A/N:
This is a one-shot that was co-written with author Balsa (idea conceptualised by her) in a sort of informal conversation relay that we had.
The setting is before Aizen exposed himself as a traitor of the Gotei 13.
I managed the part of Aizen while author Balsa managed the part of an OC and we took turns writing.
I got her permission and decided to post this because the concept of having two different people's writing style in an interplay was rather interesting.
Whether this continues or not would depend on how much me and author Balsa continues to correspond, and even I have no idea where this story is heading, but I guess that's the fun part of writing with someone :)
Balsa
A woman with pixie cut short coffee brown hair, sapphire blue eyes with specks of violet that made a person want to just stare at them, with snow white eye shadow like marks surrounding her narrow eyes contrasting her pale olive skin. she moved with grace in her standard shinigami white uniform, she denied the dark black color and also wore a haori of her own, a beautiful one with silver dragon scales, it was not recommended to wear a haori unless you were a captain but not forbidden, so she was not breaking the rules.
The woman moved her large hand and with her long, dexterous and elegant fingers she gripped a coffee cup and took a pot of coffee and began to pour it, she poured it like she were pouring champagne, not a drop escaped the cup. She went to move her long, bare foot only to fall and break her favorite cup. Shards were everywhere. "Oh dear, clumsy me." She said as she began to clean up the glass.
This woman was beautiful yes, but clumsy and strict. But also noble and intelligent. At times, however she was just comical and amusing to watch much like a comedy on daytime television to pass the day. Her behavior lightened every soul reapers day and brightened the mood of others. There was also something different about her, she was a human but so far no one was none the wiser. She is from a different world, not even the world of living; but another dimension. Nobody could feel their spiritual pressure because she did not have any. At the moment she was in Division 5. She was currently an unseated member.
enjaes
Like it always was in Soul Society, the sky took the shade of an innocent baby blue with wisps of clouds languidly floating through the air. The activity around the Fifth Division barracks was carrying on as usual, with most of the Shinigami participating in morning training under the supervision of their Lieutenant.
At this time of the day, their Captain would usually be in his office shifting through the stacks of paperwork that was the bane of every Captains' existence. Unlike the other Captains who start their day and report in to office as and when they like, their Captain was a man who was stricter with himself than he was with others. Following the schedule of a regular Shinigami officer in the Fifth Division, Sousuke-Taichou always made sure to arrive at the same time every morning to work on his reports, before then leaving after lunch to deal with inter-division matters.
Today, however, was different.
Aizen Sousuke was heading out to meet with another Captain upon having received some disturbing news first thing in the morning. Following the route out of the administration building, he walked past the office of the unseated officers just when the breaking of glass could be heard.
It was that woman.
Aizen prided himself on being able to read people like a book. He knew exactly what words to use to persuade the most stubborn of men, what actions to make to completely hide his true motives, and what intentions people had whenever they approached him – and he never hesitated to use his skill to get whatever he wanted.
This woman was different.
Aizen couldn't say for sure what it was about her that made him so wary, but he felt the need to keep her close, which was why he had accepted her into his Division.
'Are you alright?' Aizen asked as he strode into the room toward her desk, acting as the kind Captain he was. 'Please don't cut yourself by using your bare hands to pick that up.'
Balsa
The woman known as Balsa Tachibana, regardless picked it up she was stubborn despite being calm and collected all the time. Her calm demeanor rivaled that of captain kuchiki and appearing distant unfortunately had others paying attention to her. They always wondered why she was so distant? Why did she not socialize?
Simply so she would not form bonds. Forming bonds could endanger by using her 'friend' to threaten her or them. She did not want this. But she worked hard, cleaning, making meals for the division and sometimes did paper work.
This woman was from another world therefore her lack of reiatsu was sure to attract a certain captain; Aizen Sosuke. Balsa forgot about this when she entered the academy; they called her a prodigy for she even without Kido and a zanpakuto was able to graduate in just 3 years. Which of course would interest Aizen. She still wished she had been more careful.
