I do not own Bleach

And no, this NOT a Ichigo/Aizen pairing. I just made the two characters Ichigo and Aizen because they are main characters. I still have no idea what couplings I want do, or even I want to do any. I am just OCD and couldn't stand seeing that second character slot blank.

There is nothing ill that can dwell in such a temple,
If the ill spirits have so fair a house,
Good things will strive to dwell with't.

-William Shakespeare, The Tempest-

Chapter One:
Where the Brothers Dwelled

In all the folds of the universe, the Soul Society had always been credited as one of the most beautiful places to be. The land was like something right out of folklore. Both fantastical and ancient. With ruins from the times of old, and building of the new. With its rolling hills, green meadows, lush forests, blue skies, and air so thick and scented, it could melt all your worries away. It was truly a sight to see. A sight that would burn into one's memory for all eternity.

And it was here, in this almost imaginative world, that men and women- who possessed all the right qualities and strength- could learn to become what was know as a Shinigami. But what were the Shinigami? They were like the Charon of the Hades' Underworld. Psychopomps. Angels. Grim reapers, if you will.

These were the guardians of the dead. The guides to the afterlife.

And even though some of the more introverted characters of the Shinigami race did not show it, each Shinigami took pride in their homeland. Each felt patriotic towards the Soul Society as to Nationalists hold for their countries. And with so much pride within a culture, there came developments, new innovations, art, music…so many wonderfully luxurious things that came from the thriving, beautiful place.

And all Shinigami were happy to live there.

Expect for one.

Aizen Ichigo.

Ichigo roughly sat down on a one of the many benches scattered around the sixth division courtyard. The courtyard was a pretty place, he supposed if you were into that sort of thing, with all the flowers and trees positioned in neat little rows. He never truly understood why his squad had spent the time in placing such pleasant decors.

The courtyard was mainly used for practicing swordplay whenever the dojo became to hot or to full to use functionally. There were no walkways for them to enjoy the plants just sitting there, rotting away in the sun. Instead, there were three, large squared patches of dirt, more evident that these were training grounds. Not to a place to stare aimlessly at the pretty rose bushes!

Personally, Ichigo thought that it had something to do with that arrogant sixth division captain of his. Captain Kuchiki. A noble, who was simply so used to being surrounded by the extravagance, that he would subconsciously always try to reflect his obvious superiority to his subordinates.

Yes, Captain Kuchiki was always quick to remind anyone that he was from a well-bred family, unlike the rest of them. From the way he talked and walked and ate, and pretty much going through his own normal routine while minding his own business. It was odd however, because it just seem to be Ichigo who noticed Kuchiki's need to be aristocratic. Everyone else just thought he was aloof. Ichigo grumbled. He hated his captain almost as he hated those stupid plants that got in the way of his training.

(In truth, Ichigo used to not even care that the plants existed. In fact, he used to never take notice of them up until very recently. An indecent involving him falling into an actually rose bush and nearly bleeding to death had caused him to look at those plants with a savage taste in his mouth. And it gave him further reason to believe that his captain possessed no common sense.)

At least his sister is all right, Ichigo thought, scowling down at the ground. He kicked the dirt and watched with little interest as a slight breeze came rolling over him and the dust swirled around in circular patterns.

Ichigo yawned.

Damn it. He was bored again.

Ichigo had never really tried to become friendly with any of the members in his squad, mainly was because he could hardly stand them. Most were from the wealthier sections of the soul society, and their personalities showed it. Each of them holding that silly demeanor of innocence and thought everything in the world was bright and cheery. Some, he was sad to say, still twitched at the sight of blood.

It had been through his sheer irritation at the lack of backbone in his comrades that he would often scolded them for their trepidations.

"How the hell did you even become a Shinigami if you can't even stab someone with your own sword?" Ichigo had once yelled at a small, cowering girl when she had refused to fight him. "If I were a hollow, do you honestly think I am going to pat your head and go on merry little way?!"

More then once, the Vice-Captain Renji had been forced to step in and have to remind Ichigo who exactly was in charge of the squad. Ichigo, who respected Renji enough (considering what he knew of the man's background) did not to try to rebel against him and gave the courtesy of obedience. But that is where his courtesy ended. He never respected the captain (which was the main source of the bad blood between them) get into constant fights with the people in his squad he simply did not like, and mainly be openly aggressive towards everyone. Even those few people he could stand for more then five minutes.

Most people didn't really comprehend why Ichigo was always so frustrated, acting as if the everyone in the world was out to get him. Why he caused so much trouble with not only his own squad, but with other divisions as well. And what was more, he didn't even try to hide to anger from any of them, yelling at anyone who gave him the wrong look. Overall, not many people really liked Ichigo.

