Mirror

Chapter 9: The Girl from Earth


Aizen smirked as he watched the very, very livid Kyoko stand in the doorway of the conference. "My dear Espada, would you be so kind as to leave me and Kyoko-san alone?" he said.

The Espada were still looking somewhat amazedly at Kyoko. Kyoko tore her eyes away from Aizen and glanced around the room. She was holding the knot that held the makeshift white toga she wore closed. The Espada still had yet to make any moves.

"What the hell are you all waiting for? Get the fuck out!" she yelled. That set them into motion. She stepped to the side, allowing them to exit. Once they were gone, she slammed the door and glared at Aizen. Aizen was calmly drinking his tea as if there was not a half-naked woman standing in front of him. He looked over at her.

Kyoko knew she needed to calm down. Her heart rate was rising and she was not controlling her breathing. She swallowed, held her breath for a moment, and exhaled. Then she gave Aizen a look that could have set him aflame had she been given that particular power.

"Why did I wake up in YOUR room? Like this? Why do I feel... like this?" Kyoko asked, trying to stay calm. Yelling at Aizen would not get him to tell her the truth no more than torturing him would.

"Hina, you came to me last night. I'm surprised you don't remember," Aizen said. "You were most entertaining."

Kyoko squinted at him. "Sosuke, I NEVER go to you. EVER. I'll ask again." Kyoko squeezed the top of the sheet covering her and shunpo-ed towards Aizen. She leaned down to him and took hold of his collar. "What did you do to me?" she nearly growled.

Aizen's calm demeanor did not break. Instead, he grabbed hold of Kyoko's hand. She watched him cautiously. Within the time it took her to blink, she found herself on her back on the conference table. She tried to sit up. Aizen's hand immediately found its way to her chest and pushed her down. Kyoko banged her head hard against the table. For a moment she was dazed, but her eyes quickly found Aizen's.

"Why so rough, Sosuke? What will the children think when they see you roughing me up?" Kyoko bit out. "Now that you've made your dominance known like a dog pissing on a tree, tell me what you did."

Aizen leaned down to her. "I didn't do anything to make you come to me, Hina. But," he slid his hand into the sheet, "I can show you what I did while you were with me if it escapes your memory."

"What are you..." Kyoko gasped when his hand reached its destination. She raised her right hand and slapped Aizen as hard as she could. "You're fucking despicable." She pushed him off of her and stood up. She stormed out of the room in such a fury that she completely ignored Gin.

Gin watched Kyoko leave, but said nothing. Then he turned and looked at Aizen. The man looked completely serene... aside from the spilled tea on the table. Gin approached him, smile as prevalent as ever.

"Wha's wrong with Oko-chan? She seemed far angrier than usual. Normally she'd say hi ta me," Gin said. He took noticed of Aizen face. "Is that a handprint on yer face, Aizen-taicho?" Gin hid his face behind his sleeve to smother his snicker.

Aizen glared at Gin. Then he looked away. "Yes, Hina struck me. She is absolutely furious that she can remember nothing from last night. She probably thinks I ran some sort of experiment on her."

"Well, did ya?" Gin asked, lowering his sleeve from his face.

Aizen shook his head. "Not at all. Why would I need to experiment on her? She's no good to me tainted."


She'd never thought it could happen. How was it possible?

How does one get BORED during war? she thought. Leave it to him to help me experience such a thing.

How much longer would this last? She glances over towards a lone powerful soul. He watches. He waits.

But what's he waiting for? She looks over to another powerful soul, also watching and waiting with a determined look. It's fairly obvious what he's waiting for. Will it work remains to be seen...


After a bath, Kyoko found that she felt much more relaxed and less like she wanted to murder the next living thing that crossed her path. Seeing that her anger had quelled, she went to find Aizen. She needed a verbal spar and he was one of two who was always up for the challenge. It came as no surprise when she got to where he was to find Loly, Menoly, and Ulquiorra waiting outside.

"What's going on?" she asked. Loly simply looked away. Menoly stared at the floor. Ulquiorra said nothing as well. Kyoko sighed. "Am I talking to myself? What the hell is going on?"

