Sweet and Sometimes Bitter

Hi all. Sorry for the long wait, but I hope you all liked the plot twist last chapter. Rin is kind of a bitch right now, even I think so. She will still remain a bit herself, though. I don't really know how to write Tōsen, but I tried with the few lines I gave him. Anyways, enjoy some more fun in this chapter.

"Talking to Zanpakuto"

Thoughts

Disclaimer: I don't own Bleach

Chapter 12: Transformation

Rin felt completely strange. Well she had felt strange the moment she had stepped in Hueco Mundo. She could feel reiatsu from the sand the moment her foot touched the ground. It was as if they whole place was made of reiatsu. It made her feel a little strange, but she told herself she would get use to it. That and all the white that seemed to make up everything.

Right now it wasn't the reiatsu surrounding the place that made her feel strange. She could feel the stares boring into her body like they would burn holes into her skin. The large meeting room was silent save for the occasional rustle of clothes. Aizen sat at the head of the table with Tousen standing on his right and Gin on his left. Rin had been standing behind Gin, but Aizen had made her stand right in front of the silver haired man.

"Rin, these are my loyal Espada. They are the best of the best of Hueco Mundo," he said to her while gesturing around the table.

Rin gave a halfhearted smile which was not returned. She frowned at the lack of response, but made no comment. The Espada introduced themselves by giving their number and name. She didn't like the way the fifth glared at her with a strange smirk. She also wasn't too comfortable with the gleam in the blue haired one's eyes either. The only woman there seemed not to care much for the new guest.

"Why not introduce yourself, Rin?" Aizen commanded more than suggested.

Rin gave a nod. "Hello. My name is Rin Sasaki. I'm former member of the eleventh division. I was temporary member of the fourth seat. It's a pleasure to be acquainted with you all. I hope we can get along."

Her little introduction was met with silence. Everyone stared at her with either boredom, glares or indifference. Gin placed his thin hand on her shoulder. She looked up at him with a raised eyebrow.

"Don't worry, Rin-chan. They ain't very responsive to much," he said with a grin. Aizen took her hand before giving a devilish smile to her.

"Why not get comfortable. I'm sure you'll find your room and new clothes suiting." He held her hand out to a female arrancar in the back. Rin assumed she was the equivalent to a servant or low ranking shinigami.

"Thank you, Aizen-sama," she said and bowed before she followed the female out. The corridors were all long and identical. Rin tried to remember which way they went, but lost her sense of direction after a few minutes.

"This place is sure large. I would hate getting lost." She chuckled. The female made no comment. Rin sighed and went to humming under her breath. Her hand clutched her zanpakuto tightly as she walked. Finally they came to a random white door.

The arrancar opened the door and bowed as she went in. The room was white from floor to ceiling. A large round bed took up the middle of the room. A square window faced across from the bed. White curtains had been added, but Rin could freely put her whole body out. Another door led to the bathroom.

"Thank you." She nodded to the woman who left, closing the door behind her. Rin eyed the outfit laying on the bed. It was white and black. She wrinkled her nose and wondered if there was any color around this realm.

After cleaning up, she was fully dressed in her new uniform. Her shinigami outfit was discarded on the floor.

The skirt was long and brushed the top of her feet. It had a slit on either side that went up to mid-thigh; it made it easier for Rin to move. The top had no sleeves and was put on so that the shirt had to wrapped diagonally. The row of black buttons ran diagonally up from under her right breast to the just under her collar bone on her left side. The collar covered the rest of her neck. She had found a red sash under the clothes that she wrapped around her waist and used it to hold her zanpakuto on her side.

"I look like those...those women who wear all those clothes in the human world," she mumbled aloud.

"You mean a nun?" Kaji inquired. Rin nodded to herself.

"Kaji, are you...disappointed in me?"

Kaji remained silent for a long time. Rin started to worry until he answered her. "I'm supporting anything you decide to do. Like I said, I will always be there for you regardless of what you do."

Rin smiled and wanted to hug him. She decided to go explore. Aizen hadn't specifically told her what to do, so she might as well have a look at her new home. Peeking out, she saw no one in the hall. Rin made her way out of her room and went the opposite way the female arrancar had come from.

Rin found many rooms that held nothing. She got lost and seemed to wonder if she was going in circles. She found a kitchen which had food. There she made herself a lunch. She hadn't eaten much. She was finishing her meal when someone walked in.

It was the dark haired one who seemed to have the facial expressions of a rock. If she remembered correctly, he was number four. His name started with a vowel. She could feel him staring at her as she cleaned up her mess. Rin finally turned and met his unblinking gaze.

"Um...may I help you?"

"Aizen-sama wishes to see you," came a monotonous reply. Rin nodded and the Espada turned on his heel. She quickly followed him, either that or try and find the room Aizen was in herself. The walk was silent and Rin didn't try to make conversation with him. She felt that even if she did, he wouldn't answer her.

When they arrived, the room was nearly dark. The only light was a faint blue-purple glow that seemed to come from the center of the room. All the other Espada were gathered in the room. Aizen held the glowing object. Rin felt the hairs on the back of her neck stand up as she felt the powerful waves emitting from the object.

"Rin, come and see the powers of the Hōgyoku," Aizen said as he held out his hand. Rin inched closer and her eyes widened as she saw the small object. It was an orb shape that seemed to hold another glowing orb inside.

"I-it's very, um, glowy?" She didn't really know what she should say. The orb emitted a strange power that she didn't really know if she wanted to get any closer to it.