And Ichigo couldn't really blame them. Had he been someone else, he probably wouldn't want to be anywhere near a person like himself.

But in his defense, it wasn't truly his fault for all his pent up frustration. He blamed it on a number of issues (of course), but the root of his anger problem seem to stemmed from the actions of his elder brother. Ever since he was little child, Ichigo could remember being shielded and sheltered by his older sibling. When he had been a kid, Ichigo guessed, he must have felt grateful that his sibling was such an influential man throughout the Soul Society. He looked up to his brother for advice and whatnot, but Ichigo could always remember getting the impression that his brother was always trying to hold him back somehow.

For instance, when Ichigo had become of age, he had wanted to attend the Shinigami Academy with his friends at the time. He thought that he could have easily passed in many of his classes, considering how people always seem to comment on his unusually high amount of spiritual pressure. He would have loved to gone to the school, but alas, his brother had intervene with that dream. The elder sibling had been able to convince the Captain-General to allow him to train Ichigo personally. This might have been a dream come true for some young Shinigami, but Ichigo had felt crest-fallen. He had honestly wanted to go the school.

"But why can't I go, brother?" Ichigo had asked him. "Why can't I go to the school with my friends?"

"Ah, Ichigo-kun. There is no need to feel sad. I am going to train you myself." He had answered.

Ichigo had not accepted this satisfactory, "But, brother…that does not explain why! Why is it that I cannot go?"

It was then his brother had stopped walking, and turned to look at Ichigo. A smile playing at his lips. That smile was the one feature about his brother that had always scared Ichigo the most. "Because Ichigo, you are special." And he said no more on the matter.

And even when it become apparent through their private lessons that Ichigo was indeed going to be a fearsome warrior, his brother still would refused teach him certain techniques. Saying that he did not want to "over exert" him, when they both knew that Ichigo could probably handle whatever was thrown at him.

"Brother! This is stupid! You know I can do something like this!" Ichigo had said, aggravated. "Why won't you give me a chance?!"

"There is not a doubt in my mind that you could do it, Ichigo-kun. However, you're power-ups come in rapid bursts, which makes your spiritual pressure unusually unbalanced. So, until I see that you can handle yourself properly, I won't take the chance in teaching you something that could potentially harm you." His brother had answered calmly, taking off his captain's robe.

Ichigo had said no more on the matter.

But it seemed that it wasn't only in his lessons that his brother was restricting his freedoms. As Ichigo got older, he began to realize that while his friends could venture around the Soul Society as they pleased, Ichigo was usually limited to only a few areas. He had thought, as a child, that this was normal considering he had been with other children living in the area and they all got scolded for venturing away to far. The adults said it was for their own safety they were prohibited from entering into certain places. But as his friends got older and stronger, everyone stopped scolding them.

But they didn't stop it with Ichigo. Even if he was much stronger then his friends.

"Why can't I go in that area?" Ichigo had questioned, gesturing to the area behind the vice-captain of the fifth squad. "It's not like I am going to be eaten!"

She gave him a sad look. "Ichigo, your brother says you're suppose to stay within this district…"

"Why? What's going to happen?"

"He just doesn't want you to get hurt."

"Hurt? Hurt? I am not going to get hurt wondering around the different sections!"

"Ichigo…you should really trust your brother. He's only doing what's best for you…"

"My brother," Ichigo had emphasized the words, "Doesn't know what's good for me! He's an over protective prick who just wants to control my life!"

The vice-captain glared at Ichigo, "Is that all you have to say about the man who took you in and raised you as his own?"

"By this point in my life- yes." And with that, he had shoved his hands inside his pockets and had backtracked. He would have loved to punch the vice-captain and have his own way, but in that moment, he had been feeling quite generous.

It had been from that day onward, Ichigo could not help but feel confined. Controlled. His older brother did have power over every aspect of his life, and Ichigo never got a say in what he wanted to do. And in more recent years, Ichigo began to notice it wasn't just his brother who was putting such a boundaries on his personal freedoms. The whole Gotei 13 seem to be in on it.

They all seem to want to control his life. To make sure he was always under their surveillance. To make sure that he was safe. It was as if they knew something about Ichigo that he had yet to find out for himself. And they were all trying to protect him either from it or for it.

And that was why he was so angered. Always so frustrated.

They were all taking away his free-will, but he didn't understand why. Why was he being so protected?

So, he used violence and anger as a means to try to get rid of all this frustration. But it wasn't enough anymore. It wasn't good enough just to get into a couple of bouts. He needed to get out, to be free from the ropes that held him down to the place he had learned to hate so much.

