Here is the next chapter of To My Death I Fight and boy, is it a large one. While other chapters have TECHNICALLY been longer, the content and material contained below is rather important in the long run. That's the reason it took so long to write. I wanted everything to be perfect (or nearly so) for you, my readers, to enjoy.
And from the title of the chapter I know some of you are going to be disappointed by the lack of a fight between Ragyo and Aizen. It is something I REALLY want to write, and will do so in the next chapter. But note that this chapter isn't filler. In fact, I would go so far as to say this chapter explains the reasons and motivations behind not only a lot of the main story - including Ragyo's background - but also a large portion of Bleach's pre-timeskip events.
With that said, I would like to give a few shout outs to some artists on Deviantart:
(1) that-booky-chick15: for her continued fanart of my story, its characters, and the amazing artwork of Nui Harime in Tite Kubo's style of manga that is my current avatar.
(2) grocamol: for commissioning a manga adaptation of my story by ardeearollado, which is currently eight pages long. Please go to his deviantart page to see the entire manga so far and, if you truly wish, help keep the manga going.
I would also like to thank my beta reader for his continued tolerance of my stupidity and sometimes atrocious grammar and spelling errors. Who knows where I would be without his constantly blunt, but always helpful, honesty.
Be sure to check out the tvtropes page for To My Death I Fight. Now with all of that out of the way, I hope you enjoy the latest chapter of my story.
...
Chapter 54 – Turn Back the Pendulum
July 23rd, 1916
An agonizing screech warbled across the bone-white dunes of the boundless desert of the damned as a large Hollow collapsed limply onto the sand. Sharpened claws curling violently into the ground as glowing blue eyes widened beneath its lizard-like mask, the twisted soul convulsed spasmodically when torrents of bubbling spiritual energy began wafting from its body. Taut muscles and veins bulged grotesquely as the barely contained energy radiating from the depths of its corrupted soul grew increasingly chaotic, coloring its once pale flesh an unhealthy shade of crimson. Emitting a torturous wail as blood began oozing from cracks across its inhuman body, the Hollow hunched its back before exploding in a violent burst of flesh and gore.
Standing calmly upon a nearby dune, his white haori flapping lightly in the phantasmal wind constantly blowing across the expansive desert, Sosuke Aizen's mouth curled into a faint smile when the Hollow's corpse slowly dissolved into its component spiritual particles. His pleasant expression unfaltering as the twisted creature's spiritual energy was drawn toward the shimmering orb sitting delicately in the palm of his hand, the ambitious shinigami was unfettered when his creation's normal coloration shifted into a deep sapphire tint. Soft eyes narrowing introspectively, Aizen's thoughts turned inward as he lightly curled his fingers around the sphere.
Contrary to what his associates believe, he was never one to shy away from the prospect of failure.
Yet he couldn't help but feel the slightest hint of annoyance that these particular Hollows, which he painstakingly gathered over the last year, were abject failures. Despite his original hypothesis, none of them possessed any unique characteristics or abilities that visibly differentiated them from the rest of their brethren. Even their most powerful specimens, a pair of Hollows with strength comparable to low-ranked seated officers, could not survive the Hogyoku's influence without quickly undergoing Soul Suicide. But most disconcerting was the undetermined reasoning behind the growing list of failed results.
Perhaps it was time to adjust the parameters of the experiment.
"Yet another failure…"
Kaname Tousen softly expressed his mild disappointment at the experiment as he stood to the immediate left of the bespectacled captain. Milky-white eyes narrowed contemplatively behind the clear goggles concealing his disability, he took notice of the spiritual environment surrounding the blood-soaked dunes before continuing in the same calm tone, "Sixty-two Hollows yet none of them survived the transition to a higher state of purpose. It's quite likely attempting to continue this line of experimentation will be a waste of time. Shall I finish off the rest of the specimens?"
A trace of a smirk appeared on the captain's features at the sound of a zanpakuto slowly leaving its sheathe, "Do you doubt my methods, Kaname?"
"N-No, of course not…"
With a metallic clink Tousen snapped his zanpakuto back into his scabbard before kneeling reverently, "Please forgive my insolence, Captain Aizen."
Aizen's expression didn't falter at the obedient behavior of his subordinate despite his perturbed thoughts. While Kaname's deference to his authority and knowledge on the Hogyoku was appreciated to a certain extent, if one possessed the necessary acumen to form a legitimate opinion than they should freely speak their mind. Blind obedience can only take one so far before fervent demeanor overwhelmed logic. Kaname's strength might have risen to the level of a standard captain under his tutelage but power was meaningless of one lacked the proper motivation and rationality.
It was common knowledge that an opponent experienced in the basics of psychology can easily twist zealot fanaticism to one's disadvantage.
"There's no need for apologies, Kaname."
The mischievous smirk plastered upon his lieutenant's face at the measured response did not escape Aizen's attention. Purposefully remaining ignorant to the way Gin Ichimaru stared intensely at the Hogyoku, his amusement twisting darkly for a fraction of a second, the captain carefully placed the shimmering sphere within its specially crafted container. It was too dangerous to leave his creation exposed to the spiritually rich environment of Hueco Mundo for extended periods of time. In its currently incomplete condition, allowing the Hogyoku to absorb too much ambient spiritual energy could lead to catastrophic consequences.
Tucking his arms within the folds of his shihakusho, the captain's tone remained affable as he slowly walked away, "Your opinion holds a grain of truth. Initial judgment would imply these Hollows are nothing but trash. However, there are still several things I wish to test before deeming the current series of experimentation a failure."
"I'm beginning to get worried, Captain Aizen. At the rate we're going through Hollows we might just start running out soon…"
Gin Ichimaru smirked playfully, his cavalier expression unchanging despite the venomous glare sent his way courtesy of Tousen. Hands clasped together against the small of his back as he sauntered after his captain, the recently promoted lieutenant chuckled before offhandedly commenting, "Although I suppose it is quite fortunate for us so many people are dying over in Europe. Perhaps I should pick up some more Hollows next time I'm in France."
"That won't be necessary, Gin," Aizen sensed the slight consternation on the youth's face at the response. Briefly pausing as Tousen fell into step, the blind shinigami's anger at Gin's behavior reluctantly abating, his voice contained not a hint of annoyance, "As my new lieutenant your duties in Verdun will be heavily scrutinized by the Twelfth Division. Restricted, one might say, to the battlefield. It would be unwise to draw the Gotei 13's attention to gather a few Hollows."
"I suppose ya got a point there…"
Half-listening to the conversation as the lieutenant rubbed a hand against the back of his neck out of embarrassment, Tousen's expression twisted slightly when something plucked on the edges of his mind. It was an old thought, a perturbing notion he'd been constantly pondering for the last several weeks. Blind eyes narrowing fractionally as he raised a hand to his chin, he collected his thoughts in the most appropriate manner before turning to Aizen and calmly inquiring, "Something's troubling me. Four years ago our research was moving at a pace that could only be called breakneck. We experimented upon enough Hollows to draw the notice of Baraggan Louisenbairn. Nothing was off limits. Yet these last few months you have reversed course. Is there something we should know?"
"It's nothing more than a minor change of pace, Kaname."
The captain's glasses shimmered opaquely in the perpetual moonlight as he continued walking without the slightest hint of concern. His brown hair blowing in the nonexistent wind as the bleached structure in the distance – the seat of power for the self-proclaimed God-King of Hueco Mundo – rapidly came into view over the expansive dunes, Aizen smiled affably at the intriguing question, "Our plans hinge upon dozens of interconnecting variables. At certain points the pace of our research may quicken. That is a fact. However, your concern is the result of incomplete data, arising from fragmentary knowledge. With that said, I will presume your next question involves asking why I wish to continue experimenting upon these particular Hollows despite the lack of progress. The answer to that question is quite simple –their souls came from Tokyo."
His two subordinates immediately shared mutual expressions of confusion at the answer. Aizen didn't expect them to understand the intricate motivations behind his reasoning. As far as the Seireitei was concerned, the geographic origin of a Hollow played no role in determining its starting spiritual energy or techniques. It was a supposedly proven fact, determined by decades of research even before Kisuke Urahara founded the Shinigami Research and Development Institute.
"Captain Aizen…"
Gin casually leaned forward as he interrupted Aizen's train of thought, a conniving smirk once more stretching across his features. Pointing curiously at the Hogyoku concealed inside the captain's haori the silver haired shinigami's blue eyes opened minutely, "It's been on my mind for quite some time now…twenty years as a matter of fact…but what exactly is the Hogyoku? I know what it does but its power feels completely different from spiritual energy."
Despite Tousen immediately chastising Gin for his impertinent question, the bespectacled shinigami's smirk never faltered. Removing the safely contained Hogyoku from his pocket, the orb glowing with a deeply enchanting coloration, he pleasantly explained, "Although Kisuke Urahara and myself individually created our own Hogyoku, each with nearly identical powers and abilities, they are composed of diametrically opposite yet fundamentally similar materials. Yet despite our knowledge it is physically impossible to replicate our work and create another Hogyoku."
A wistful sigh escaped the lieutenant's mouth at the enigmatic answer, his features falling as Aizen pocketed the Hogyoku before proceeding to stab the air with his zanpakuto. As the dimensional gateway leading back to the Seireitei opened, the metaphysical wooden doors sliding open with a burst of light, Gin hid his disappointment behind a smirk. Oh well, there was still plenty of time to learn about the Hogyoku over the next few decades.
The wooden floorboards creaked as Aizen walked into his captain's quarters. With the Great War enveloping most of Europe and her colonies, surveillance across the Seireitei was at an absolute minimum. And thanks to the millions of souls lingering around the battlefields, their pain and suffering rapidly transforming them into Hollows, none of the other captains noticed his absence these last five days. His compatriots were far too busy trying to hold back the inevitable flood of Hollows across the world to pay attention to his actions. Grinning faintly when Kaname and Gin left his chambers without another word, Aizen suppressed the growing urge to chuckle.
It was always amusing to watch the latter searching for information. Perhaps he should make their little game more interesting by telling his lieutenant the secret of avoiding the effect of Kyoka Suigetsu's illusions. He was looking forward to seeing how Gin used that against him.
...
August 11th, 1857
The sweltering August heat was nearly unbearable for the thirteenth seat of the Fifth Division.
Wiping a forearm against his sweaty brow, Sosuke Aizen ignored the blistering sun looming overhead as he continued observing the singular focus of his attention. As the faint breeze blowing inland from the nearby bay wound its way through the forest, granting him a momentary reprieve from the heat, he deftly leapt to another branch when his target stood up and moved out of sight. Convincing his captain that he was patrolling the outer districts of the Rukongai hadn't been difficult. The man was inattentive to the most mundane details on the best of days. By playing the role of an average seated officer willing to help his captain with the division's extensive paperwork he gained extensive leeway to move between the Soul Society and the World of the Living.
It was necessary for his long-term plans he continue the charade of being nothing more than an average shinigami.
A thin sheen of sweat slowly covered every inch of his body as he spent the next few hours patiently watching his target – a middle-aged woman possessing regal features and beauty unmatched – sitting in the shade cast by her extravagant manor. Leaning forward at the sound of voices, one hand lightly clenching a smaller branch for added support, Aizen ignored his parched throat when the woman chastised her eldest daughter for pushing her sister onto the ground. Sighing when she sat back down, one of her servants offering her a cup of tea to calm her nerves, the shinigami's mouth pursed in mild annoyance.
