargo (0) lumbered over to his blind colleague and poked him to make sure he knew he was there.
"Yes, Yammy?" Kaname Tosen asked softly.
"Tea," Yammy explained.
Tosen paused. ". . . I see."
Satisfied, Yammy turned and began his way to the meeting room, Tosen following behind.
Gin Ichimaru sat in a long-back white chair in the meeting room and observed the Arrancars. Something was very, very wrong here. They were all calmly drinking tea, and none of them were arguing or insulting each other. They were even making small talk, which was just unheard of.
And then the doors opened and Aizen walked in. Everyone turned to look at him.
Aizen hesitated. "Ah . . . hello."
The Arrancars responded with mixed greetings.
Aizen coughed. "I suppose you're wondering about what's happened . . ."
Baraggan thumped his cup against the table. "Go on and get yerself a chair and tell us about it, would ya?"
The brown-haired Captain walked over and smoothly sat down in one of the chair. He kept his back somewhat straight, feeling slightly vulnerable without his glasses. He glanced up when Szayel placed a cup of tea in front of him. "Ah, my thanks."
Szayel nodded and smiled and moved to sit in his own chair, holding his own cup gently in his hands.
"Well . . ." Aizen flashed a smile. "I'll explain now, shall I?"
Nnoitra held up a finger. "Hold on. We're waiting for someone."
"Oh. Alright."
They all sat there and sipped their tea.
Nearer, but still a little ways to go, Nelliel scrambled over a sand dune, once again cursing her small form.
Ooh, she would make Nnoitra pay! And then he'd return her to her previous form. And then she'd make him pay again! she vowed.
Back in the meeting room, Nnoitra paused and wondered why he'd felt a chill just then.
A/N
Yes. The hogyoku made them all crave tea. Because the hogyoku is secretly an addict.
What? It was the only thing I could think of to get them all to go to the meeting room at the same time. Besides, I like tea. Especially with half-'n-half.
Somehow, I get the feeling that you don't really care. Unless you do, and you're thinking, "Hmm, half-'n-half, eh? Interesting. I must get this to NASA, stat. I'm sure the scientists will find such fascinating and stimulating knowledge invigorating!"
Or not.
By the way, I added the Espada's numbers because if I hadn't looked it up, and I was the one reading this, I wouldn't have a clue which ones they were. You're welcome.