He just wanted to get away from all of Shinigami of the Soul Society who tried to keep him under their control. To make his own decisions in life. To be the judge of what were his limitations in battle. To learn the techniques he wanted to learn. To be able to roam about freely without anyone trying to prevent him otherwise. But above all, he wanted to get away from his older brother, who in Ichigo's mind was the worst offender of them all. Sosuke Aizen.

Sosuke Aizen was having a very productive morning. He was so busy in fact, that he did not spare a single thought for his younger brother, something that was always on the edge of his mind. But no, his morning had been devoted to in welcoming several new members of the fifth division. After meeting them and concluding that none of them were of true interest, he put up his kind front and had them sign some paper work. And afterwards. had told his devoted vice-captain to go file before heading off to his office. Here, he had started to reorganize his file work, trying to savage up notes he had taken several months back.

Eventually, he had found the papers tucked away in a mess of crumpled heaps at the bottom of one of the drawers. He took his glasses off for a moment, rubbing his eyes and placing them back on. Pulling up his chair, he sat down, studying what he had written.

What these notes comprised of had nothing to do with the fifth division- but of research of his that he had done of his own interests. Interests that would eventually feed his thirst for power, the need to be on top. The subject of the notes were primarily of hollows, insights into their behavior that normal Shinigami were quite ignorant of. He scratched his neck, rereading the lines of written words over in his head. It spoke of Hollow hierarchy and powers, both deeply detailed.

Hollows had a very surprising and complex way they chose their higher powers. It was not only but off of the power they had, but also the evolution of that power. Gillians were not bright creatures, only having their instincts to follow. However, if a Gillian could prove to use that instinct to be able to eat and prove dominate over his fellows, then the Gillian would be given the allowed to evolve into the next higher class of Menos- Adjuchas. This is where Hollows seem to spend most of their time during their evolutionary stage. Now companied with a higher form of intelligence, the Adjuchas could take command over the Gillians. Yet, despite their new abilities, instincts still seemed to be their number one weapon against one other. As they continued to eat, dominate, and grow in the power those very few Adjuchas, who had proven themselves to be on top, would be turned in Vasto Lorde. The Highest of all the Hollow Menos.

Sosuke had already understood this about Hollows. He had studied them for a long time, trying to grasp and comprehend as much as he could. For if he didn't, he knew once he made a permanent residence in Huenco Mundo, he could get himself killed. Though if truth be told, he wasn't too worried about making the switch from the Soul Society. With his high level of spiritual pressure, most if not all the Hollows would feel his dominance over them But still, it always paid it be a little on the safe side.

Tucking the notes inside his jacket, he heard someone knocking on the door. "Come in," He said in a calm voice.

It was his vice-captain who poke her head inside. "Captain Aizen, Captain-General Yamamoto wishes to speak with you."

In actuality, Sosuke didn't find this news to be very surprising, but he made it look like he did. "Really? Did he specify why?"

"Um...I think he said something about your brother..." She replied.

"All right, I'll head over to his office now. Will you be fine without for a an hour or so?"

"O-of course, Captain Aizen!" She smiled widely. "I can take care of things while you're gone!"

Sosuke pulled opened the door, and petted her head softly. "How wonderful to hear." And with that, he headed towards Captain Yamamoto's quarters.

If there was one thing Ichigo enjoyed about being in squad sixth was that it wasn't squad five, which was his brother's team (God help everyone if he ever got switched to the fifth division. He probably kill himself.) But other then that, he rather disliked this division. He had liked it in his pervious, the thirteenth, mainly because Captain Ukitake had been kind to him and had made friends with a girl named Rukia, who ironically was his current captain's little sister.

She had been a nice asset to Ichigo's life, being able to empathize with him about his brother. Her own brother, though not as nearly as controlling as Ichigo's (in his own personal opinion) had limited Rukia's ability to advance in her squad. He had used his influence as a captain to keep her off the list of potential seated officers. Ichigo could understand this perfectly, considering this was one of Aizen's favorite tactics..

And it wasn't until he had met Rukia did her truly come to understand the plight of the nobles. From what Rukia explained to him, she was always under a considerable amount of pressure. Having to always up hold the family name, be polite to just about everyone, an be the prefect example of etiquette that came with being from the upper class. To him, Rukia's self liberates were being strained just like his were. However, there were several differences between his plight and hers. She had not been born into the Kuchiki but had been asked to join the family. So, whether of not she had understood it at the time, Rukia had chosen to put herself under that pressure. And at least she knew that the reason.

Ichigo didn't know why people treated him so differently. As if he were a delicate glass doll that could break at any moment.