For the last month he had diligently observed every aspect of the woman's life, watching her movements from the moment she woke at dawn. Not a single action or conversation went ignored. Yet he couldn't shake the suspicion something was missing, a variable he must have overlooked. And it wouldn't be the first time. The innocent laughter of the woman's two daughters as they ran around the yard caused Aizen to narrow his eyes introspectively. Perhaps two generations of observations weren't enough to deduce a pattern. However, both the woman's mother and maternal grandmother had already succumbed by this point in their lives. There must be something different about this generation that –
An abrupt tensing of the matriarch's posture nearly caused Aizen to slip off the branch.
Seconds stretched into minutes as the shinigami watched the unfolding scene with bated anticipation. Taking note of the sudden silence in the surrounding forest as the once incessant droning of the summer insects vanished, Aizen frowned when the Kiryuin matriarch stiffly rose to her feet and turned towards the manor. Something was wrong. He hadn't sense any changes in either the woman's spiritual pressure or the ambient spiritual energy, which would explain the shift in behavior. For all intents and purposes she was exactly the same now as she was several hours ago.
It didn't follow the basics of logic and reasoning.
Carefully listening to the inflections in the matriarch's emotionless voice as she ordered her prostrating servants to watch over her daughters, he wiped the sweat from his brow before proceeding to the next stage of his plan. With expertise born from years of practice Aizen slowly extended his left arm, streams of ribbon-like spiritual energy shimmering in the air as he twisted his wrist clockwise. Kneeling as the illusionary array wrapped around his body, the Bakudo concealing both his spiritual pressure and physical presence, he waited until the Kyokko settled into place before using Shunpo to catch up with the Kiryuin matriarch as she stepped into the manor
Aizen knew better than perhaps anyone that the Kiryuin's could not be defined by the word normal. Scarce reasons existed that adequately explained how every member of the family possessed greater than average spiritual energy without having Quincy or shinigami ancestry.
And that strength was slowly growing with each generation.
The rush of cold air carrying the faint scent of mildew did little to alleviate Aizen's sudden nervousness as he carefully followed the matriarch into the catacombs beneath the Kiryuin manor. It took but a single discerning observation of the surrounding architecture to notice that the walls of the musky stairwell were old. Almost impossibly old judging from how the stone blocks were carved. Yet that wasn't the origin of the suspenseful chill racing down his spine. Staring attentively into the encroaching darkness as he perfectly timed his footsteps with the woman's, the warm light from the candle in her hand flickering against the walls, he frowned at the strange sensation permeating the atmosphere.
Even he could sense the inhuman spiritual energy coming from deeper within the catacombs.
Lingering behind when the matriarch reached the bottom of the stairs, her bare feet echoing softly against the stone floor as she continued forward, Aizen's eyes widened in restrained intrigue at the ancient doors barring further passage. How extraordinary. They might have once been constructed from mundane materials such as wrought iron and stone but whatever lay behind the closed threshold had twisted them into something unique. It would require both an immense amount of spiritual energy and inhuman physical strength to leave anything more than a small scratch upon the surface.
Which only made it stranger to comprehend.
A nervous tremor caused the fingers on his right hand to spasm when the Kiryuin matriarch placed her own hands upon the uncannily smooth doors. Watching with bated breath when the otherwise normal woman pushed gently on the sealed gateway, which slowly opened without any further impetus, Aizen felt a chill race down his spine as the darkened catacombs were bathed in a harsh orange-red light.
This…this was it.
After more than fifty years of preparations, patiently observing the Kiryuin family slowly amass increasing amounts of power and influence, he finally managed to lay his eyes on the Original Life Fiber. This should have been a momentous occasion, the culmination of decades of painstaking work and planning. Yet Aizen quickly found himself forced to brace his hand against the wall when an overbearing pressure began pressing down on his soul. He hadn't expected this either. Most shinigami would have instantly succumbed to the spiritual pressure of the eldritch creature floating in the middle of the sanctum. In mere seconds their spiritual forms would have broken down, absorbed by the blanket of Life Fibers covering every inch of the chamber.
But he was far above the level of his fellow shinigami.
His mouth twisting into a disturbed grimace when the spiritual energy constructing the Kyokko was abruptly stripped away, devoured by the innumerable Life Fibers writhing several meters away, Aizen waited a moment before cautiously approaching the glowing threshold.
Pausing on the edge of the sanctum, his sandals inches from the Life Fibers covering the floor, Aizen tensed when everything suddenly pulsed. No, he quickly realized upon observing the dust coating the walls hadn't shifted, that was an incorrect assumption. His attention snapping back to the Original Life Fiber when the creature's coloration changed, the ominous glow illuminating the chamber transforming into vibrant and burnt crimson, he instinctively leapt backwards when every Life Fiber in the chamber moved. Bundles of threads, each as large as his body, were unraveling before his eyes, splitting into thousands of smaller tendrils far too numerous for his to count.
Unable to avert his gaze as the thousands of Life Fibers converged upon the woman praying fervently beneath the Original Life Fiber, Aizen carefully reached for his zanpakuto when the massive creature split sickeningly down the middle, exposing a large and glowing jagged maw.
Nothing he researched could have possibly prepared him for the scene unfolding before his eyes. While most of the last five decades had been dedicated to observing the previous two matriarchs, he hadn't dared step foot within the catacombs underneath the manor. It would have been suicide without the guiding presence of the current Kiryuin matriarch. Yet those trivialities were the least of his concerns. He had anticipated the Original Life Fiber would be inherently different and exponentially stronger from the minuscule traces of Life Fibers he painstakingly managed to collect.
But this was beyond his wildest dreams. It was almost inconceivable that an existence such as this could –
An agonizing scream pulled him back to reality.
The sight of the Kiryuin matriarch getting pierced by hundreds of Life Fibers, blood pooling on the glowing floor as she was devoured both body and soul by the alien threads, nearly gave Aizen pause. Yet he refused to allow such a sickening display of inhuman gluttony prevent him from achieving his goal. Swallowing the bile in his throat as the woman's scream devolved into barely audible moans, he silently slipped a faintly glowing glove onto his right hand.
While he couldn't physically enter the deeper catacombs of his own prerogative, lest he wish for his soul to be painfully devoured by Life Fibers, monitoring the Original Life Fiber's guardians had exposed something rather interesting. For the briefest of moments during the ritual, when the current matriarch of the family willingly surrendered her body and soul to the creature, the eldritch being's impervious defenses faltered. It only lasted a few seconds – the length of time necessary for the Original Life Fiber to devour its latest meal – but that was more than enough to grant him the opportunity needed to see his plans come to fruition.
It was unfortunate that his ambitions required an innocent woman having her body and soul ripped apart and devoured by the Original Life Fiber.
With a single usage of Shunpo he crossed the imposing threshold, careful to refrain from touching the writhing mass of Life Fibers. His heart pounding rapidly in his chest as he stood in the air directly above the Original Life Fiber, its burnt crimson coloration returning to a comparably normal orange-red, Aizen didn't hesitate before cutting through a small tendril of the eldritch creature with his zanpakuto. Quickly grabbing the severed threads before they could rejoin the Original Life Fiber, the specifically invented glove briefly preventing the alien fibers from devouring his spiritual energy, Aizen turned around and used a second application of Shunpo to reappear back outside the sanctum.
"Amazing…"
Aizen refrained from speaking any louder than a whisper as he carefully placed the stolen Life Fibers into the small container previously hidden within his shihakusho. Wincing when the glove protecting his hand disintegrated into nothingness, exposing patches of burnt skin, there was a soft hiss of pressurized air as he sealed the specialized reliquary. There was no time to waste. This would only contain the Life Fibers for a few hours. He needed to return to his laboratory in the Seireitei before the Life Fibers ate through the spiritual glass.
Smirking profoundly as he began ascending the stairs, Aizen stiffened when an inhuman roar echoed inside the confines of his mind. Did it know? Zanpakuto quickly flashing into his hand, several Kido ready to buy him enough time to escape the Kiryuin Manor if needed, he watched as hundreds of Life Fibers wrapped themselves around the doors leading into the sanctum. Preemptively leaping away when the Original Life Fiber's presence once more resonated deeply in his soul, Aizen narrowed his eyes when the alien threads pulled the doors shut with a resounding slam.
"That…went far better than I anticipated."
Despite several complications and variables his plan had been a genuine success. He'd calculated the probability of the Original Life Fiber detecting his presence, forcing him to fight the creature in order to escape. But after experiencing the indirect weight of its unworldly presence, there was not a doubt in his mind how such an encounter would have ended. Even he didn't stand a chance against that eldritch abomination. Illusions and sensory confusion were useless against a creature like the Original Life Fiber.
His glasses shimmering in the flickering light as he silently recast Kyokko, the Bakudo once more hiding his presence from those he wished to avoid, Sosuke Aizen's smirk grew with every echoing step towards the surface. Things were finally starting to work in his favor.
...
August 6th, 2001
"Sorry about that," Gin Ichimaru shrugged nonchalantly, an amused smile plastered across his face at Ichigo Kurosaki's unexpected return to Sokyoku Hill, "I didn't think you wanted me to interfere, Sosuke. So I let the Ryoka get by."
Aizen smirked at the lackadaisical excuse offered by his subordinate. It would have been simple for someone of his power and experience to prevent any interference until he finished retrieving the Hogyoku hidden within Rukia Kuchiki's soul. Yet he refrained from doing so, allowing Ichigo Kurosaki to assist Renji Abari in rescuing their friend, all for the purpose of personally observing the youth's unique existence.
It wouldn't be wrong to state that an increasing number of his fellow captains viewed Ichigo Kurosaki as nothing more than the latest human to miraculously obtain shinigami powers, an existence that would be tolerated until his usefulness to the Seireitei ended. Yet such a theory was factually incorrect. Since that night sixteen years ago, when his mother fought off Ragyo Kiryuin, Ichigo Kurosaki hadn't possessed either patriarchal shinigami powers or matriarchal Quincy and Hollow abilities. Every feat achieved by the teenager, whether it was the rapidity of his growth to the sudden appearance of an Inner Hollow during his fight against Byakuya Kuchiki, was due to his Life Fibers.
What was the evidence to support his assertion?
One simply needed to note the peculiar appearance of the youth's Bankai – Tensa Zangetsu.
Properly obtaining Bankai requires that a shinigami materialize and subjugate the spirit of their zanpakuto after years of arduous training. This final release almost universally takes on the form of an enormous spiritual construct or a large-scale effect. His Kyoka Suigetsu was no exception. And while there existed a few Bankai that seemed to break this unstated rule to an extent, namely Genryusai Yamamoto's Zanka no Tachi, Ichigo Kurosaki's was inherently different. No records existed within the archives of the Daireishokairo of a shinigami's Bankai transforming into a smaller form while covering their body in an entirely new outfit independent of the normal shihakusho.
Byakuya Kuchiki had been correct, although for the wrong reason, when he declared that Ichigo Kurosaki's Banaki wasn't a 'true' Bankai. For even though the Life Fibers composing the teenager's body remained dormant, at least for the time being, their influence upon his 'shinigami powers' were obvious to those aware of their existence.
"No matter. It's fine."
His glasses shimmered as he uttered the exact words necessary to draw Ichigo Kurosaki and Renji Abari's attention, "When you're cleaning the house, it doesn't make any difference whether there's one piece of dirt or two."
Aizen half-heartedly listened to the whispered conversation between the two shinigami following his purposefully threatening comment. He knew neither of them would allow such a slight to go unpunished considering their attachment to Rukia Kuchiki. They would stand and fight, foregoing the pragmatic solution of using Ichigo Kurosaki's faux Bankai to escape Sokyoku Hill. But perhaps he should credit their intelligence. From their determined expressions and rising spiritual energy, it was clear they realized running away wasn't an option.
