Memento Mori
Chapter Nine
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June, 1901
"This disappearance of souls is becoming rather problematic, you know? I thought we dealt with the Quincy."
I look over at Kyōraku, "We did. This isn't Quincy. It's something else. Don't sound so casual about this."
Hirako takes the opportunity to single me out and put me on the spot, "So what is it then? You seem to be better informed than the rest of us."
He's such a pain in the ass, "While the cause cannot be determined, the nature of the residual reiatsu is inconsistent with the usual patterns found with Quincy. The reiatsu is also inconsistent with ordinary hollow attacks. Bounts perhaps, Arrancar possibly, rogue Gikon maybe, or something new entirely."
Hirako looks at me suspiciously, "You're conveniently well informed, even though your division doesn't run research or spying as its trade... ."
Raising an eyebrow at him, I simply ask, "Are you trying to imply something here, Fifth Division Captain?"
This is one of those rare times that we have captains meeting with their lieutenants in the same room. Mine would be here, but I've lost him. Or rather, I found him living a normal life in Rukongai, sans any memory. None of my attempts to jog his memory work, and Ruri'iro Kujaku was being a vain, stubborn bastard as usual.
Unohana begins, trying to break up the tension permeating the room, "So who should be sent out to investigate?"
"I'll do it."
The 9th? Well, well, looks like I don't even have to butt in here to make sure they get it. How convenient. I always like when events run on a schedule that has very little to do with me. Less work for me.
I motion towards Old Man Yama, "We done here? If my division isn't going to be involved in this little shindig, then can the rest of us go? I need to make sure my soldiers haven't blown off work to party with the 11th...again."
Ginrei Kuchiki will probably give me another lecture on proper etiquette later, but whatever. I have plans for the next few days, and I can't be delayed.
:-:-:-:
"Ahh, Aizen, why's a captain here? We need to kill him?"
Ahh Gin, you poor fool. You have no idea what you're dealing with. But maybe, just maybe, I can save your sorry ass later on down the line. After all, you just wanted revenge. But you never learned the phrase 'when you seek revenge, dig two graves.'
"Captain Tatsushiro has been our backer since the beginning. He's the one who funds us and, as much as it bothers me, taught me much of what I know. Among other things."
Tōsen examines me, "Do you follow the path of justice? I cannot work well with one who does not."
Why that little... . Doing my best impression of Ginrei Kuchiki, I look down my nose at him, "Do not presume to question the character of a captain, fifth seat."
I turn and walk back toward Sōsuke, "It's tonight, yeah? Muguruma and Kuna will be out there."
He nods, "Indeed. It will be interesting."
Shrugging, I look at the waning moon, "I know. Hirako, Aikawa, Sarugaki, Yadōmaru, Ushōda and Ōtoribashi will also show. We'll get them all."
Seeing genuine shock on his face is always worth it, as he gets out, "All of them? Really?"
Smirking, I comment, "Oh yes. It'll be quite the costume party."
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Sitting on a tree branch wearing one of those handy reiatsu concealing cloaks, I watch Tōsen cut down Muguruma and Kuna in the bowels of his Bankai. His Bankai really is quite horrible. Forcing others to helplessness before him. Does he gets his kicks off of that or something? Without being like Kenpachi Zaraki, one needs to have AoE attacks to beat it, which are in sparing supply.
Tossing a small blue-black pyramid around in my hands, I contemplate my own creation. Interestingly, while three different creations all share a similar shade of blue-purple, they are all different shapes and shades, perhaps reflecting the difference of character in their respective makers, along with their differing respective tasks. Urahara's is a clear blue rhombicuboctahedron, Sōsuke's is a violet cylinder, mine is a near black square pyramid.
Sōsuke doesn't know I have this, which is essential, because he'd abuse it. Or just go mad from what it contains. Urahara thought he could save the Visored, and he was right, mostly. Sōsuke thought he could make a non-sapient genie, and he was right, that's what he got. I thought I could make a way to gather the power of Yog-Sothoth, mostly because the temptation of near infinite knowledge was a bit too tempting. I was wrong. Mostly, anyway. Mine is simply a repository for all the knowledge I choose to input, the gatekeeper being a Kidō powered shade of myself.
Hiding the thing back in my deep pockets, where it can be safely hidden, I note that Hirako is currently kicking the crap outta Tōsen. Good. Serves the justice bastard right. But, it'll look bad if I don't help him. It's not like I've done enough anyway.
Appearing behind Hirako, I take my zanpakutō and holding it in an ice pick grip, knife him in the back.
He turns around, eyes wide, and gets out, "Tatsushiro! You're resp-," before he drops as the mask forms in totality. You know, people are quite like puppets. Every bond we form, good or bad, is a string. With no bonds, people would have no motivation to do anything. Just like a puppet with no strings. I've lost three of my four thickest strings: my best friend, my adoptive father and my best subordinate. I'll eventually lose my son too, but that won't be for some time.
Vanishing again, I come back to join up with Urahara and Tsukabishi. I don't need them of all people planning against me. It would complicate matters later. But now for the best acting of my life.
"Yo! What's going on out here? There was a lot of commotion earlier."
Urahara frowns at me, clearly somewhat suspicious at my appearance out here. I don't blame him. I would be suspicious too.
Nevertheless, he responds, "We aren't sure either."
Continuing to the battle site, Sōsuke, Tōsen and Gin are waiting for us. Of course they are. Sōsuke has always been a drama queen. Even as a kid. But then I can't say he's the biggest I've ever met, after all, I know his family. He gets it from his aunt. Definitely.
But I'm in the mood to beat around the justice idiot, same side or not, so I draw my nodachi and go in swinging. Can't bring myself to start swinging at Sōsuke yet. Tōsen clearly has not been informed of this part in the plan, so I get a long, but shallow and superficial wound across his chest before he can get his zanpakutō out. Unfortunately I can't kill him.