Indeed, Ichigo and Rukia had become very good friends and soon they were inseparable. Training together, eating lunch together... Ichigo grew to idolize her for her skills, dedication, and loyalty. Yet still having a feminine touch about her. She seem, though she probably never openly admitted it, admired him as well. They become the each sliver lining in a dark shifting sky.

But sometimes, Ichigo would feel a strain ripple in their relationship. He didn't understand why, but every-once in awhile, he would notice Rukia giving him a strange look- one full of sadness and guilt. It just looked so depressed...full of sorrow. It was a feature that didn't really seem to fit with her personality. He had wanted to ask her why she was giving him such a look. But unfortunately, he had never gotten up the courage to ask. He thought it might be to personal of a question to ask, despite how close they were.

However, barely one year after had he had joined the thirteenth squad, Sosuke had requested his brother be transferred from it. The reasons behind this change were of course, unknown to Ichigo. This had made Ichigo even more frustrated then he usually was. The reason why had even been put into Rukia's division to begin with was because he had gotten into a fist
fight with someone from his pervious squad!

At least violence had explained that transfer! Why did he need to leave a squad that he was actually starting to like? It had just seemed...

"Unfair!" Ichigo had shouted, clenching his fists together. "It's not like I've done anything to harm anyone! Why are you removing me from division thirteen?!"

Sosuke had been sitting down, rubbing his eyes wearily. For a man that had been exhausted from a long day's work, he had been admirably patient with his testy brother. "Ichigo, it's not me that wants you to be placed in a other squad. Captain Yamamoto-"

"This goes all the way to him?!"

"Yes, Ichigo. But there is no need to shout."

"Yes there is! There a million reasons to shout!" Ichigo had nearly kicked the desk in front of him to try to vent out his growing anger. However, he knew for a fact that Sosuke would not tolerate this behavior. A man could only take so much before he knew he had to take some sort of action. Ichigo had turned around, breathing slowly, willingly himself to calm down. "I am so sick and tried of having all the choices in my life being picked for me... I just...I want to know why! Why am I always being confined?"

Sosuke had closed his eyes. He had Drumming his fingers against the desk, seemingly considering his answer. "Ichigo, someday you'll understand everything. But right now...you are just to young. Just trust that this is what is best for you."

The indecent that followed afterwards was something Ichigo had pleasure in remembering. He couldn't recall every single event but the details he could think had involved a bloody nose and several broken chairs. What clearly stood out in his mind was dinner that night had been very awkward between the two brothers.

Yamamoto's office was not anything particularly glamours as one might expect from the Head of the Gotei 13. It was plain, simple room with a desk to in the middle, several books shelves against one wall and two chairs against the other. The walls were a fine white with the floor deep wood. Sosuke didn't really care much for Yamamoto's taste. He probably would have done something a bit more extravasate. Something that would tell people that he was the one in charge. But if there was one thing he did appreciated about his current leader, was the tea kettle he had placed on the table in between the two chairs.

For such a bright, sunny morning, the Captain seemed to be in a rather depressing mood. His old lined wrinkled in worry as he stared absent-mindedly out of his window. Sosuke did not do anything to disturb the sage, waiting patiently for his presence to be known. It was knowledged moments later, when Yamamoto said to his subordinate, "I am sorry for dragging you out of your division so early in the day, Aizen. I understand that the fifth division had just required several new members but I needed to speak with you about a rather important matter."

"It was no trouble, I already finished with them before you summoned me." Sosuke replied.

Yamamoto nodded his satisfaction. "Now...onto the issue at hand. Your brother, will be turning sixteen in the next week, correct?"

"That is correct." Sosuke replied.

"Yes..." Yamamoto said, softly. He went into deep thought for a moment before continuing. "Aizen, like the other captains, you are aware of that boy's density. What he was born to become… The moment the boy turns sixteen, he will be told the truth. About his past, purpose and what his future holds"

Sosuke listened, really only half interested. Yes, he knew all of this already. It was because of this 'almighty destiny' that the Soul Society had been so protective of Ichigo. They had wanted to keep him out of harm's way, considering that he would play an important role in the future of the Soul Society. If it had not been for his brother's fate, Sosuke would have never had bothered volunteering to be the boy's guardian. Sosuke had to keep Ichigo close, for if he didn't, then his own plans for the future could be potentially ruined by one- in his mind- insignificant being.

Well, this is my semi-first fanfiction. I have written one-shots in the past, but I never posted them. I have no idea what kind of coupling I am going to do with this story.

What do you think?

And, yes, I am aware that I didn't really explain what Ichigo's 'destiny' is suppose to be. I am going to talk about in that chapter. I just didn't want to put too much in the first chapter.

Well, I hope you didn't bleed your eyes reading this!

Thanks for reading and please review,
PC