One step of Shunpo would be enough to instantly cross Sokyoku Hill on the chance they foolishly attempted to escape or he deigned to take the offensive. From there, it only required a single strike to Renji's already injured left shoulder to deal with the heavily wounded shinigami. The stubborn lieutenant of the Sixth Division might have exceeded his expectations but he wasn't special. It didn't concern him in the slightest whether or not Renji perished protecting Rukia Kuchiki as he vowed to do only a few minutes ago. Ichigo Kurosaki, on the other hand, was a significantly more interesting subject.
It was quite the stroke of luck the teenager's Life Fibers remained strangely dormant. Dealing with an awakened Life Fiber Hybrid would have been complicated even for someone of his strength and intelligence. All but the most powerful Hado and Bakudo would have little to no effect, their spiritual energy devoured by the hybrid's Life Fibers, while Zanjutsu and Hakuda were out of the question. The only conceivable way any shinigami could defeat someone like Ragyo Kiryuin or her Grand Couturier was through powerful techniques, attacks that could vaporize every Life Fiber in their bodies.
Of course, it was prudent nothing survived. Only a few Life Fibers were required for the hybrid to regenerate, adapting and evolving to the technique in the process.
Yet Aizen couldn't help but ruminate on the potential reasons leading to Ichigo Kurosaki's current state of being. The Grand Couturier of Revocs, who Ragyo had symbolically called Nui Harime, had demonstrated distinctly inhuman abilities long before the woman decided to take a more active role in her 'development.'
Perhaps four Life Fiber Hybrids weren't enough to make any accurate predictions.
"Here we go! Zabimaru! Higa Zekko!"
Aizen watched in faint amusement when the pieces of Renji zanpakuto scattered across Sokyoku Hill began glowing with violet spiritual energy, the shattered portions of Zabimaru's Shikai hovering directly over his head. Higa Zekko, was it? How interesting. He hadn't expected the brash and reckless lieutenant to use such a self-damaging technique. Unflinching when the segments simultaneously shot towards the ground in a massive explosion, the captain nevertheless praised Renji's surprising ingenuity. While Higa Zekko was ineffective as a straightforward attack, the smoke and dust released in the aftermath would limit his visibility.
Truthfully, he couldn't see anything more than a foot away from his face.
Yet Renji's strategy immediately faltered against those who had mastered the ability to detect spiritual energy. And while his sight was indeed limited, a smokescreen did not stop him from hearing Ichigo Kurosaki's approaching footsteps.
It was admittedly disappointing he only required a single finger to halt the momentum of the youth's false Bankai. Whether they were dormant or not was irrelevant. He assumed that Ichigo Kurosaki's Life Fibers would have granted him more power than this. But given the teenager's strange nature – from his lack of regeneration to faux human anatomy – perhaps his expectations had been too unrealistic. Smirking amiably as he gently curled his finger around the black weapon, Aizen didn't hesitate before slashing the youth's abdomen.
"Well now…I thought I had succeeded in cutting you completely in half."
Aizen ignored the subsequent spray of blood as Ichigo Kurosaki struggled to remain standing. For just a moment, vanishing faster than it took the signal to reach his brain, there was a flash of sapphire light inside the teenager's body. The truth of the matter was that he never intended to completely bisect Ichigo. That would be an extremely dangerous move. Even if Ichigo Kurosaki were ignorant of his unique existence, there was the distinct possibility cutting him in half would be enough of an incentive for his Life Fibers to awaken.
And dealing with a Life Fiber Hybrid in the middle of the Seireitei would be quite detrimental to his plans.
"But I guess I didn't strike deep enough…"
Softly releasing his grip upon the artificial Bankai, the bespectacled captain didn't bother waiting for Ichigo Kurosaki to collapse to the ground before using Shunpo to instantly cover dozens of meters. Rivulets of blood dripping down the length of his zanpakuto as he severed Renji's left shoulder nearly to the bone, the stubborn lieutenant's eyes quivering in barely expressible anguish before he finally fell unconscious, Aizen subtly smirked at the accuracy of his earlier assumption.
It had only required one strike to the lieutenant's shoulder.
His footsteps deliberately paced and methodical as he slowly approached the only remaining obstacle in his path, Aizen paid no attention to the terrified expression in Rukia Kuchiki's eyes, "Come now. Stand up, Rukia Kuchiki."
Grabbing the collar around her neck when she demonstrated the inability to follow his orders, Aizen effortlessly hauled Rukia onto her feet before offhandedly commenting, "Hmm? I see…my spiritual pressure has caused your body to go limp."
The captain's amiable smile was momentarily replaced by a perplexed expression, which vanished as quickly as it arrived, when Rukia Kuchiki's attention flickered toward something over his shoulder. Now this was interesting. Despite decades of study and preparation, he still underestimated the potency of Ichigo Kurosaki's Life Fibers. Even dormant they granted him the inhuman strength to remain conscious and fully aware of his surroundings. But then again, the threads inside a hybrid were vastly different from those woven in every piece of Revocs clothing. So such surprises were to be expected.
This was, after all, still the first time he'd been able to personally observe a Life Fiber Hybrid. And it was far from a disappointment.
"Poor doomed thing. Is he actually still conscious? Your stamina is amazing but your spine is barely connected to your body," Aizen smirked condescendingly while slowly sheathing his zanpakuto, "You should lay still. At any rate, you have each served your purpose. Your job in all this is done now."
...
September 9th, 1985
Kaname Tousen didn't know what to expect as he stepped through the Senkaimon.
The heavy rainfall accompanying their arrival to the World of the Living felt almost poetic to the self-proclaimed follower of justice, a noticeable contrast to the serene evening in the Seireitei. Yet the inclement and worsening weather was unimportant, secondary in terms of both severity and concern to his growing confusion. For despite his best efforts to keep an open mind to new possibility, to avoid falling prey to the same arrogance befalling the rest of his fellow shinigami, he could not understand the suddenness of their departure from the Soul Society.
"Captain Aizen, what is this place?"
Thunder echoed softly over the horizon as Tousen respectfully addressed the only other person standing on the roof. Frowning at the strange construction of the complex, his spiritual energy allowing him to 'see' the architecture of the surrounding buildings and central structure, he couldn't recall any of their previous experiments taking place near this location. At first glance the area seemed relatively normal, albeit possessing a spiritual presence that felt enigmatically nostalgic, Tousen stiffened at the unnatural stillness in the air.
It was…disconcerting.
Rain dripped from the hood of Aizen's spiritual concealing cloak as he walked forward, his attention focused on something in the distance, "Revocs Headquarters. Or rather the future headquarters of their global conglomerate."
"A textile company?"
The blind captain didn't care for most events concerning the World of the Living aside from his required duties. Yet he was begrudgingly aware of the company's popularity thanks to the lieutenant of the Tenth Division. The woman's tendency to purchase dozens of unnecessary outfits during her rare assignments away from the Seireitei, which usually consisted of dealing with a particularly vicious Hollow, was legendary. But such unprofessional behavior wouldn't bother him if Rangiku Matsumoto didn't flaunt her new clothes in his division's barracks, barraging Hisagi with pointless questions about her beauty.
Revocs was simply the brand she bought during her last mission seven months ago.
His blind eyes narrowing in the general direction of the Revocs headquarters when a dull thump echoed in the distance, "This is where our sensors detected them?"
"Interesting, isn't it?"
Aizen smirked at the question as he stood upon the edge of the roof, the rapidly shifting wind causing his cloak to rustle, "Less than an hour ago Masaki Kurosaki and Isshin Shiba left Karakura Town without delay, rushing toward Revocs headquarters at frightening speed. What could have caused such changes in their behavior? I was aware of their friendship with Ragyo Kiryuin yet their actions precluded any sort of benevolent intentions. Such a development had to be seen with my own eyes."
A series of progressively heavier pulses of spiritual energy, possessing the same alien consistency and presence as the surrounding complex, drew the blind shinigami's attention even before Aizen finished speaking. Quirking an eyebrow at the mention of Ragyo Kiryuin – a woman who never came up in their plans yet seemed to have garnered his superior's vested interest – he stared off into the distance, "I was not aware of Isshin Shiba's relation with – "
The rest of Tousen's inquiry went unsaid when a massive explosion of spiritual energy erupted from the top floor of the central building.
"What the…this power is…"
As Tousen staggered when shards of chaotic spiritual energy crashed into the surrounding buildings, filling the air with an unnatural static that caused chill to race down his spine, the other captain's attention never wavered. Aizen was enraptured, enthralled, by the unexpected scene unfolding before his eyes. To think they had come to Revocs under the assumption there was nothing important to observe, a false alarm that would waste a few hours of their time. But watching this made the unplanned trip worthwhile.
He never expected something as magnificent as this to occur!
Masaki Kurosaki nearly screamed her throat raw as she furiously chased Ragyo Kiryuin into the raging storm. Drawing back the phantasmal string of her spiritual weapon upon taking her first step into the pouring rain, the normal cheerful woman's expression was twisted in absolute hatred as she fired a barrage of Heilig Pfeil with all the power at her disposal. Eyes narrowing when the other woman nimbly dodged her arrows, the arrogant smirk on her face never faltering, Masaki prepared to launch another barrage only to suddenly lurch forward as intense pain radiated from the very core of her soul.
Blood and spittle spewed from between clenched teeth when Masaki collapsed onto her knees, the spiritual bow dissipating into its composite energy. Wiping away the blood oozing from the corner of her mouth, she tightly clenched her hands and shouted as a pair of ethereal angelic wings burst from her shoulder blades, multicolored ribbons shifting gently in the feathery constructs.
"Quincy: Letzt Stil!"
The massive and sudden eruption of spiritual energy accompanying her transformation vaporized the surrounding landscape, utterly infuriating Ragyo in the process. But that was the least of her concerns. Surprised by the change in the other woman's appearance, the power rolling off Masaki incomprehensible, she failed to notice the first barrage of Heilig Pfeil as they pierced through the smoke. Reflexively flinching when the projectiles shattered against her skin, leaving no trace of damage in their wake, Ragyo's smugness vanished when the next arrow carved a thin gash across her cheek.
How did she…
Fingers clenched tightly around the Needle Blade as the wound stitched shut, the rainbow light of her Life Fibers quickly vanishing, Ragyo snarled at the other woman's audacity and arrogance. Masaki dared try and tarnish her flawless skin? Maroon eyes narrowed in growing fury as she danced through the subsequent storm of Heilig Pfeil, the hardened Life Fiber weapon in her hand wantonly deflecting the projectiles into the surrounding buildings without care, the Kiryuin matriarch angrily curled her free hand into a fist and sneered.
"Such an affreux form!"
Ragyo smirked as she punched Masaki squarely in the jaw before the woman could register she'd even moved, the powerful blow enough to dispel the surrounding storm. Her elation quickly turn to confusion, however, when she realized the Quincy hadn't budged despite the strength of her attack. Eyes widening at the faint pattern spreading across Masaki's cheek from the point of impact, she gagged and then growled when the other woman fired an arrow clear through her stomach.
"Blut Vene…"
Holding her stomach as the wound rapidly knitted back together, Ragyo snarled at Masaki, "What?"
Another arrow passed through her shoulder, nearly taking her left arm off in the process, before the Kiryuin matriarch regained her composure. Hastily deflecting the rest of Masaki's assault with the Needle Blade, rainbow light arcing from the edge of the hardened Life Fiber weapon, she gasped wetly when a Heilig Pfeil lodged itself in her throat. Staggering away from the Quincy, blood seeped down the front of Ragyo's once white dress for several seconds before she angrily shattered the projectile between her fingers. Hunched forward as the wound on her neck sealed shut and her raiment returned to its proper coloration, Ragyo clenched her teeth at the other woman's infuriating expression.