Tsukabishi fires his rather impressive Kidō at Sōsuke and Friends (TM) once Sōsuke is done with his monologue about his current evil plan. Wait...he's still going? I know I taught him better than this. While doing a monologue is useful if you're buying time for reinforcements or something, but when you're winning? Come on. That's practically entitling the hero to a second wind. Sometimes no matter how hard you try, you just can't get a message across, apparently.
Examining the bodies of our fallen coworkers with Urahara, I address them, "This looks bad. Hollow masks, it looks like. Should we move them back to the Division 12 labs?"
They nod and Urahara comments, "Yeah, let's."
Urahara is reluctant to use the Hōgyoku while I'm there, but common sense wins out. Things even go faster with me there then otherwise. The group that will become the Visored is still out cold, but they're stabilized.
Urahara sinks to his knees, "It was a failure. I couldn't reverse the process."
Frowning, I place my hand on his shoulder, "No. It wasn't a failure. They're still alive, yes? Then we didn't fail, even if we didn't succeed. They'll just have to learn to live with it."
:-:-:-:
"Captain Tatsushiro, by orders of Central 46, you are placed under arrest. Any resistance will be met by force."
The hell? Something changed. This only showed up in one timeline out of thousands, "Very well. Let's go then."
As we enter the chambers, I must admit, the Central 46 certainly spared no expense to put themselves in positions where they have a delusion of power. Central 46 only has power because Old Man Yama lets them, and no shinigami barring Ichibē Hyōsube could stand against him and win.
Urahara and Tsukabishi are here as well, hands held in small stockades, just like mine. Urahara, though it's futile (doesn't he know this is a kangaroo court?), tries to protest his case.
"But I'm innocent! I've been set up by Sōsuke Aizen!"
"Lies! By order of Central 46, Kisuke Urahara is sentenced to have his powers sealed and be permanently exiled to the human world."
Tsukabishi takes his life sentence to Shugo with the quiet dignity that is so him. But me? Nope. Being the Plagueis to Sōsuke's Sidious was not part of the plan. But I should have expected an unexpected betrayal right before a moment of triumph. After all, he's just like his father that way.
"Minato Tatsushiro, for the crimes of treason, using forbidden Kidō, attempting to gain control of the Kushanāda, performing illegal experiments and the killing of many fellow shinigami, you are hereby sentenced to eight thousand years in Muken. Take these criminals away."
I release a bone chilling laugh as the guards begin to lead me away, "Blind fools. I'll enjoy watching you all die."
"Ten thousand years!"
A masked figure wearing a captain's uniform drops into the proceedings to save her childhood friends. Yoruichi will save them and get them along with the Visored out of here. I feel brief resentment that she's not gonna help me, her adoptive cousin, but the feeling passes as quickly as it came.
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Some Month, circa 19-something
How long have I been in this chair? The thick black ropes bind my power in near totality, leaving me helpless to do anything. Has it been ten years? Twenty? A century? There's no way to know anymore in the void. I think it's starting to stare back.
The only sanctity I have is that I can still retreat into my inner world, seeking comfort with my zanpakutō as my only company. We're lying next to each other in the blue grass, on top of a small hill within my inner world.
"Hey Ren, you think we'll survive?"
Rolling her eyes, she snarks, "Maybe? Are we insane yet? The faster that happens, the sooner we start living again."
"Yeah... . I'm not holding out hope here."
My attention is brought back to reality by my reiatsu flowing back as the cords come undone. Who? Oh. Wonderful.
Rubbing my wrists and stretching out, and doesn't movement feel nice? It's true you know. You never realize how much you need it till it's gone.
Turning to where I think he stands, I greet him, "Hello, Demiurge. How's King Azy doing?"
His overbearing power comes down on me in warning and I move to placate him in my most simpering voice, "Fine, fine. What can I do for you, Master Hyōsube?"
As he relaxes, he clears his throat and states, "Minato Tatsushiro. You have the tasks finished that I assigned to you?"
"Well, you know, some of were rather difficult to accomplish and so I had to prioritize and-"
He cuts me off by grabbing my ear and pulling me in to rap on my skull with his knuckles, "Think, Tatsushiro, think. What do think will happen if I have to do these tasks myself? The secrecy of the Zero Squad will be broken. You don't want that, do you?"
"No, no. Of course not. I did finish them all though. I'll bring the completed list later on Saturday."
"Not too late Saturday, I have to head back Saturday night."
Handing me a new list, I skim through it. Seems easy enough. Even though some will have to wait for a long time.
"Alright, I'll make sure these get done with no trace of my existence."
He hands me a bracelet I recognize as a reiatsu cloaker, and declares, "Do not fail me...Nyarlathotep."
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Author's Notes: And thus we come to the end of Turn Back the Pendulum and what my fate was at the end of that fiasco, thus ending Part I of this story. I decided somewhere in the middle of chapter 8 to go all the way through canon. Otherwise, chapters 9 and 10 would be 9 to like...15, but covering the same amount of space. So next a chapter or two (depending on what I feel like and if anybody states a preference) of 20th century interlude, before we reach The Death & The Strawberry. Besides, I plan to take great fun playing with the Stations of Canon.
-This chapter is a bit shorter than the past few, but it was really just wrapping up the loose ends of Part I in a way that makes sense without being just a canon rehash.
-My creation? Basically a Sith Holocron from the original Star Wars EU.
-Is this a full on crossover yet? I have no idea, but whatever. I'm not relabeling it. Yes, by King Azy I do mean the Soul King, who in this work can also be called Azathoth. From what we've seen of the Soul King in canon, I would say he fits the "Blind Idiot God" title.