Ulquiorra looked at Kyoko. "Aizen-sama requested to see the woman," he said.

Kyoko crossed her arms. "The woman? You mean that girl from Karakura Town? What's he want her for?"

"I do not question Aizen-sama, Kyoko-sama," Ulquiorra answered stoically.

Kyoko nodded as the door opened. The girl came out, looking a little dazed. She caught Kyoko's eye for only a second before immediately looking away. Ulquiorra then proceeded to take her back to wherever she was being kept. Kyoko looked ahead of her and noticed Loly and Menoly moving to go inside. She used shunpo to get ahead of them.

Loly gasped when she realized Kyoko was in front of her. "Hey!"

Kyoko turned her head. "What was that?" she asked. She watched amusedly as Loly bit her lip and backed down. Kyoko closed the door and walked in the room.

Aizen was replacing the Hogyoku back in its resting place. He turned when he heard Kyoko's feet padding softly and slowly across the floor. She was in no hurry. She looked like she was in a much better mood than earlier; this was a good thing. He watched her divert her path and start circling the room, the train of her odd kimono following behind her.

"I've been thinking lately, Sosuke," she said.

"Really? About what?" Aizen asked. He continued to watch her. She was walking painfully slow. It did not look like her goal was to reach him at some point.

"I often asked myself why you are so damn powerful. I consider myself pretty powerful. You think I'm powerful, don't you, Sosuke?" Kyoko looked at him.

Aizen nodded. "Of course, Hina. Don't tell anyone I said this but you're third, right after Gin," he said.

Kyoko smirked. "I bet that would hurt Tousen's feelings. Anyway, in one of my many exploits to the transient world, I came across something they call a comic book. In this comic book, they have a superhero and said superhero has a nemesis; a villain. Over the years, I'd grown quite the attachment to these superheroes and villains. They all have different powers and origins. It's really fun stuff to read; almost like a type of mythology or parallel universe."

"Is there a point to this, Hina? I am trying to overlook the fact that you went to the world of the living without permission in the first place," Aizen said as he moved towards his seat. He sat down.

"I came across one particular superhero that reminded me of you." Kyoko placed her hands on her hips as she passed in front of Aizen. She stopped and faced him, the moon to her back. She noticed his slightly confused look. "Yes. I said hero."

"Hero? Why not the villain? I would think you of all people likened me to be the villain," he said.

Kyoko shook her head. "Listen to the similarities here, my dear Sosuke. His name is Superman, but he's also known as Clark Kent. He has brown hair. He wears glasses and musses his hair to hide his true self. He's a bit of a dork. However, that's just the way he wants people to perceive him; or the way he perceives the human race to be and he acts as such. As Superman, his true self, he slicks his hair back and removes the glasses. No longer is he the clumsy, dorky Clark Kent; but the charming, handsome Superman."

Aizen smirked. "I see. What are these 'Superman's' powers?" he asked.

"VAST superhuman strength is one. Speed and flight are others. Hell, Superman can set fires with his eyes alone. He's pretty much impervious to... death." Kyoko began to walk forward.

Aizen raised an eyebrow. "Impervious to death? Surely he is not PERFECT. That would ruin the story, wouldn't it?"

"So he does think." Kyoko folded her arms. "Despite being quite possibly the most overpowered superhero there is, Superman has one major weakness that every villain he has ever faced has used effectively against him. He has an allergy, so to say," she said with a laugh. She almost doubled over from Aizen's face.

"An allergy?"

"I think it's an allergy. However, kryptonite is his weakness. The moment he gets near some he goes from some super badass tiger to a weak little baby kitten. It is such a hindrance that it easily levels the playing field so that Superman doesn't get too cocky."

"I see." Aizen continued to look up at her. "So what does this have to do with me exactly?" he asked.

Kyoko leaned down to his face. "I dunno. The way I see it, you're like Superman's evil twin shinigami brother." She searched his eyes for a moment. Then she smirked. "Everyone else just has to figure out what YOUR kryptonite is." Kyoko stood up straight and walked around him.