"It's a defensive technique," Masaki answered, her normally blue-white bow shimmering with several exotic colors, before leveling the weapon at Ragyo's forehead. As the light from her wings brightened and overwhelmed the rainbow undertone of the Kiryuin matriarch's silver hair, she pulled back the string of her bow and sneered, "Licht Regen!"
Hundreds…thousands…of Heilig Pfeil exploded from Masaki's bow, lighting up the stormy skies in a vibrant display of colors. Maroon eyes narrowed in rising fury at the continuous embarrassment, Ragyo screamed incoherently as her arm blurred into motion, deflecting each and every arrow with the Needle Blade before they could touch her body. She would not suffer such mockery for another second! Heels clacking against the air when she darted forward, her body flickering as she dodged most of the projectiles while regenerating from the rest, Ragyo prepared to stab the Needle Blade through Masaki's beating heart only to stiffen upon noticing the woman was gone.
Then she felt her right arm – and the Needle Blade – falling towards the ground hundreds of feet below.
"I-Impossible!"
The blood gushing from her stump of an arm abruptly ceased, flowing back into her body as the missing limb regenerated in a flash of rainbow light. Her mouth slightly agape when she looked over her shoulder and found Masaki standing only a few feet away, the Kiryuin matriarch felt the unfamiliar sensation of fear in her heart. This couldn't be happening! She was one of the Original Life Fiber's prophets! Chosen to lead humanity towards their ultimate fate as sustenance for Life Fibers! So why was –
A single arrow, innocuous in appearance, shot forth from Masaki's bow without any warning. Thick streams of blood oozing from her mouth when the momentum from the projectile carried her forward, slamming her against the façade of her headquarters hard enough to leave her temporarily dazed, Ragyo stiffened when the arrow vanished yet she still felt blood oozing down her back. Running a hand against the slowly regenerating wound, her finger tracing the ugly star-shaped scar marring her flawless skin, an immense amount of rainbow spiritual energy exploded from the Kiryuin matriarch right before she vanished in burst of speed.
"How dare you!"
Ragyo felt no catharsis when she smashed her fist into Masaki's nose, the woman's vaunted 'defense' crumpling under her superior strength. She no longer cared that the woman stole Isshin's heart, forcing her into a marriage with a pathetic man who couldn't even create the basic stitching for a Kamui! Souichiro was a second-rate hack that could never compare to the skill possessed by the only man she would ever love! Punching the Quincy repeatedly in the face, droplets of blood splashing against her skin with every blow, she was determined to make Masaki suffer for daring to scar her flawless body!
But simply beating Masaki to death wouldn't be good enough.
"A worthless…insignificant…ant!"
She purposely ignored the second arrow when it fired from one of Masaki's outstretched wings, lodging itself in her left shoulder and leaving behind a slightly smaller scar. Whatever technique the Quincy was using to bypass her regeneration seemed to require a lot of energy, leaving the other woman increasing exhausted. So even when a third Heilig Pfeil stabbed into small of her back in a shower of blood, Ragyo did not stop attempting to strangle the other woman, her manicured fingers squeezing ever-so-roughly around Masaki's throat.
"You…human…bitch!"
Rage consumed the Kiryuin matriarch as she tightened her grip around Masaki's throat. Laughing sadistically at the torturous expression on the other woman's face as she struggled to breath, her mouth open in a breathless scream despite the ugly pattern flashing across her throat, Ragyo flinched when another two Heilig Pfeil burst from Masaki's wings and into her back. But even with the rampant pain coursing through her body, causing the multicolored undertone of her silver hair to brighten magnificently, she did not relent in her efforts to kill the other woman.
Her teeth clenched in blinding fury, unadulterated hatred for the woman bubbling within the depths of her soul, Ragyo noticed only a moment too late Masaki's arm swinging upward before the reformed spiritual bow smashed into her nose.
Thick streams of blood gushed from her broken nose as Ragyo staggered backwards, involuntarily releasing Masaki in the process. Gasping deeply as she hunched forward, one hand pressed firmly against her face, the Kiryuin matriarch's eyes widened in shock when her opponent rushed forward and punched her.
Hard.
Blood and spittle flew from between Ragyo's lips at the strength behind the blow. Her head snapping backwards from the strike hard enough to snap a normal human's neck, she had barely enough time to notice the different pattern across Masaki's hand before a second punch shattered her jaw. Using her considerable speed to avoid the other woman's third strike, the blood coating the front of her face vanishing alongside her wounds, Ragyo nimbly avoided the next series of blows before getting caught off guard when Masaki changed tactics.
So determined was she to break the other woman's neck, to tear her apart limb from limb, that Ragyo never noticed Masaki's weapon vanish until it was too late. And then she felt the pair of hands gripping the back of her neck, ripping into her glorious silver locks - the proof of her status as the Original Life Fiber's prophet, the one thing she still shared with Isshin even after Masaki stole him from her. She screamed when Masaki pulled, the other woman's expression twisted with nearly as much anger as her own, before attempting to return the favor by stabbing her hand through her former friend's heart.
Gasping when she missed, her fingers passing through the afterimage left behind by Masaki's Hirenkyaku, Ragyo screamed when two more Heilig Pfeil pierced her back, sending her careening down to the ground below in a violent display of rainbow spiritual energy.
"This…can't…be…"
The Kiryuin's matriarch's raiment was dirtied, rips and tears blemishing the fabric as she struggled onto her feet. This was a nightmare! Holding a shaking hand to her face, the blood a sharp contrast to her normally pale skin, Ragyo's anger was replaced by building terror at the prospect that she might actually die. Her breathing coming out in shallow pants as the rain pelted the seven fresh scars on her back, her scalp still tingling from its recent abuse, she abruptly stiffened when Masaki suddenly appeared in a flash of speed. Fearfully staring at the woman when she dismissed her bow, Ragyo had only enough time to register the patterns spreading up both of Masaki's arms before she screamed angrily and began punching her with every ounce of power at her disposal.
On the far side of the Revocs compound Sosuke Aizen didn't react when an errant gust of wind, kicked up by Ragyo Kiryuin's crash to the ground, knocked off his hood, threatening to expose their presence. The captain of the Fifth Division half-heartedly noted Kaname's perfectly understandable reaction to the inhuman spiritual energy of the woman currently on the defensive. Such trivial matters didn't register in the face of much more pressing matter. Ragyo Kiryuin – a Life Fiber Hybrid – was losing against a Quincy. The form was similar to the Quincy technique Letzt Stil but its power was on a completely different level compared to her fight against White eight years earlier.
It was an impossible scenario. And yet…
"I now understand your interest in Ragyo Kiryuin."
Kaname's voice might have been steady yet there was no mistaking the underlying fear. While the battle might be advancing in a specific direction the monstrous potency of Ragyo's spiritual energy was staggering. It felt completely inhuman, different from anything he'd ever encountered. The woman might be losing against Masaki Kurosaki yet her power hadn't decreased more than normal. The current situation was the result of psychological warfare and inexperience, a terrifying mixture that allowed her opponent to hold the advantage. But there was something else that unnerved the normally stoic captain, an underlying familiarity to Ragyo Kiryuin's eldritch presence.
Yet most disturbing, or perhaps concerning, was the possibility of the woman's attention somehow bypassing the protection afforded by their spiritual cloaks.
"The battle unfolding has nothing to do with us, Kaname."
A flash of lightning arced across the heavens as Aizen ran a hand through his hair, water falling onto the roof as he replaced the hood a moment later. It was only thanks to decades of research, using what little scraps of Life Fibers he'd been able to acquire, that he sensed the subtle nuances. Spreading throughout the extensive compound at a growing rate that could only be called exponential, the hundreds of men and women employed by Revocs were having their memories devoured by the trace Life Fibers in their clothing. Every single thought pertaining to the battle between Ragyo Kiryuin and Masaki Kurosaki was being systematically erased.
Even those who lost their lives as a result of the battle would soon be forgotten.
"Do not forget why we are here, Kaname. Our purpose was determining why Masaki Kurosaki and Isshin Shiba left Karakura Town," the bespectacled shinigami's tone possessed his standard amiable and patient tone as he continued observing the multicolored smoke rising in the distance. His expression tightening into a mild frown when Masaki refused to deliver the finishing blow to Ragyo Kiryuin, her spiritual energy decreasing despite her advantage over the fallen matriarch, Aizen briefly paused before adding, "And now that we've learned why they departed Karakura Town there is no longer any reason for our presence."
"Such a being cannot be allowed to exist."
Kaname's fingers tightly gripped the hilt of Suzumushi as his tone hardened, "Justice demands the eradication of inhuman monsters. Yet we cannot inform the Captain Commander of our discovery without earning his suspicion. That leaves us with but one option – we must strike down Ragyo Kiryuin where she stands, killing her when she's at her weakest. It is the only way to ensure she does not pose any threat to our plans."
"At her weakest, you say?"
Aizen smirked at the fervent display of loyalty from his subordinate, "One can easily sense that Ragyo Kiryuin's spiritual energy is currently less than my own. In a normal scenario it would be quite the advantage. Yet I have not given any weight to the notion. Why, you ask? The answer is because her defeat came not from a difference in strength, instead it was the result of extraneous circumstances. The combination of inexperience in properly utilizing her power alongside the dramatic shattering of her worldview, the result of Masaki Kurosaki damaging her body, made Ragyo Kiryuin overly susceptible. Yet there is no such opening for us. Not even Kyoka Suigetsu's illusions would grant us the slightest chance of victory if we attempted to interfere."
"There is also the fact that drawing Ragyo Kiryuin's attention will undoubtedly jeopardize our plans," Aizen added the last statement halfheartedly, a jovial smile on his face while he turned away from the finished battle. Of course, he purposely didn't tell Kaname the other reason why he decided not to strike the woman down despite his deep-seated desire. Ragyo Kiryuin was a being composed of Life Fibers. That much was obvious from first principles. Attempting to touch the woman, even with one's zanpakuto, would immediately cause her Life Fibers, which were woven directly from the Original Life Fiber, to devour their spiritual energy.
It would take a shinigami possessing massive amounts of spiritual energy to survive the process long enough to escape.
"Very well…"
The blind shinigami's measured tone intrigued Aizen yet he refrained from continuing the pointless argument pertaining to Ragyo Kiryuin. His face illuminated by an arc of lightning as he turned around, he stabbed Suzumushi into the air before turning his wrist counterclockwise. As the Senkaimon rapidly formed, the wooden doors sliding apart and exposing the dimensional gateway within, he stared contemplatively at the ground, "Still…I find it unlikely such a beast wouldn't take an interest in our affairs. We should adjust our plans in case Ragyo Kiryuin decides to intervene in the future."
Aizen smirked in amusement at the comment as Kaname walked through the Senkaimon, his body disappearing into the light. Moving to follow his subordinate, the shinigami's eyes widened when something completely unexpected prickled against his mind. Droplets of water jumped from his cloak as he spun around, his attention focused on the familiar presence leaving Revocs headquarters. It made perfect sense why Isshin Shiba hadn't attempted to fight Ragyo Kiryuin. In his current state he was nothing more than an average human due to the actions of White.
Yet that was not what drew his attention.
He could sense the unique spiritual energy radiating from the two small bundles held protectively in the man's arms. This would force the acceleration of his plans. After the failure to induce hybridization in her own daughters, born after her conversion by the Original Life Fiber, Aizen assumed it was impossible to create an artificial Life Fiber Hybrid. But the two infants were physical proof that he was wrong. And while one child was undoubtedly Ragyo's, perhaps a daughter that escaped the notice of his admittedly insufficient surveillance of the company, it was the other that garnered his full attention.
Ragyo Kiryuin transformed Isshin Shiba and Masaki Kurosaki's son into a Life Fiber Hybrid.