"Yes I am fine." The woman said as she now had the pieces in her hand, she usually ate reishi and alone at that so having him there was not helping. If he saw she ate reiatsu like a hollow then she would further interest him. So she waited for him to leave. Of course she might have to throw her 'food' away because it would be strange not to.
enjaes
Balsa Tachibana - that was her name, Aizen recalled. She was an intriguing woman.
Unlike most Shinigami who would be vying for the attention of a Captain like him, she always seemed to avoid him like the plague. Even with her facade of indifference, that much he could see.
Even now, Aizen could hear the subtle intonation in her voice that indicated dismissal, as if she wanted to be left alone even after Aizen had clearly placed himself right in front of her.
Balsa was quite the popular Shinigami in his Division, regardless of her somewhat cold demeanour. Everything she did was done with utmost care, and her attention to the smallest detail like the temperature of tea certain Shinigami preferred, made all the Shinigami feel comfortable and at ease in the barracks when she was around. Occasionally, Aizen could see that their eyes also subconsciously gravitate toward watching her movement when she was carrying out her office duties, and he could understand why. She was a pretty thing, and she stood out with her unique dressing.
All that, however, was not enough for Aizen to dismiss her peculiarities. She was an enigma - one that Aizen was determined to figure out.
'Alright, please be more careful next time. I wouldn't want my officers to come to any harm under my watch.' Aizen looked directly into her eyes as he said.
Leaving the office, Aizen paused for a short moment to extend his senses to detect reiatsu.
There was still nothing.
Balsa
once alone, she hoped she was, she shoved the glass in her mouth, it tasted like that candy bracelet you would were during child hood, the colors of the rainbow ever so present. A sweet taste to her abnormal palette, She crunched on the ceramic glass savoring its taste. She could taste the bitterness of the coffee which complimented the sweetness of the glass.
She at the moment was occupied if anyone was to walk by or in her office she would be distracted to notice. Scratch that, it tasted much better than a candy bracelet though it did taste similar to it. Maybe belgian candy. She looked for any more she might have left behind and ate the bits.
Suddenly a blue aura; blue as the sky surrounded her and a strong shock wave would explode from her. When she ate in animate objects or food it always did this and it also healed any wounds she had. But, when she did she blamed it on the wind outside for she always kept the windows open and ate close to the windows, for nobody seemed to be able to see the blue aura around her otherwise they would have not fallen for it each time. As for the wounds she kept them bandaged regardless of it regenerating.
She looked up seeing someone at the corner of her eye and saw Aizen, how long had he been standing there? With the shocked expression in his face, the whole time. She stood there frozen, stupefied for the first time. "How long have you been there? I thought you um...left captain." She should have made sure he did not comeback with second thoughts; like forgetting to mention something like he usually did.
enjaes
Balsa was eating reishi - Aizen had been watching her like a hawk from the entrance.
When he felt a sudden spike pressure from the room while walking away earlier, he immediately turned to walk back from where he came, and he was glad he did.
This woman looked entirely like a Shinigami, but she was actually a hollow?
No - Aizen backtracked on his thoughts - if she was a hollow, he, with his keen senses, would have known about it from the start. She was something else, but Aizen couldn't figure out what.
Right then, Balsa looked like a rabbit caught in a hunter's trap, with her bright blue eyes enlarged and her soft lips drawn apart.
Aizen could see the worry in her expression, and it was completely justified. With this revelation, Aizen could have her incarcerated, then she would probably be sent to the Twelfth Division for them to use her for research and for them to find out what she was. However, Aizen had already decided that he didn't want to do that, but she had no idea.
Aizen would keep her with him in his Division since she hadn't posed any threat yet, and even if she did move to attack in any way, Aizen was confident that he could stop her. She might have graduated from the Academy in only three years, but Aizen was a Captain, and perhaps the strongest one there was.
