Disclaimer: I don't own bleach. if I would...let's just say it's better this way. If I wouldn't.
Inspired by the one-shot of "The Undiscovered Betrayer" of Nathan J Xaxson, and by the song 'Wheel Of Fortune'of Eiko Shimamiya.
Read to understand: there was the first battle in Karakura-Replica, then the Diamond Dust Rebellion, and then a second battle against Aizen-whichI made up. (originally, I write it happens in the original battle in Karakura-Replica, and placed the DiamondDust movie somewhere before the winter war in the Bleach time-line to prove the point of this idea\fic but... after chapter 392 in the manga I had to make some changes so...)
In the first time they fought in the fake town of Karakura, there were lots of causalities, but somehow, there was no winner.
And so, at the end of the winter, the second battle was at its peak, with the Shinigami, Vaizard and Human against the great preparatory of treason and his corrupted ambition to become the almighty God; the former Captain of the Fifth division and Shinigami; Aizen Souske.
The battlefield itself was Karakura-Replica yet again, who was pulled out in 'honor' of it's second major fight with everyone's hopes it'll just end soon.
Or so they believed. Frankly, this battle was already over before it has even begun.
'It's unbelievable how can they take someone for granted so much. They trust these Vaizards even though they openly declared they were on neither's side, but Kurosaki Ichigo's side. Then again, it is Kurosaki... but they also received me back pretty easily even after all that happened with Kusaka and King's Seal... che, I guess they won't expect me to betray them after what happened last time with Hinamori...'
And in truth, it was understandable why would no one suspect him; HItsugaya Toshirou, who hates Aizen more than anyone in the whole wide world, so much that even Hiyori's rage toward Aizen was nothing but a mosquito-bite.
-not the she could do anything anyway. Seems that Hirako Shinji tried to prevent her from coming, specially since she was and still healing after being sliced to half. But it would've been too cruel from him to ask her not to come at such important 'event' (she would want to be there if anything happens), so she was just standing on the sidelines and watching with boiling hatred the battle between Aizen and what was left from his army, and the Shinigami and what's left of their army, along with the Vaizards and the humans.
It wasn't much.
Most of the captains and lieutenant were in no state to fight at full strength, and against Aizen Souske, fighting even with full strength was suicide -if not homicide first --or genocide at that. Luckily, they got Inoue Orihime back, so Soi-Fong's arm was back and she, Kyoraku, Komamura, Kurotsuchi, Zaraki and Abarai, with most of the Vaizards, Kurosaki Ichigo and the Soutaichou were trying to defeat him. Kuchiki Byakuya would have tried too, if not being engaged with Ichimaru gin at the moment.
And luckily Ichimari Gin himself was all Aizen's so-called-army.
As for Hitsugaya, he was watching from the sidelines with few of the lieutenant who insisted to come; obviously being it Matsumoto, Kira, Hisagi, Iba, the Eleventh's, and few others.
He was restricted from fighting. It was too obvious something has changed in him after 'that', and after the case with the King's Seal Soutaichou preferred he wouldn't take part in the battle unless necessary.
"So, anyone got 'n idea how to beat this bastard to oblivion?" asked Lisa in low tone, eyes fixed on her enemy.
"Nop." Replied Shinji
"Perhaps we are missing something here?" suggested Shunsui with weary smile, half jokingly.
"Of course we're missin'g somthing 'ere, Idiot!" retorted Lisa annoyingly. "It's the bastard we're fighting against. Che, He got us good last time."
"It's as if he's waiting for something." Rose Agreed. "For us to attack first, no doubt."
"He really thinks we'll be that riskless after last time?" muttured Soi-Fong. "No, his waiting for something else."
"Or maybe he just trying to confuse us." Kyoraku suggested.
And Yamamoto just observed Aizen. And he really didn't like the smile on the bastard's face.
"Why don't you let me drop you a hint?" Aizen smiled slyly. "Tell me, what is one of the most basic preparation process for an all-out war? Shinigami and Hollow should know this."