"This is quite the unexpected development."
Aizen ruminated on the new development as he stepped through the Senkaimon. It required adjusting several variables now that Ichigo Kurosaki was a Life Fiber Hybrid. He couldn't allow the opportunity to study an artificial hybrid slip through his fingers. Yet something still troubled the normally unfettered shinigami. If Ragyo Kiryuin determined the method for properly inducing hybridization in humans, than what other experiments was she secretly conducting in the name of the Original Life Fiber?
...
June 23rd, 1982
Sosuke Aizen stared at the monitor while the faint humming of electronics filled the laboratory, basking the darkened room in a blue-white glow.
Five years ago the screen would have displayed nothing but information relevant to ongoing experiments, data pertaining to thousands of experiments and tests ranging from granting Hollows the ability to hide their spiritual presence to inducing artificial Arrancar evolution. Files on every experiment conducted over the last hundred years were safely secured in his laboratory. Yet the majority of his recent work had been focused on something different – recreating the experiment symbolically called White.' Or at least that was the name Kaname designated the sample.
In the aftermath of its defeat and subsequent self-destruction in Naruki City, when it purposely chose a Quincy for Soul Infiltration instead of a shinigami, he had spent days searching for an explanation behind the Hollow's reaction. It was a puzzle with an interesting solution, one that could change the course of his future research. And the simplest approach to this conundrum was recreating White from scratch.
But progress on that front had proven more difficult than initially anticipated.
Ignoring the intricacies necessary to perfectly replicate its original personality, another decade of research was required at the very minimum to reconstruct the sample's physical body and spiritual essence. White might have been created using the souls of dead shinigami as templates, hence giving it an inner 'whiteness,' but reconstructing the being that fought with Isshin Shiba was a most daunting task. Yet that challenge was currently the furthest thing from his mind. Although his ongoing fascination with the sample's decision to target Masaki Kurosaki, an Echt Quincy and its complete opposite, for hollowfication hadn't waned, at the moment Aizen was focused on something with far greater significance.
With a soft press of his finger the video on the screen shifted to another of the thirty-six cameras surrounding the Kiryuin Manor at strategic locations. At times Aizen wished he could install surveillance equipment within the manor. The benefits certainly outnumbered any possible disadvantages. But he was aware, perhaps better than anyone else, that such pursuits were naïve daydreams hinging upon an optimistic view of reality.
Things involving Life Fibers were never simple.
The Original Life Fiber had grown increasingly active in the decades following his appropriation of its Life Fibers, choosing to remain in whatever passed as 'awareness' in the years between sacrificial pilgrimages from the Kiryuin matriarchs. But whether his actions more than a century ago bore responsibility was irrelevant at this point. Over the last three cycles he had noticed evolutions the creature's defenses, changes perfect for detecting and eliminating someone attempting to conceal their presence. And to make matters more complicated the wards were now woven throughout the entire manor, making it impossible for any spiritual being to enter the premises.
For the fifth time that hour Sosuke Aizen lamented the haste in which Kisuke Urahara was exiled from the Seireitei.
It was only after years of research that he determined the man's groundbreaking spiritual-concealing Gigai was the only solution for bypassing the Original Life Fiber's wards. Normal artificial bodies could not withstand the defenses encompassing the Kiryuin Manor, leading to death within seconds of entering the property. But if a shinigami used a Gigai designed to hide both their spiritual energy and presence, transforming them into a 'human' in the process, they could enter the catacombs without getting devoured.
Theoretically, of course…
He first needed to track down Kisuke Urahara before putting such a theory to the test.
Aizen narrowed his eyes, annoyance visible alongside mild exhaustion, when the screen flickered before switching from the front gate to an outcropping on the southern corner of the property. Installing surveillance equipment and spiritual sensors within the Kiryuin Manor might be impossible but everything had loopholes, even the Original Life Fiber's seemingly impenetrable defenses. It didn't matter if he couldn't enter the manor. There were already workarounds in place, albeit inferior to what he originally planned. The cameras installed at strategic locations around the property were programmed to exclusively detect Ragyo Kiryuin's spiritual energy, allowing him to observe her external movements.
Yet until recently his interest in Ragyo Kiryuin had been halfhearted, nonexistent in favor of more important experiments. While important in the long run, it would have been a waste of time when the woman hadn't displayed any of the necessary characteristics to warrant more prudent observations.
Typing rapidly into the keyboard as he manually changed to a different camera feed, the current viewpoint offering little benefit, Aizen's glare tightened when a pulse of multicolored light briefly flickered through the darkness.
He had been teaching calligraphy at Shin'o Academy when the spiritual sensors scattered around his laboratory first noticed an artificial increase in the ambient luminosity. On its own that would normally have not warranted a warning. Several experiments could easily be the source of the change in brightness. But when subsequent pulses were registered, each with identical coloration and duration, the room was hermetically immediately sealed to prevent anything from leaving. At the same time an untraceable signal was sent to a small device in his captain's chambers. Nobody, not even Gin or Kaname, could unravel the Bakudo sealing the room until he dealt with the situation.
However his duties as captain of the Fifth Division had prevented him from returning to his personal chambers until early the next morning, nearly twenty-four hours after the original detection.
It had required an hour of preparation before he walked out of the Fifth Division barracks, strolling past several shinigami without raising suspicion. Using Kyoka Suigetsu's power he had left behind an illusionary clone, albeit one developing a fever. Constant manipulation of Momo's emotions made it all but certain she would leave his illusion in peace, delegating his normal duties to both herself and the rest of the division until 'he' recovered. But Aizen felt neither guilt nor remorse for warping Momo Hinamori's mind. It had been a necessary sacrifice to ensure success.
Hours of uninterrupted observations, unburdened by a headstrong and independent lieutenant, were required if he wished to counter any potentially dangerous problems.
"How strange." Aizen quietly ruminated while rubbing his chin, the screen displaying the back of the Kiryuin Manor completely barren of life. This was turning out to be anything but what he expected. An event possessing such far-reaching consequences should have already made itself apparent, its effects upon the surrounding landscape obvious. Yet there hadn't been any sign of Ragyo Kiryuin during his observations. While an interesting and notable departure from her usual behavior, it was not enough to draw any conclusions.
It was immensely frustrating that, despite his infallible intuition and vast intellect, all of the evidence was purely circumstantial.
Despite years of experiments on the sample of Life Fibers he severed from the Original Life Fiber, which was substantially less than what he needed, the alien threads still possessed a seemingly infinite number of secrets. Their origins and overarching goals remained obscured, hidden behind the veil of their eldritch nature. How, for example, did that thing intend to devour humanity? The logistics and resources required to spread billions of Life Fibers around the world was staggering. But more importantly why did the Original Life Fiber always summon the Kiryuin matriarch only to absorb both her body and soul?
There were answers to those questions but Aizen hoped he was wrong or, at the very least, his information pointed to an erroneous conclusion.
Because being wrong meant he still had time.
If he truly was mistaken about the situation unfolding in the World of the Living than all of his precautionary measures were unnecessary. This would simply be an aberration, nothing more than an anomaly useful for improving future predictions and calculations. But Aizen did not get to his current position, eliminating both enemy and ally alike, by being naïve nor foolhardy. He needed absolute certainty on what exactly happened, if anything did happen, to Ragyo Kiryuin during those first twenty-four hours before making assumptions. Perhaps the Original Life Fiber devoured the woman like her predecessors, inadvertently eliminating its final guardian and bringing the Kiryuin family to extinction.
But if it hadn't…
Aizen discarded that unsubstantiated notion from his thoughts. It was detrimental to foolishly assume Ragyo Kiryuin was unique, different from her predecessors, without the slightest hint of conclusive evidence. Tirelessly resuming his observations as the night slowly changed into morning, the tense silence in the room constantly interrupted by the light clicking of the keyboard, he stiffened when the screen shifted to another camera feed.
Something had changed.
His pulse quickening as he leaned forward in growing interest, the electronic glow from the computer reflecting brightly off his glasses, Aizen grimaced in bitter distaste when Ragyo Kiryuin emerged from the manor. It was obvious what happened to the woman during those initial twenty-four hours. From her resplendent silver hair, the rainbow undertone shining in the early dawn, to the unnatural beauty flauntingly displayed with every sauntering step onto the veranda, the evidence was clear.
Against overwhelming odds the Original Life Fiber had chosen Ragyo Kiryuin as its puppet.
"What makes Ragyo Kiryuin different?"
That was a question the captain could not answer. There were several possible reasons why the Original Life Fiber chose Ragyo Kiryuin above her predecessors but as he watched the newly transformed woman stare forlornly at Tokyo Bay in the distance, the cameras recording every subconscious twitch and pulse of her spiritual energy, Aizen resisted the growing urge to frown. It didn't fit the pattern. He had spent the majority of the last century extensively documenting the lives of the previous six matriarchs from their childhoods to the exact moment they were summoned by the Original Life Fiber.
Whatever method that thing used to convoke the matriarchs never occurred until after they had children…always daughters.
Yet Ragyo Kiryuin, the one chosen to be its puppet, wasn't even married.
Softly tapping a finger against the desk as he watched Ragyo Kiryuin walk back into the manor, her steps measured and exact, Aizen ignored the multicolored light radiating from the opposite side of the room and frowned, "This is quite the problem."
...
November 1st, 2001
"What's wrong, Aizen? It is my imagination or are you getting slower? Perhaps you've reached your limit."
Aizen's breathing was slightly labored as he hunched forward, his one pristine uniform ripped and heavily burnt. Sweeping a hand through his brown hair, the single bang falling back into place nearly instantaneously, he chuckled airily, "Well now that I think about it, you may be right about my speed. I may have actually reached my limit as a shinigami."
A tense silence enveloped the rubble-strewn streets of the fake Karakura Town as the traitorous captain's posture slowly straightened, "But then again, the limits of a shinigami aren't something you have to worry about, Isshin Kurosaki."
Isshin Kurosaki, his features marred by wounds sustained over the last few minutes, twitched at the comment, "What's that supposed to mean?"
"Do you really need to ask such a ridiculous question? In any case, please accept my sincerest appreciations," Aizen politely smirked while casually stabbing Kyoka Suigetsu through the rubble at his feet, "By forcing our battle away from both Gin and Ichigo Kurosaki, you've granted me the rare opportunity to talk with you on a rather sensitive matter. A subject, I feel, you're quite familiar with."
Isshin ignored the thin stream of blood slowly oozing down his cheek, the result of consciously suppressing his regeneration, and stared incredulously at the former captain, "Hold the phone…you want to talk? What's with the sudden change of heart?"
"I first realized something strange when I avoided your earlier attack and countered with Raikoho."
It took an insignificant amount of self-control to keep his tone measured and voice stoic, a stark departure from the interest quickly growing within his mind. Extending a hand toward Isshin Kurosaki, the older-looking man tensing imperceptibly at the gesture, Aizen closed his eyes before smoothly continuing, "With my skill and expertise, an incantation-less Hado of that level should have injured all but the strongest of captains. Yet you escaped the technique without taking any damage, an improbable scenario but not impossible. After all, your skills as the former captain of the Tenth Division are well known throughout the Seireitei. It's quite possible you evaded my Raikoho using Shunpo, perhaps an original interpretation of Utsusemi."
"So I'm faster than you thought. Big deal," Isshin scoffed before shifting into a Kendo stance, "Now is there a point to this or are you going to keep talking nonsense, Aizen?"
"Nonsense?"