"Yes, it's very powerful. Now observe as it changes these hollows into an even more powerful form." He gestured to two mummified hollows in a clear crystal cage. Rin eyed them and watched as Aizen stepped toward one. He placed the Hogyoku in a small space and touched it with the tips of his fingers.

"He can activate it even though it was supposedly sealed?"

"Aizen is a powerful man. He has the power of two or even more captain level shinigami, Rin. Do not let what he has shown fool you. He hasn't even started showing his true strength," Kaji warned.

The Hōgyoku emitted a bright light and she covered her eyes. She heard something shatter and then felt the reiatsu intensify. Rin opened her eyes to see a giant hollow towering over them. It had fur all over it's body and it's mask covered his lower jaw and the forehead. She could see his eyes peeking through the middle where the mask did not cover its face. A large zanpakuto was strapped to its back.

"Hell…" she mumbled to herself.

"Welcome, Grand Fisher," Aizen greeted coolly. The Grand Fisher glared at him before his dark eyes swept around the room. His eyes landed on Rin and they narrowed.

"Shinigami! Ichigo Kurosaki...I will kill him!" He roared suddenly. A small smirk formed on Aizen's face.

"By all means. Go to the human world and show them your new power," he insisted. Rin watched as one of the Espada opened up a dimensional tear to the human world. The Grand Fisher jumped through without another word.

She watched as he transformed a Gillian-class Menos Grande as well. It too jumped through the rift into the human world. The room was silent as the rift closed. Aizen turned to face everyone. His eyes swept around the room.

"Kaname, please step forward." Tosen stepped from the shadows and kneeled on one leg in front of him.

"For your loyalty, I would like to bestow upon you a gift. The power of hollowfication," he stated. Rin's eyes widened.

"Thank you, Aizen. I will use this gift to help bring justice and peace to those I may fight for your cause," he murmured. Aizen held the Hōgyoku over his head. Rin closed her eyes as the light filled the room. Once it was gone she took a good look at the blind man. He looked exactly the same as before.

"Uh, did I miss something? He looks the same, Kaji."

"Maybe it's an internal change?"

Tōsen stood up and bowed before backing to his spot. Aizen turned his attention to Rin. The blond gulped, and she had the sudden urge to run away. Rin, though she followed Aizen, had no intentions of looking like the Grand Fisher or any of the Espada.

"Rin."

"Y-yes, Aizen-sama?"

He smiled. "Would you like to bear the same gift as Kaname?"

Rin tried to smile as best as she could. "Th-thank you, Aizen-sama. I can't express how grateful I am for your offer. Unfortunately, I have to decline. I, um, rather not turn into a hairy mammoth like the, uh, Grand Fisher."

"I don't think it would be a good look for ya, Rin-chan. Ya look better not hairy," Gin chortled from behind her.

"Of course. It is your choice, Rin." Aizen nodded and turned his back to them.

Rin let out a relieved sigh. "As for now, a meeting will be called later to discuss our plans. You are all dismissed."

Rin lingered as the Espada left. She noted the blue haired one didn't look too happy as he left the room. Once they were gone, Rin hesitantly walked closer to the dark haired man. Aizen didn't turn as she came closer.

"Is something the matter, Rin?"

"I was wondering if, um, the Hōgyoku was used to make the Espada. I mean the Grand Fisher doesn't really look much like them. He's mucher larger, yet I feel that they're more powerful than him. I was just curious," she rambled a bit.

Aizen smiled down at her. "I made my Espada long ago. Making an elite group is a very slow and cautious manner. The Espada are the most powerful out of my army as I hand selected them. In a way, they are very different from the Grand Fisher."

Rin pondered this and chewed her lip. They all had massive reiatsu, which some liked to flare and show off. She had a feeling some of the Espada didn't think she was very powerful and easy bait to intimidate.

"If you'll excuse me, Rin, I must go see Gin," Aizen said before sweeping past her and out of the room. Rin quickly followed him out before turning down the hall and walking randomly in one direction.

"They're all very powerful even the ones with the numbers closer to ten. I guess I'll just have to avoid the creepy ones."

Kaji chuckled. "Which ones? They're all creepy looking if you ask me."

"True...maybe the tall one and the blue haired one. Also, the one with pink hair since he reminds me of Captain Kurotsuchi. Oh and the really large guy too."

"You don't even remember their names," Kaji berated her. Rin rolled her eyes as she walked. She had no idea where she was going, but she decided that wherever her feet took her would be interesting to see.

"Kaji?"

"Hmm?"

Rin paused in her walking. "D-do you think Aizen-sama will let me visit Granny's grave one last time?"

"I'm not sure. Ask him later. I think it's better not to be seen in a place you're a wanted person. If you really want to, though, I won't stop you."

Rin smiled, but it quickly vanished when she felt Gin behind her. She looked behind her and the silver haired man gave her his closed eyed smile. She eyed him before turning fully toward him. She gave a bow before trying to look him in the eye.

"Can I help you, Ichimaru-sama?" she asked politely.

Gin cocked his head to the side with a confused look on his face, though Rin had a feeling it was fake and he wasn't really confused.

"Why such formalities, Rin-chan? We're friends right? Ya can call me Gin if ya want," he said with a smile.

Rin looked away. "Of course, Gin-sama." He stepped toward her and placed a cold hand on the top of her head. Rin had to resist the urge to pull away from him. He bent down so his mouth was near her ear.

"If ya ever want ta talk, I'll be in the security room. Lots of fun in there ya know messing with the halls," he whispered.

He let her go and kept walking. Rin shuddered as she glanced behind her. The tall man had disappeared behind the bend. The blond girl quickly made her way in the opposite direction. She knew that she would never like or trust Gin even if her life depended on it.

Kitkat