"Don't listen to him." Soi-fong hissed, prepering for another attacke. "He still tries to mess with our minds. It won't work!"
"Exactly," Murmured Kyoraku. "Why would he try to mess with our minds if he knows that we refuse to listen?"
"Just another dirty trick." Lisa growled, not believing a single word coming out from the Traitor's mouth. However...
"Are you sure?" Kyoraku murmured in low voice, eyes narrowing as he paid attention to the Captain-Commander.
"I see..." And suddenly all attention was on the Soutaichou as he spoke. "Basic preparations for war...Weapons, soldiers, power...you have gathered it all, but we have forgotten one basic thing." The old leader stated with narrowed eyes. Aizen's merely smiled.
"You are a Shinigami." the Soutaichou exclaimed, and the clever ones of the fighters only started comprehending the Commander's words's meaning. "You're a Shinigami, and on top of that one that yarns to reach as high as you...would not lower himself to such degree as to using mere Hollows for assistance."
And yet, Aizenmade himself his own soldiers -puppets- from those mere Hollows...
...-And destroyed them.
The thinking process was slower than usual for the captains and vaizards. maybe it was because they never suspected anything else -even though it should not be such a surprise, but still-, and when it finally downed on them, somehow, it was still hard to comprehend...
-Ok, it wasn't that hard to comprehend, but after all this... after all of what they had been through, after all what aizen did there's still--?!
...
'Basic preparation process of a war' he said. 'Shinigami should know that' he said.
Shinigami. And with the Soutaichou's words it only means one one thing.
Aizen grinned widely, feeling the tensity and nervousness all around them as they finally figured out what he meant.
"That's right." He said smugly, slowly with deadly note. "Recruits. Every army need soldiers. Of course I had my little Espada-weakling, but they all dead and useless now. And surely you didn't thought I was that arrogant to think I could defeat you all by myself?"
No one said nothing.
"...Actually, I could defeat you all by myself." He mused, making the other stare at him with the burning hate in their eyes doubled. "But what fun will it be?...besides... It is just understandable that I would have a backup plan."
"Backup plan?" the captain-commander almostsnarled suspisiusly. "Is that the reason you left the spies you claim is on your side and hadn't taken them with you like Ichimaru and Tousen?" the old man intrigued.
And just then, in a blink of an eye, blood splashed somewhere from where the lieutenant were watching, when a strawberry-blond-haired woman strode through the astound lieutenants as she got them from behind.
They surely didn't see this coming, even the Soutaichou, who was staring with raged eyes burning holes in the traitorous brunet, his gears turning in his head as he started understanding the true meaning of this.
"For how long, Aizen?"
"I'm afraid that's the wrong question, Yamamoto-Sotaichou. But let me give you a hint." The traitorous brunet mumbled almostslightheartedly, knowing that what he will say next would be last draw for all of them.
"Hitsugaya has already betrayed you once, didn't he?"
And that was the end.
...
'Embodiment of a heavenly guardian that reincarnates every few centuries.'
That's what Ichimaru called him once. And it was the obvious reason for him, considering his young age and ability and skills to be considered highly enough to receive the mission of escorting and protecting the King's Seal to it's new location.
And if Aizen Souske knew this, as well as knowing the next time the Seal will change hideout just like knowing the method of creating the King's Key and about the Hokgyoku, it was just like him to predict who exactly will be chosen for the mission.
When cutting through the boy in the Central 46, Kyoka Suigetsu did more than just spill his blood.
...
"I told you, haven't I?" Aizen'scalm words echoed loudly once again as his sly smile spread on his face when Ichimaru Gin and Matsumoto Rangiku appeared at his side, white robes with grinning face and strawberry-blond hair with indifferent expression fluttering behind the two, shining red-stained blades in hand. "This battle will end without me having to lift a finger."
many pairs of wide eyes turned slowly to look behind, as the true reason of Aizen leaving behind the other treacherous lieutenant and her captain that were recruited to his side downed on them. The shocked brown eyes of the orange-haired showed despair and confusion on his blank expression, as he took one glance at the white-haired boy floating eye-level behind him with the golden stamp clutched in his open palm.