Once he heard the door close, Aizen turned his head and saw Gin coming out of the shadows. He could practically feel the man he saw as a younger brother more than anything jumping with something to say. He sighed. "What is it, Gin?"

"Oko-chan is good. She's quite the philosopher, no? I wouldn't have thought that about ya." He looked at Aizen. "But ya do kinda resemble Superman, taicho..." Gin said.

Aizen resisted the urge to roll his eyes and looked away from his subordinate.


Kyoko strolled past a room. She noticed coattails hanging out of the door and paused. She backed up and noticed Ulquiorra standing there, shuffling through different clothes. Raising an eyebrow, she approached the Espada and tapped him on the shoulder.

Ulquiorra immediately bowed his head when he saw Kyoko. "Yes, Kyoko-sama?"

Sighing, Kyoko motioned for Ulquiorra to look up at her. He did so and she crossed her arms. "What are you doing going through spare clothes? Yours look fine," she said.

"I am finding something for the woman to wear. Aizen-sama said that she is not to remain in what she is wearing," he said blandly.

Kyoko nodded slowly. She tapped her chin for a moment. "Follow me, Ulquiorra." She turned on her heel and started for the door. Ulquiorra stared after her for a moment before following.

Kyoko took him to her room. Ulquiorra stopped at her door and did not enter. Kyoko turned and looked at him. Sighing, she shook her head and walked to her closet. She swung the doors open and started rummaging through the clothes. She eventually pulled out an outfit and walked over to Ulquiorra. She thrust it in his hands.

"That should do," she said.

Ulquiorra looked at the outfit he'd been given. He did not know much if anything at all about women's clothing. However, he could tell just by a passing glance that Kyoko was less busty but curvier than the human girl. Would her clothes be suitable?

As if she could tell what he was thinking, Kyoko sighed. "It will fit, trust me. Now go before I take it to her myself," Kyoko said.

Ulquiorra bowed. "Yes, Kyoko-sama." He turned on his heel and left.

Kyoko sighed and closed the door. Suddenly, she did not feel so well. Shaking her head, she headed towards the bed. She seemed to crawl onto it and curl up into a ball. She did not know why, but suddenly she just felt awful.

Well, this is strange. Best to just, she yawned, sleep it off...


"Aizen-taicho, are ya readin' a," Gin stuck his hand out of his sleeve and quickly made the snatch, "comic book?" he asked. His other hand made a rare appearance and held the prized possession carefully as he flipped through the pages.

Aizen sighed and glared up at Gin. "Gin, hand it over," he said.

Gin shook his head. "No, no, Aizen-taicho. Wait til I tell Oko-chan! She'll enjoy this." Gin realized what comic book it was. "Ya've been goin' through Oko-chan's stuff. She'll be mad when she finds out ya stole her Superman comics."

"She isn't supposed to have them in the first place, Gin. Besides, I wanted to see what this hero I'm supposed to resemble looks like." Aizen looked at the comic book. "He looks nothing like me."

Gin just shrugged. "Where is Oko-chan, anyway? She seems ta disappear a lot lately."

"You can't tell? She's napping," Aizen said. He reached forward and claimed the comic book back. "I rather enjoy this Lex Luthor character, though. Now he reminds me a bit of myself. Cold, calculating, meticulous, a man of science. I quite enjoy him."


"Are they going about this right?" she asks, looking up at the one next to her.

He simply shrugs, the placid look on his face not changing. "Of course not." He glances down at her, smile widening. "But don' tell'em that."

She smirks and looks down at her feet as they dangle over the edge of the building she sits on. "This is boring. Wonder why we have to sit out. You don't suppose he needs out help?" she asks.

"Nope."

She hums to herself as she looks back out. She squints. A cynical smirk comes to her face. Clever. Sneaky, but clever...


Kyoko opened her eyes, gasping. It felt like a great reiatsu had just entered Hueco Mundo; one that had no idea how to control it. She rolled over on her side, coughing violently. She leaned over the edge of the bed and continued to cough. Eventually whatever was backing up her throat came up. It was coppery and metallic and tasted just like...