Aizen's disarmingly pleasant smirk widened at Isshin Kurosaki's absurd declaration. The sheer ridiculousness of the man's continuing denial was actually quite amusing. However he didn't have any time to waste on pointless conversation. Pointing a finger at the tachi gripped tightly in Isshin's hands as a cloud passed in front of the sun, temporarily enveloping the city in twilight, the shinigami's eyes narrowed, "Perhaps on its own that would be considered, in your words, nonsense. But I find your lack of cooperation rather disconcerting, Isshin Kurosaki. There is no need to continue this charade. All my suspicions were laid to rest the first time Kyoka Suigetsu parried your weapon."
"My weapon, huh?"
An aura of light blue spiritual energy wafted from Isshin's shihakusho, "That's a funny way to talk about Engetsu."
"Do you expect me to believe that blade is a zanpakuto?"
The nearly imperceptible change in Isshin Kurosaki's spiritual energy alleviated the last of Aizen's doubts. It appeared he finally managed to break through the man's mental barriers, obtaining definitive proof of the answer he suspected. Pulling Kyoka Suigetsu out of the ground before sheathing the zanpakuto in one swift motion, he returned his attention to Isshin and politely commented, "It might resemble Engetsu's sealed state but that sword is simply a facsimile. While quite dangerous in the hands of a being like yourself, it's certainly not a zanpakuto."
"Which leads to a very interesting question…"
Aizen's tone didn't falter despite the eldritch spiritual energy starting to permeate the surrounding landscape, "When were you transformed into a Life Fiber Hybrid? Was it, perhaps, the night Ragyo Kiryuin was summoned to the Original Life Fiber's sanctum?"
Mockingly polite clapping shattered the subsequent silence before Aizen calmly added, "There's no reason to be alarmed, Isshin Kurosaki. Despite observing Karakura Town for over a decade, I was unaware of your altered physiology until only a few minutes ago. Your acting skills were rather impressive. I never questioned your status as an exiled shinigami. But then again, you never displayed any of Ragyo Kiryuin's more prominent characteristics."
The wind blowing through the streets abated as Isshin relaxed his shoulders, "What can I say? Silver really isn't a good look for me."
"I see. Well then, let me ask you another question…"
Aizen was briefly silhouetted in shadow when an explosion of black spiritual energy erupted skyward in the distance, "Is Ichigo aware of the truth?"
Isshin ignored the sinking feeling in his gut, "What are you talking about?"
"That he possesses neither shinigami nor Hollow powers," Aizen found Isshin Kurosaki's reaction quite interesting but the traitorous shinigami was acutely aware he was approaching a dangerous precipice. Knowing any further attempts at provoking someone identical to Ragyo Kiryuin was inherently risky, he stealthily adjusted his tone, "I've known of his altered heritage for quite some time. Ichigo's miraculous abilities are derived from the Life Fibers composing his body, are they not?"
"…Lucky guess."
The former shinigami shrugged nonchalantly, his bluster replaced with mild consternation. There really wasn't a point in continuing to play stupid if Aizen already knew about Ragyo and the Original Life Fiber. Frowning as his attention shifted to the pulsating Hogyoku embedded in Aizen's sternum, the cross-like lines extending outwards from the point of fusion shimmering with a disturbing purple light, Isshin relaxed his guard and grumbled, "You've got some serious guts, Aizen. I'm surprised you're not dead."
Aizen's expression twitched when the Hogyoku suddenly dimmed, "Fusing with the Hogyoku was a necessary gamble."
"Is that right?" Isshin scoffed at the answer. He had to give Aizen credit. The man had one hell of a poker face, "I'll admit I didn't see this coming. But if you're so smart, you already know I can easily tear that thing out of your chest."
"Such a thought has crossed my mind," Aizen wasn't perturbed by Isshin Kurosaki's subtle threat. While it was true the man could easily accomplish such a feat, especially if he were to remove the veil concealing his eldritch spiritual energy, the odds of that occurring were nearly astronomical, "However, our goals completely align. Your actions over the course of the last twenty years imply you harbor no loyalty to the Original Life Fiber. Therefore, the question one should ask is why you haven't tried destroying that being. The obvious answer would be Ragyo Kiryuin. Her power is more than enough to deter any straightforward assaults. But that's not the true reason, is it? You haven't attempted to destroy the Original Life Fiber because you cannot. Whatever method that thing used to transform both you and Ragyo Kiryuin into Life Fiber Hybrids implanted a subconscious directive into your mind that prevents you from actively rebelling. Am I correct?"
Isshin rubbed the back of his neck, "I never did grow out of my rebellious teenage years."
"You of all people should understand why I implanted the Hogyoku within my body," Aizen's eyes narrowed fractionally at Isshin, "It's the only way to prevent the Celestial Cocoon Seed Planet before it can begin."
"By killing the Soul King, right?" Isshin needed to thank Kisuke whenever the enigmatic bastard decided to show his face. The shopkeeper had explained everything they knew about Aizen's plan to forge an Ouken and destroy the Soul King, the 'linchpin of existence,' which meant the Original Life Fiber's mental influence was minimized. Two decades of dealing with that thing preventing him from telling anyone about its plans for humanity meant he was really good at discovering loopholes. Damn it. Now he needed to also thank Aizen. With an exaggerated sigh, Isshin scratched his cheek and grumbled, "You know…that's a really stupid plan."
That was not the response Aizen expected, "Oh?"
Isshin stared at the explosions of spiritual energy in the distance before begrudgingly explaining, "I'm going to guess you spent most of the last one hundred years obsessing over Life Fibers. And it's pretty damn surprising you found out about the Celestial Cocoon Seed Planet. But there are a few benefits from encountering that thing underneath Ragyo's house."
"I figured as much," Aizen grew increasingly relaxed despite the unexpected development. It appeared they were finally coming to an understanding, "There is only a finite amount of knowledge one can learn through second-hand sources and observations. Experimenting with only a few strands of Life Fibers had limitations, especially when physical contact needs to be kept to an absolute minimum."
"So why fuse with the Hogyoku?"
Isshin suppressed the venomous disgust in the back of his mind at the darkened sphere embedded firmly in Aizen's sternum, "You must have known the odds of surviving the process were basically zero. Don't tell me the great 'Sosuke Aizen' couldn't think of a better plan."
"The reason I undertook such a dangerous gamble is rather simple," Aizen placed a hand over the Hogyoku, his voice deepening slightly, "By merging my Hogyoku, created from the Original Life Fiber, with Kisuke Urahara's, I recreated a power seen only once in the last hundred millennium. It is a strength that surpasses Life Fibers. You know what I'm referring to, Isshin Kurosaki. No matter their spiritual energy, it should have been impossible for a Quincy to defeat a Life Fiber Hybrid. Yet sixteen years ago Masaki Kurosaki bested Ragyo Kiryuin with contemptible ease."
A grimace stretched across the former shinigami's face at the reminder, "And you're hoping to use that same power?"
"Failure to act before Ragyo Kiryuin finishes consolidating her strength will undoubtedly lead to humanity's annihilation," Aizen found Isshin Kurosaki's obfuscating behavior rather puzzling. The man knew every detail concerning the Celestial Cocoon Seed Planet yet refused to divulge any useful information. Perhaps his earlier assessment was inadequate. From the man's ambiguous answers and short responses it seemed the Original Life Fiber's subconscious directives weren't limited to merely physical rebellion.
"You might believe I'm a monster for laying waste to the Gotei 13. After all, the strength possessed by Genryusai Yamamoto's Bankai could theoretically overwhelm the regeneration of a Life Fiber Hybrid like Ragyo Kiryuin. However, my primary objective has always been the destruction of the Soul King. Therefore, that begs the question of why you are forcibly suppressing the Hogyoku."
"Because your plan won't work," Isshin grumbled and stabbed the Life Fiber replica of Engetsu into the ground, "In fact, destroying the Soul King will only make things worse."
"Oh? How so?"
Aizen's normally impassive expression briefly faltered when Isshin Kurosaki's eyes shifted into a familiar shade of maroon, "You're going to make me explain everything, huh? Let's just say defeating the Royal Guard and destroying the Soul King won't change anything in the long run. It'll be a complete waste of your time."
The traitorous shinigami resisted the appreciable urge to frown. It was simple for someone of his intelligence to read between the lines. There was no reason to believe Isshin Kurosaki spoke anything but the truth, which suggested decades of planning and research had been for naught. Countless experiments to further his knowledge, pushing the boundaries between shinigami and Hollow, amounted to little more than a waste of valuable time. But Aizen felt neither annoyance nor despair.
"I see…then perhaps a small change of plans is in order."
Isshin frowned, his eyes returning to their normal coloration, "What are you saying?"
Aizen swept an arm forward, "It's quite simple really. Taking your explanation at face value suggests destroying the Soul King is currently impossible. Likewise, you are incapable of harming the Original Life Fiber. If I understand your logic correctly, the opposite must therefore also be true. But what if I were to cast a guiding light into the future?"
Several long seconds passed before Isshin furrowed his brow, "…I'm listening."
The distant sounds of battle were eerily absent as the traitorous shinigami calmly surmised, "Ichigo Kurosaki's status as an artificial Life Fiber Hybrid means he's not beholden to the Original Life Fiber. There is no eldritch willpower controlling his actions. However, he currently believes he's simply a human who obtained shinigami and Hollow powers through a series of coincidental events. From your expression it appears you've already given this a considerable amount of thought. As long as that notion remains firmly in his consciousness, his Life Fibers will not awaken. But therein lies the answer. If Ichigo Kurosaki believed victory could only be achieved through sacrificing those same powers, there would be nothing stopping his Life Fibers from awakening. Am I wrong?"
Isshin remained silent as the traitorous shinigami finished speaking. Contrary to Aizen's expectations, he never wanted Ichigo involved in the fight against Life Fibers. Figuring out a way to stop Ragyo and permanently destroy the Original Life Fiber was his problem. But he wasn't stupid. Rescuing Ururu might have temporarily brought the Celestial Cocoon Seed Planet to a screeching halt but that didn't stop Ragyo from continuing to distribute Life Fibers across the world in the form of Revocs clothing. And it was only a matter of time before she turned her attention towards Ichigo.
It was painful even considering the idea but awakening Ichigo's Life Fibers was the only way to prepare his son for whatever Ragyo had planned.
"Alright…"
Pulling his sword out of the ground, a faint multicolored light briefly visible along the length of the weapon, Isshin frowned in bitter disdain as he stopped suppressing the Hogyoku's disgusting presence. Aizen might have been a coldhearted bastard with a body count in the thousands but he had a point. And that pissed him off more than anything else, "But let me give you some friendly advice, Aizen. You do anything to Ichigo and the Hogyoku won't stop me from killing you."
"There's no need for threats, Isshin Kurosaki. After all, we share the same objective," Aizen slowly unsheathed Kyoka Suigetsu as the Hogyoku embedded in his sternum pulsed with a shimmering blue-purple light, "In any case, it appears our conversation is just about finished. For my plan to succeed, I need you to convince Ichigo that sacrificing his powers is the only conceivable method of defeating me. I shall do the rest…"
Aizen's smirk didn't falter when Ichigo Kurosaki abruptly crashed into a nearby building, the explosion prematurely ending their conversation. Deigning not to speak as the teenager parried Gin's Bankai before landing next to his father, an expression of annoyance in his eyes, the traitorous shinigami's eyes narrowed when a mocking voice commented, "That was a very nice move there. Fascinating just how effective sheer luck can be."
Ichigo snorted as he rubbed the corner of his mouth, "You're stupid to think that was luck."
"I-Ichigo?"
"What is it?!"
The annoyed response caught Isshin completely off guard. Tensa Zangestu gripped tightly in his hand as he glared at Gin Ichimaru, the silver haired shinigami smirking broadly as he landed nearby, Ichigo scoffed and added with a small amount of irritation, "Leave me alone! I'm just getting warmed up! I'll defeat him soon! I don't want you to interfere!"