'Toshirou...why?'
The only answer he received was in the cold, merciless and cruel glare of these wide shining teal orbs.
'Why not?'
Really, it's not like Soul-Society has ever really done anything for him to worth living.
Not Hinamori; who proved herself to be less than trustworthy when pointing her sword at him so long ago -and been so easily manipulated, too. Not that he didn't care about her, but because of her being a Shinigami her fate was sealed by Aizen's hands. Her fate, and his misfortune. Just like Kusaka, he killed her the moment his sword pierced her chest. Kusaka too, who did the exact same thing long time ago.
Not even Matsumoto, who eventually turned to be apathetic like him, not knowing what is worth anymore and doing what she did merely to try and understand himself and Ichimaru, who she owes her life to.
Not even himself. He never wanted all this power -not when it costs so much. Hyorinmaru too, proved to be quite treacherous himself, making two Shinigami -most talented students who just so happened to be best friends- wield and fight over his powers to death.
And really, they should have seen this coming. It's not like it wasn't expected; after all, the signs were all there, weren't they?
Not about his treason, just the fact that he wasn't so much as loyal to Soul-Society from the very beginning. He never really cared about his position or his ho-so-dear Shinigami status.
For example, he never hesitated breaching the gate into the forbiddings of the Central 46 when investigating Aizen's so-called-murder and Ichimaru. He never hesitated going into a battle with another captain with a released Shikai while it was also forbidden. The strongest hints were probably when he said so bluntly that he didn't care of loosing his position as long as Aizen's dead, back in the first fight in Karakura-Replica, and his departure once, leaving in a middle of a crisis and making everyone think he had betrayed them, especially in a time like that time.
But in truth, Aizen himself never made an effort to pursue him. Never. It's just that after having to face his memories back fron the academy once again he finally understood why Aizen was doing what he was doing.
By the time he had successfully retrieved the King's Seal with Kurosaki's help, his mind was made up, and he was no longer on the Shinigami's side.
He successfully sealed any emotions, if he even had any left by that time, after that 'insident' Aizen pulled on them -on him- in the previous battle.
Matsumoto however, was a sudden surprise. She didn't knew anything...but she knew him. It seems she has long since known that his loyalty doesn't lay withing the ranks of the Shinigami, and that feeling only increased during the incident marked as 'The Diamond Dust Rebelion'. She always suspected something, did she?...
No. She knew. She knew everything all along.
Has Aizen planned this, either?...
Well, it doesn't matter. From the very start, it wasn't Aizen's hypnosis or a delusion that turned him to the dark side to begin with. Aizen's actions simply were good arguments itself to convince him, and it wasn't very hard, either.
The Baunto. The Mode-Souls. Quincy. Vaizards...and worst of all; the core of all that's rotten; the Central of the 46 chamber.
And himself; with grunny, Kusaka, Hinamori and ...he was nothing but a living-walking jinx, a Bad Oman who brings nothing but pain to his dear ones.
No. It was something he knew all along, that stunt Aizen pulled out with Hinamori Aizen was simply the last straw.
And Aizen himself knew it all along.
Never, neither of the Shinigami or the Vaizards have actually realized exactly how far Aizen Souske had planned this. It was so obvious now that the stnt with Hinamori was planned from the start.
And so, Hitsugaya knew he was just another pawn in the devil's clutches.
But now, he really didn't care anymore.
He was too tired from all of this to care anymore.
The golden stamp in his palm started glowing.
The last thing they saw before being consumed by the darkness was white.
The Diamond Dust was in the winter. the winter war was..well, in the winter. so THIS is placed after those two, in the END of the winter.
P.s: it seems a lot of readers have problem to see the COMPLETE mark on my fics lately. This is DONE, people. ONESHOT. NO CONTINUEWE~ Understood?
review!