... blood. Kyoko's eyes widened as she looked at the pristine white floor. She put a hand to her mouth and then looked at it. There was warm blood on it. She immediately got up and rushed to the bathroom.

Gin knocked on the door before pushing it open. He entered, seeing Kyoko coming out of her bathroom. "All right there, Oko-chan?" he asked.

"Fine, Gin-kun." Kyoko raised an eyebrow. "What are you doing in here? And did you feel that?"

"Feel what?" Gin asked, folding his arms in his sleeves.

Kyoko gave him a dubious glare. "You know what I'm talking about. Something or... someone just entered Hueco Mundo. I'm asking if you know what it was," she asked.

"Does it really matter, Oko-chan?" Gin replied with a shrug. He watched her pick up her zanpakuto. He flinched when she began pushing him towards the door. "Where are ya goin'?" he asked.

"For a walk and I don't want you rummaging through my... Where did you get that?" Kyoko snatched her comic book back from Gin. She tossed it back on her bed and shoved him out of the room. "Have you been going through my things, Gin?"

"Nope. Aizen-taicho wanted ta know more about that Superman ya told him he looked like. He liked the bad guy more, though," Gin said.

Kyoko rolled her eyes. "Why am I not surprised?" She stretched as she made it out of her quarters.


She parted with Gin and made her way around the huge complex. She frowned when she recognized the reiatsu of the annoying little twits up ahead of her. She drummed her fingers against the tsuka of her zanpakuto as she rounded the corner. Kyoko saw Loly and Menoly creeping up towards a large door. They were whispering to themselves.

Up to no good, as usual, she thought. Kyoko approached them, drawing her zanpakuto. She poked Loly in the back of her neck. The brunette froze and the blonde looked up at their superior.

"This wouldn't happen to be the human girl's room, would it?" Kyoko asked. Menoly turned and faced Kyoko. Loly straightened up, but did not move. Her breathing was shallow as Kyoko pushed the tip of her zanpakuto in the nape of her neck. "I believe I asked a question, ladies. You won't leave me without an answer, will you?"

"No, Kyoko-sama," Menoly said quickly. "This is the human girl's room."

Kyoko nodded. "And what do you two delinquents want with the human girl?" she asked.

Loly turned abruptly, glaring daggers at Kyoko. "What does it matter? She is of no use to you!" she said loudly.

"You're right." Kyoko touched the tip of Shinkyō to Loly's forehead. "But did Sosuke not say that she was never to be harmed for the time being? I do believe your dear Aizen-SAMA'S words are law, are they not?" She removed her zanpakuto from Loly's face, being sure to draw blood. "Go before I change my mind on letting you live."

The two scampered off in another direction. Kyoko nearly laughed at their fear and hatred of her; she could hear Loly cursing from where she stood. Then she looked at the door before her. She took a few steps and touched the handle. She unlocked it from the outside and pushed it open.

The redhead from the transient world was staring out the barred window. She had put on the clothes she had been given to wear. Kyoko came in further and closed the door with a thud. This seemed to draw the girl from her trance. She turned and looked at Kyoko. Kyoko could instantly tell that she expected to see someone else at that moment. She watched the human girl falter for something to say as she approached.

"I told him it would fit," Kyoko said. The human girl blinked a few times before looking down at her new clothes. Then she looked back up at Kyoko. "Yes, you are wearing my clothes. We couldn't very well have you dressing like Loly, could we?"

"You're... You're not an Arrancar," the girl said quietly.

Kyoko clapped. "Brilliant deduction." She stopped walking a few feet from the girl. "I am a shinigami like Sosuke, Gin-kun, and Tousen."

The girl appeared confused. "Sosuke?"

"Aizen Sosuke. You didn't think his only name was 'Aizen,' did you?"

The girl appeared even more confused. "You call him by his first name without even an honorific."

"And the last horse finishes the race." Kyoko pivoted somewhat and started walking again. She looked around the room, examining her surroundings. "Not bad, considering you're in a hostage situation." She looked at the girl again. "Your name again?"