"Sorry about all this, Captain Aizen," Gin Ichimaru held the wakizashi form of Kamishini no Yari loosely between his fingers, "I hope I didn't interrupt your conversation."
"It's alright…"
Aizen smiled as tendrils of white matter emerged from the Hogyoku in his chest, "I had pretty much finished explaining myself."
...
May 28th, 1790
"Hey, isn't that Sosuke?"
A young woman, long auburn hair falling past her shoulders, turned in the direction her friend was slyly motioning with her hand before responding in a hushed whisper, "I heard he's graduating an entire year early. They say he's a genius!"
Her friend's brown eyes narrowed suspiciously as she leaned closer, "Rumor has it Sosuke was offered a seated position only to politely turn it down! Right to the captain's face!"
"Really?"
The young woman stared curiously at the brown haired man on the other side of the courtyard, "Hmm…I wonder if Sosuke will continue tutoring after he graduates? My Zanjutsu still needs a lot of work…"
Sosuke Aizen ignored the audible whispers filtering across the courtyard as he stared pensively into the depths of one of Shin'o Academy many ponds, the crystalline waters reflecting the late spring sunlight. Despite the rumors circulated throughout the academy, some of which were bolstered by exaggerations and outright lies, he didn't possess the slightest desire to graduate early and matriculate into the Gotei 13. It simply wasn't something he preferred, which he fully realized was a dissenting opinion. Most students would have been ecstatic if a captain personally requested they join their division but Aizen remained conflicted. Unlike his classmates, who constantly professed their goals for the future, he lacked ambitions of his own.
A small pebble balancing precariously on the edge of the pond fell into the water with a noticeable ripple.
Any other shinigami in his position would have unanimously worked towards the rank of captain. He couldn't find fault in such logic. It was a noble goal if sought for the right reason but leading one of the thirteen divisions wasn't something he personally whished to achieve. It meant nothing to him. And while his fellow students would most likely find the answer both confusing and shocking, their opinions held very little weight.
Why should he allow the expectations others placed upon themselves dictate his actions?
Aizen stared somberly into the tranquil waters as a light wind blew across the courtyard, carrying with in the dry afternoon heat. There was no point dwelling on alternate possibilities and past events. The Gotei 13 recruiting him into their ranks was a fact and something he needed to accept. But perhaps he was overanalyzing the situation, giving unnecessary weight to evidence nobody apart from himself would notice. To the Gotei 13, or rather that persistent captain, he was a somewhat gifted student with greater than average spiritual energy and talent in Zanjutsu and Hakuda.
But given enough time and lack of discernable improvement in his abilities, the captain's expectations would rapidly be tempered by disappointment. In order to save himself from the embarrassment of personally recruiting an average student, the captain would leave him either as an unseated shinigami or a low ranked officer, which was perfect. The lack of formal oversight and responsibility was necessary for solving his existential dilemma.
Several relatively uneventful years patrolling the World of the Living and Rukon Districts, cleansing the occasional Hollow entering his jurisdiction, should be more than enough time to determine his future prospects.
Perhaps he would decide to seek the position of captain.
With a small frown Aizen expertly drew his zanpakuto from her scabbard. The constant presence in the back of his mind was yet another indication of his unnatural talents. Unlike the rest of the academy's students who still wielded nameless Asauchi, he already evolved the undifferentiated blade into a zanpakuto. Kyoka Suigetsu was truly his sword. Less than two years after passing Shin'o Academy entrance examination he heard the first whispers of Kyoka Suigetsu's voice. It had required another six months of Jinzen and conversing with his zanpakuto's spirit to learn Shikai.
His expression tightened at the recollection. The far-reaching ramifications of Kyoka Suigetsu's technique becoming known to the Gotei 13 was the main reason he had decided not to reveal his full strength.
Less than two days of contemplation had been necessary to reach that conclusion.
Kyoka Suigetsu was unique, different from any zanpakuto throughout the previous eight hundred years. She did not gain enhanced physical attributes or elemental techniques when he activated her Shikai. Neither did his zanpakuto change shape or functionality. On the contrary, her release possessed a far more insidious nature. Anyone witnessing Kyoka Suigetsu's release would instantly be ensnared within her proclaimed Kanzen Saimin or 'Complete Hypnosis.' It was an admittedly dangerous technique, one that he found disconcerting due to its permanence. There was no method to counter Kyoka Suigetsu's hypnosis even if one were aware of his zanpakuto's power.
It would be impossible for any person who witnessed his Shikai to fully trust their senses.
Aizen's fingers twitched around his zanpakuto.
The Gotei 13's standard response throughout the centuries towards perceived threats wasn't taught within Shin'o Academy. Intentions and benevolence wouldn't matter to the Central 46. Merely the assumption that his zanpakuto posed considerable danger to the Seireitei would be enough for them to sentence him to the Nest of Maggots.
Such ignorance bothered him tremendously.
Only those with limited imaginations would view Kyoka Suigetsu as inherently dangerous. Everything was a matter of perspective. The abilities possessed by one's zanpakuto had no correlation with their morality.
A ripple expanding across the pond's surface reminded Aizen why he was standing in the courtyard.
It was a theory so simple he could not help but chastise himself for not considering it sooner. Several nights ago in the midst of his studies a stray thought appeared in his mind. Since Kyoka Suigetsu was capable of controlling all five senses, rendering his opponents vulnerable to his subsequent actions, was the opposite also true? If there existed another zanpakuto with sensory manipulating powers was his sword capable of shattering their illusions? Would Kyoka Suigetsu render him immune to their hypnosis or vice versa? It was an intriguing concept worth pursuing if not for a single disadvantageous fact.
To the best of his knowledge Kyoka Suigetsu was the only illusion-type zanpakuto in existence.
Hence why he slightly modified his original intentions.
Waiting patiently until the last student vacated the courtyard, Aizen held his zanpakuto perpendicular to the ground before calmly announcing, "Shatter: Kyoka Suigetsu."
There was no momentarily flickering or noticeable change in the surrounding landscape upon release his zanpakuto. One moment the courtyard was quiet and the next a flock of birds native to the World of the Living were roosting in the nearby trees, courtesy of Kyoka Suigetsu manipulating his optical and auditory nerves. This was the first time he used Absolute Hypnosis on himself. But while the results were interesting, the overall experiment was a failure. Despite the authenticity of the illusion, from the feathers on the birds to their familiar chirping, he could easily differentiate it from reality. The illusion seemed almost superimposed upon the tree, a constantly shifting abstract painting he subconsciously rejected.
Perhaps being Kyoka Suigetsu's wielder afforded him immunity to her hypnosis or allowed him to instinctively view the underlying reality.
"I suppose that settles that particular question," Aizen mused as he prepared to reseal his zanpakuto, "Still, I wonder if…"
"Sosuke!"
He recognized the particular inflections – a fourth year student whom he tutored in Hakuda. Smiling softly as he turned around to greet the small entourage of underclassmen walking across the courtyard, Aizen stiffened when he noticed something different flickering on the edge of his vision. This…was unexpected. Yet despite attempting to quickly rationalize the situation as a side effect of Kyoka Suigetsu's hypnosis, which was technically still active, he immediately dismissed that notion. What he was witnessed bore no signs of falsehoods or delusions, which made the only logical choice more difficult to comprehend.
Although they possessed differing levels of spiritual energy, every one of their Asauchi shimmered with a disturbing blue-green light.
"I suppose congratulations are in order, Sosuke!"
One of his fellow fifth year students, a larger man from the outer Rukon Districts, laughed jovially, "We were taking bets on when you'd graduate. I personally thought you'd leave a year ago!"
"It wasn't like I had much of a choice," Aizen laughed nervously, a placating gesture to hide his tumultuous thoughts, "You really can't turn down a captain when they personally ask you to join their division…"
His mind scrambled for an answer that was not forthcoming. Perhaps Kyoka Suigetu's hypnosis truly was absolute, even to him. If that was indeed the case, his previous assumptions were the unfortunate result of subconsciously creating an illusion with the sole purpose of being analyzed. Subtly turning his attention toward Kyoka Suigetsu when the focus of their conversation drifted to the Gotei 13, Aizen's confusion deepened upon noticing his zanpakuto lacked the same blue-green glow as the Asauchi.
"I haven't given it much thought…"
Aizen smiled politely as he sheathed his still released zanpakuto with a soft click. There was a connection, albeit unknown, between Kyoka Suigetsu and the shimmering Asauchi. He had only noticed the blue-green illumination surrounding the blades after personally succumbing to his zanpakuto's hypnosis. From that single piece of evidence, it stood to reason the phenomenon wasn't visible to the majority of shinigami.
So what exactly was the source of the strange anomaly?
"But I was considering joining the Fifth Division," Aizen chuckled as they walked across the courtyard, his mind still focused on the unexpected development, "Their captain seemed quite insistent I join his division."
...
November 1st, 2001
Sosuke Aizen watched the aftermath of his Fragor with detached interest.
He was content with the current progression of events even with the unexpected changes induced by the Hogyoku. It was a rather interesting phenomenon. Despite spending decades researching the Hogyoku's potential, sacrificing countless souls in search of its limitations and full abilities, the inner machinations of Life Fibers eluded his grasp. Not a single one of his experiments, Hollows and shinigami alike, demonstrated how the Hogyoku restructured one's soul if they survived the implantation process. Masaki Kurosaki's brief ascension to the same plateau of power hadn't influenced her appearance, instead merely altering the density and coloration of her spiritual energy while in Letzt Stil.
His eyes narrowed at the shadowed figure slowly emerging from within the flames.
Something wasn't right.
For a brief moment, when Ichigo Kurosaki managed to wound his previous form, he had experienced a strange mixture of anger and indignation. That the teenager could stand against the Hogyoku's power wasn't surprising. He anticipated Isshin Kurosaki, someone who had been directly influenced by the Original Life Fiber, teaching his son the proper 'technique' necessary to achieve victory in this battle, destroying his self-proclaimed Hollow and shinigami abilities in the process. He had expected suffering injuries obtaining that goal. But his outburst and final transformation upon teleporting away from Ichigo Kurosaki was disturbing. While he took the evolution in stride, purposely informing Ichigo that the Hogyoku did not wish to lose to a mere human, Aizen knew the cause behind his temporary loss of composure.
The Hogyoku was beginning to influence his mental state, an outcome he'd predicted but failed to truly account for as it overwhelmed even his own considerable mental defenses.
Aizen allowed a snarl to twist his transformed appearance. He needed to act quickly and force Ichigo Kurosaki into using whatever 'technique' Isshin Kurosaki taught him. The longer the fight progressed the more likely the Hogyoku, or more specifically the Original Life Fiber, would obtain a greater presence in his mind. He refused to allow that thing to have any influence over his decisions and actions.
"I see you were able to withstand my attack with very little damage," Aizen conceitedly declared, condescension and arrogance purposely accentuating his tirade. Staring at the burns covering Ichigo Kurosaki's left arm from the point-blank attack, the former captain mentally noted the resilience of the youth's hibernating Life Fibers, "However, your left arm is no longer usable."
In a burst of motion Aizen leapt into the flames, one clawed hand tightly gripping Ichigo Kurosaki's throat before the youth could react. Pushing the teenager out the other side of the superheated flames, wisps of fire clinging to their bodies, he purposely emitted a savage growl as his transformed wings suddenly encircled Ichigo. But despite purple spiritual energy condensing into three concentric rings as the eyes on his wings widened, Aizen was not fooled by Ichigo Kurosaki's limp form. From his breathing pattern to his grip upon his Bankai, it was clear the teenager was still conscious.