He would now be watching her even more closely.
Quickly schooling his expression into one of innocence, Aizen slipped a piece of paper onto another Shinigami's desk and told Balsa that he had only just returned because he had forgotten to leave something behind.
Balsa
"It was the wind," She quickly recovered and said pointing to the open window, "strange how it gets windy a lot." She know he being a scientist at heart might consider her an enigma to be studied so she tried to lie her way out. She did not want to be on his radar like the rukongai. Could this day get any worse? She thought. Suddenly she felt something burning her throat, the heat was unbearable.
Finally she opened her mouth and burped fire from her lips. It had burned so bad in her esophagus so she wanted it out , but she never would have guessed it was fire. Now she had no way out of this one. She hid under her desk. Closing her eyes and rocking back and forth. She was like a rabbit hiding in a hole from the hunter.
What would Aizen do? Would he capture her when she was alone and satisfy his curiosity of her mysteries or would he leave her alone. Was he not trying to create a shinigami-hollow hybrid, would he consider her that? She was not; she was human and somehow owned unique abilities.
enjaes
That display wasn't something Aizen could feign ignorance of any longer - Balsa practically breathed fire while standing in front of him.
Did she know no caution?
Now, she was hiding from him, and the part of him that was attached to his emotions felt a pang of... something - something he didn't want to acknowledge.
Since it was obvious that he had to do something about this or his Shinigami would start to see him as the scary Captain who made a girl hide, he approached her desk as calmly as he could in order to not scare her further.
If this was any regular Shinigami, Aizen wouldn't even bother giving them the time of day. He was very selective in choosing the people he interacted with, and ruthless in disregarding people who were not useful to him. However, Balsa was clearly different.
'I don't bite, I promise.' Aizen spoke to her as gently as he could as he crouched down in front of her. 'I need to talk to you, Balsa. Come with me to my office.'
Aizen had other matters to deal with that morning, but he decided that this was more important.
Balsa
Balsa shook as she looked at him, 'Perhaps he could be trusted, he could not do anything to her even in his office right?' She thought as she stood up slowly with a calm expression. "Then let us speak, make it quick I-I am quite busy." She said calm and collected. She did not know what she was getting herself into. Perhaps he would try something. She would be ready if need be. She was excellent at hand-to-hand combat.
She followed him to his office slowly and cautiously.
enjaes
Like a butterfly coming out of her cocoon, Balsa demeanour morphed from one of terror to one of regal calmness in a matter seconds. It was a glorious experience for Aizen, who was expecting snivelling and cowering to come from the woman, like all the other Shinigami who were afraid of the Captain.
Although he could still sense a touch of trepidation while she followed him to his office, she was stoic and drew no visible attention to herself as she walked behind him.
'Are you willing to tell me who you are?' Aizen whirled upon her the moment they entered his office and the door was closed.
Balsa
"Balsa tachibana, unseated officer of Division 5." She said calmly. But she was a little uneasy. She had her back on the door and had her hand on door knob incase she should flee. "You know who I am."
enjaes
So, Balsa was unwilling to tell him the truth, but Aizen couldn't blame her. She had her life on the line, after all.
Surely, Balsa might have been expecting that Aizen would turn on her and send her to the underground prison based on what he had seen about her previously, so he would have to get the message across that he had absolutely no intention of giving her away.
'Right.' Aizen acknowledged. 'Balsa, I just want to let you know that you should keep your... abnormality to yourself, as I will for you. If there is anything you need help with in the future, feel free to come to me.'
She was a lucky woman to have the backing of a Captain of the Gotei 13.
Seeing that she was silent while trying to digest the fact that he was helping her, Aizen reached behind her to place his hand over hers on the doorknob.
'Have a pleasant day, Balsa. Please don't go breaking any more glasses - and eating them.' The last part was spoken in a whisper as Aizen turned the knob to open the door as an indication for her to leave.