"Inoue Orihime," she said.

Kyoko nodded. "Inoue-san, why did you come here?" she asked.

Orihime blinked. "To save my friends. Ulquiorra said he would kill them if I didn't come along." She watched the shinigami woman stare at her. "What?"

"And you believed that?" Kyoko asked. The teenager slowly nodded. "Let me guess; Ulquiorra used a garganta broadcast to concurrently show your friends' fights. The only one really getting his ass kicked was the one with orange hair and someone saved him even then. No harm done. You got roped into coming here on your own; like an idiot. You took the bait Ulquiorra so willfully threw at you. That bastard."

Orihime stared at Kyoko in what looked like horror. She shook her head. "That's not true. He said they were going to die if I didn't come."

"And how was he going to kill eight people simultaneously? Especially with Yammy, Luppi, Wonderweiss, and a one-armed Jaegerjaquez. At this particular point in time, Ulquiorra is the most powerful out of them and he was screwing around with you." Kyoko walked over to the white couch and took a seat. "He totally screwed with your soft little mind. You should've told him to fuck off and kept running down the Dangai," she said.

Orihime shook her head again. "You weren't there. You don't know what he said."

Kyoko shifted her eyes to Orihime's. "Oh, but I can surely imagine. You don't look all that hard to persuade when it comes to your friends' lives. If I had to guess, you coming here was probably counterproductive. Your little sacrifice? All for naught."

"All for... naught?" Orihime whispered. "What do you mean?"

"Oh, I can't tell you that. If I tell you," Kyoko stood up and made her way to the door, "I'd most surely have to kill you. Where would be the fun in that?" She opened the door and made her way out.

As Kyoko made her way back up the corridor, she passed Ulquiorra. She could only guess that he was going to see Orihime. She stopped him. "I think you'll like the dress," she said with a wink. Ulquiorra stared blankly at her for a moment before nodding and continuing on his way.


It was not long before Kyoko passed a hole in the wall. She paused for a second and then shook her head. She walked a little further and leaned against the wall. "Wanna talk about it, champ?" she asked into the air. Grimmjow grabbed her arm and swung her around to face him. "All I needed was a yes or no..."

"Your dear Sosuke... That mother..." Grimmjow went off into a rant the likes of which made even Kyoko, who was no stranger to hot-tempered rants herself, blush. She stepped back marginally; suddenly afraid Grimmjow would lash out and strike her. She was stronger than he was, but it would still hurt if he hit her. "I hate him," Grimmjow concluded.

"Perfectly understandable, but did you have to express it in such a way?" Kyoko asked. Grimmjow looked down at her. She was red in the face. "That was actually a little frightening. I can actually admit I a little scared of you right then," she mumbled quietly.

Grimmjow raised an eyebrow. That was definitely out-of-character for her. Something was definitely wrong with her. He leaned forward. Kyoko watched as he ran a hand through her hair. Grimmjow appeared to be sniffing her. He grabbed her chin and looked at each side of her neck and face. Then he moved her hair from her eyes and stared into the mirror-like orbs.

"What are you doing, Grimmjow? Let me go," Kyoko asked.

Grimmjow released her face and shook his head. "Now I KNOW something's wrong with you. You never call me 'Grimmjow' out in the open. It's always 'Jaegerjaquez.' ALWAYS," he said.

Kyoko blinked. He was right. Before she could say anything on the matter, Grimmjow had slung her over his shoulder in a fireman's carry. She appeared shocked for a moment, but the dizziness soon wore off. "Grimm... Jaegerjaquez, put me down!" she yelled.

"No. You're going to see Szayel," he said.

Kyoko's eyes widened in horror. She started thrashing about and beating on Grimmjow's back. "No! Put me down now or I'll... I'll... I'll stab you with my zanpakuto!"

"You mean this?" Grimmjow held up Shinkyō with his free hand. Kyoko sighed. How had he got it from her? How hadn't she noticed? What was going on with her? "Just shut up. We wouldn't want anything to happen to Aizen's woman, would we?"

Kyoko sighed. But I don't wanna go see Szayel Aporro, either...