Balsa
"Why are you helping me? What do you want from me?" She asked wanting to know. She knew Aizen as a scientist would not simply ignore her. She had to be careful. Very careful. She froze when he placed his hand over hers. She then did the bravest thing possible she slapped Aizen in the face. He dares to touch her so casually. She thinks not.
enjaes
It took awhile for Aizen to fully comprehend what had happened.
For all his genius, he hadn't expected to the slapped by this woman.
Plotting his murder, maybe, but slapping him?
In all his life, no one - not one person - had ever slapped him before.
The feeling was shocking, to say the least, but Aizen found that he held no anger for the offender. That was a curious piece of information that he filed away for later study.
'I am a very persistent man, so you just have to know that once you are placed under my protection, I will see it through. It is up to you to imagine what you will.' Aizen told Balsa. 'Now leave, before I change my mind.'
Balsa
Balsa stomped on his foot, a glare directed at him "Protection my foot, I know you." She then slammed the door in his face. She heard him hopping up and down as he held his foot. She then walked away.
enjaes
Aizen had found himself a feisty specimen.
The list of things she had done to him already bordered on insubordination, and yet she slammed the door in his face?
He was getting increasingly enticed.
Moving to his desk, he searched for a transfer form for Shinigami within his Division and proceeded to write something on it.
"Balsa Tachibana - transfer from unseated officer to Sousuke-Taichou's personal assistant."
Balsa
Balsa began making dinner for the division. Her culinary skills showed in the way she chopped carrots, celery and onions. She started tenderizing the beef with a wooden chopping board and put salt and pepper on it. She then heard members of the division appearing in the kitchen, their footsteps heard. She soon allowed the roast to finish in the oven. She always had an audience watching her cook.
enjaes
At dinner that day, the notice for transfers were placed on the noticeboard for the Shinigami to look at, and the sole transfer within the Division did not go unnoticed by everyone.
Balsa was to be Sousuke-Taichou's personal assistant, and that was a huge deal.
In previous persuasion by the Division members for Aizen to take on his own assistant, he had refused, claiming that he had no trouble completing his work with ease even without one. Now, all of a sudden, he had taken interest in a Shinigami enough to place her as his personal assistant. This was big news.
The sounds of plates and utensils clashing in the dining hall stopped the moment Aizen walked in. No doubt, this had come as a surprise as the Shinigami were not used to seeing their Captain eat in the same hall as them. Usually, he would pack his food to consume somewhere else or have his meals with other Captains.
Aizen had only one reason for being there today.
His target was the lovely cook who provided homely meals.
Taking his share of food, Aizen approached a table and settled down right across Balsa.
'This smells as good as ever. You're an extraordinary cook - what I would expect from someone I chose as my personal assistant.' Aizen started the conversation in a friendly manner.
Balsa
Balsa suddenly spat out her food, nearly choking. "Personal assistant?!" She asked in shock.
enjaes
'Yes, I clearly put up the notice. You'll start tomorrow and report to my office in the morning.' Aizen supplied as he, ever the gentlemen, offered her his handkerchief to clean up.
Balsa
Balsa took it and slowly wiped her face and the table. "What are you planning?" She whispers so only he can hear. She knew something was up and knew Aizen had not chosen a personal assistant for a while now. So why now.
enjaes
It seemed this woman was going to insist on being suspicious of him.
She was right, of course, but Aizen had never failed to charm people into thinking otherwise before, and he wasn't planning to start now.
'I need your attention to detail and your experience in doing paperwork for me to be more efficient at my job. It helps that you make a good cup of tea as well, of course.' Aizen outwardly explained. 'Try not to be so suspicious of your own Captain, or your fellow Shinigami might sense something out of the ordinary.'
With that, Aizen left the dining hall after clearing his own tray like any other Shinigami.
He had plans to make.
Balsa
Balsa then realized she has to be even more careful, he was planning something and she would find out. One things for sure he wanted her close for some reason.
A/N:
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