"Can you hear me, Ichigo Kurosaki?"
Aizen ignored the whispers in the back of his mind as he arrogantly boasted, "I have to give you credit. For one brief moment you broke the boundary between Hollow and shinigami to become a transcendent being. But that power is no more! It has completely dissipated…and not a trace of it remains! You're not even worth trying to understand anymore! Now it's my turn! I, a true transcendent being, will cause your death!"
He observed Ichigo Kurosaki's limp form, fully aware the teenager was listening to his every word, "I must say, it will be quite a victory. By eliminating you I will completely break free from shinigami and Hollows alike!"
Tightening his fingers around Ichigo's throat hard enough that the teenager flinched, he indulged in the urge to gloat, proclaiming his superiority, "It's over, Ichigo Kurosaki!"
"Is it, Aizen?"
The transformed shinigami's eyes widened at the question. For a brief instant he felt control of the Hogyoku slip from his grasp. But that was impossible. Ichigo Kurosaki might have obtained great power but his Life Fibers were still hibernating. Was there something he missed? If he considered the improbable scenario that Isshin Kurosaki prematurely awakened his son's Life Fibers, perhaps through a technique usable only by those influenced by the Original Life Fiber, he would have detected their distinct spiritual energy the moment Ichigo emerged from the Dangai.
It wasn't something easily forgotten.
Yet he felt nothing from the teenager. Even now Ichigo Kurosaki's spiritual pressure still mimicked that of a shinigami and Hollow.
So how did he synchronize with the Hogyoku?
"This the best you can do?"
The amount of confidence in Ichigo Kurosaki's voice took the traitorous captain off guard, surprising him long enough for the teenager to disperse his Ultrafragor into wisps of purple spiritual energy with an almost careless swing of Tensa Zangetsu. Pushed backwards through the air by the concussive force of the strike, Aizen's blank eyes widened in astonishment when Ichigo slowly raised his zanpakuto, "Aizen…let's end this already. All this rambling you do? Well, I'm sick of it."
"So prepare yourself…"
Aizen felt a small modicum of satisfaction at the declaration. This was it. His choreographed battle with Ichigo Kurosaki for the presumed fate of Karakura Town and inhabitants was reaching its climax. If he took Ichigo's comment at face value while eliminating all other possibilities, he was preparing to unleash whatever 'technique' Isshin taught him during their time in the Dangai. There was nothing else he needed to do.
Twisting his skull-like visage into an expression of false shock, Aizen watched Ichigo calmly brace his burnt hand against his right arm, "I'll show you my final…Getsuga Tenshou."
A magnificent eruption of chaotic white and black spiritual energy extended into the heavens mere moments after Ichigo Kurosaki's statement, the power concealing his form inside a brilliant pillar of blinding light. Aizen could feel the youth's spiritual pressure on his skin, the weight of the energy causing the very air to tingle with electricity. Yes…everything was going according to plan. Ichigo Kurosaki, through his own actions, was using a 'technique' he assumed required sacrificing his Hollow and shinigami abilities. In the end he would be left as an ordinary 'human,' thereby allowing his Life Fibers to slowly awaken.
And while Ichigo Kurosaki prepared for his confrontation with Ragyo Kiryuin and the Original Life Fiber he, Aizen, would go into hiding. Through careful manipulation of the battle and detailed understanding of Isshin Kurosaki's thought processes, most of which was information rendered outdated in the last hour, he would fake his death at the hands of Ichigo's so-called final Getsuga Tenshou. Every aspect of this fight had been planned from the moment he sensed the full weight of Ichigo's spiritual energy. His erratic behavior and inability to fight against the teenager was necessary to trick the Gotei 13, but more importantly Kisuke Urahara, into believing his death was valid.
The lack of scrutiny was necessary if he wished to eventually destroy the Soul King.
"What is that? What is that form he's taking?"
So why was he growing increasingly frustrated with Ichigo Kurosaki? It didn't make sense. The Hogyoku's influence should still be minimal and easily suppressed. But he refused to leave anything to chance. Every few seconds he checked his thought patterns for inconsistencies, determining whether they were genuine or originated from another source. Why had the Hogyoku chosen now to increase its foothold in his mind?
Aizen was stunned when the torrential outpouring of spiritual energy dissolved into wisps, allowing him to see Ichigo Kurosaki once more. Wait a minute. This was the so-called final Getsuga Tenshou, the 'technique' Isshin Kurosaki taught him during the extended time in the Dangai?
Streams of midnight black spiritual energy clung to Ichigo's body like smoke, taking on the appearance of flames slowly wafting upwards into the sky. But such a trivial effect wasn't what drew the traitorous captain's undivided attention. Everything below Ichigo Kurosaki's eyes, which now displayed a familiar maroon color, apart from his left arm was covered in blue-gray bandages while his previously orange hair was now waist-long and pitch black. This wasn't merely a sacrificial technique.
It was a complete transformation.
Through some miracle Ichigo Kurosaki was using the spiritual energy of his slumbering Life Fibers to bolster his strength.
Yet he was subconsciously rejecting them?
The Hogyoku pulsed with a resplendent multicolored light.
That didn't make sense. Despite his unique origins Ichigo Kurosaki was a Life Fiber Hybrid. But he hadn't anticipated this outcome. Against all odds, including his own calculations, Ichigo was subconsciously accessing the spiritual energy of his hibernating Life Fibers for the final Getsuga Tenshou. It was amazing. There no longer existed any distinction between him and Ragyo Kiryuin. He had ascended to the same plateau stood upon by the Kiryuin matriarch and Isshin Kurosaki. His physical appearance proved that notion!
Aizen felt his consciousness falter under foreign indignation.
It was inconceivable! Ichigo Kurosaki was still rejecting his origins despite the power coursing through his body, which far exceeded anything remotely possibly by either Hollows or shinigami? Aizen found it impossible to comprehend. The teenager firmly believed that underneath his false powers lay the heart and body of a normal human. Normal? Human? Such blasphemy!
To reject both his existence and the Original Life Fiber with such trivial excuses was abhorrent! And he wished to defeat him?!
"No! No! No! No! No! No! NO!"
Aizen felt the inhuman presence originating from the Hogyoku, an eldritch willpower born from the darkest depths of reality, increasing exponentially with each declaration until none of his consciousness remained, "It's absurd! A mere HUMAN can't surpass me! It couldn't possibly be!"
His incoherent ranting was interrupted when Ichigo raised his right arm, a serene expression visible on his masked visage. Startled into silence by the power contained within the pure black spiritual energy condensing between the teenager's fingers, Aizen flinched backwards when everything suddenly snapped back into focus. What just happened? A few moments ago the Hogyoku had nearly subsumed his mind, leaving his struggling for conscious control over his own body. Yet for some reason the Hogyoku's eldritch willpower receded in the wake of Ichigo Kurosaki's final Getsuga Tenshou?
Blank eyes widening as the final vestige of the Hogyoku's presence left his mind, Aizen had only a second to process Ichigo Kurosaki swinging his arm downwards before everything faded to black.
"Mugetsu."
...
July 31, 1894
"You've been awfully quiet, Sosuke."
The suddenness of the comment took the normally collected lieutenant off guard. Brow furrowed into a thoughtful frown as he turned towards his captain, who was slouched forward while nonchalantly scratching his back, Aizen quirked an eyebrow and politely inquired, "What ever do you mean, captain?"
"Don't give me any of that polite nonsense," Shinji Hirako, captain of the Fifth Division and his direct superior, replied without bothering to turn around. Remaining completely silent when his captain answered, deigning instead to think about more important matters, he didn't need to wait much longer before the man grumbled under his breath, "That was your cue to answer, Sosuke. Anyway…these last few weeks you've been rather withdrawn. Well, more than usual at least. I don't think you've commented once about my impeccable sense of fashion."
"My apologies, captain," Aizen smoothed a crease on his shihakusho before bowing his head slightly, "If you wished for my criticism of your fashion sense, than all you needed to do was ask. Perhaps I should start with your lack of –"
"Goddamn it, I was kidding!"
Shinji's left eye twitched sporadically at the comment, a stark contrast to his lieutenant's serene yet vaguely amused expression. Deciding to take a moment to calm his nerves, lest he lose his cool and do something that would result in disciplinary charges by Central 46, he looked over his shoulder and scoffed, "That's no way to talk to your captain."
Aizen sighed before pressing a finger against his glasses, "If I recall, you asked for my opinion on the matter. Lying to you, even over something as trivial as the clothes you purchase when you visit the World of the Living, would be disrespectful. That's why I refuse to comment either way on your…peculiar…choice in music."
The normally flippant captain paused midstride at his lieutenant's unintended admission, anger coursing through his soul, before chuckling, "Heh…trying to change the subject on me, Sosuke? Not bad. But why don't ya tell me what's really on your mind."
"That's interesting coming from you, captain," Aizen allowed the barest trace of concern in his voice, which had the intended effect of catching the rightfully suspicious Shinji Hirako off guard. Running a hand through his slightly messy brown hair, sighing purposely once more at his captain's lack of recognition, he paused for an appropriate amount of time before hesitatingly asking, "Wait…don't tell me you forgot about tomorrow?"
"Huh?"
Shinji blinked in confusion, one hand scratching the back of his neck as he stared incredulously at his lieutenant. What was Sosuke talking about? As he mentally went through the list of important dates, the growing look of concern on his subordinate's face gravely worrying, Shinji dryly quipped, "What? Did the Captain Commander schedule a last minute meeting or something?"
Aizen had difficulty hiding his disbelief at Shinji Hirako's inattentiveness, "Tomorrow is Lieutenant Sarugaki's birthday. It appears you forgot about the date…again."
"WHAT?!"
The ordinarily calm and collected Shinji Hirako, who refused to allow any of life's trivial problems get the better of him, felt his heart sink at the horrible, terrible news. How the hell did he completely forget about Hiyori's birthday? It was literally the most important date of the year! After her rampage across half the Seireitei last year, which sent nearly a hundred shinigami to the Fourth Division for treatment, he had circled the August on every calendar in the division's barracks. He ordered the entire division to remind him of August First one month in advance. He made damn sure there was no chance he would forget.
And he still forgot?!
His expression rapidly cycling through absolute terror and primal fear before finally settling on desperation, Shinji grabbed Sosuke by the shoulders and passionately demanded, "You knew her birthday was tomorrow and didn't remind me? What the hell's wrong with you, Sosuke?!"
"After last year's…incident…I thought it wise not to get involved in your personal matters, captain," Aizen took his captain's subsequent series of curses in stride, his glasses shining menacingly in the afternoon, "Lieutenant Sarugaki can be quite frightening when angry, especially after you shifted the blame for last year's events onto my shoulders. But there's no reason to be worried, captain. There are still several hours left to buy her a mildly reasonable gift. I even took the liberty of collecting some Kan from your quarters for you to –"
He didn't have enough time to finish his sentence before Shinji grabbed the money from his outstretched hand and sprinted away, his fear-induced speed bolstered by judicious usage of Shunpo. As he watched his captain flee the scene, fragments of panicked phrases and words reaching his ears, Aizen's expression tightened imperceptibly. That had been close. He must have grown overly complacent with Shinji Hirako's suspicions if the man deduced a minor shift in his natural disposition. Shrugging his shoulders at several unseated shinigami walking across the barracks, their captain's strange behavior well known, he waited long enough for everything to return to relative normalcy before walking in the opposite direction, his thoughts focused on a singular topic.
Kisuke Urahara.
His initial opinion of the man had been lackluster. After several weeks of subtle observations, using Kyoka Suigetsu to hide his presence when needed, he had determined that Kisuke Urahara was potentially a genius comparable to himself. He was a man capable of simultaneously formulating multiple plans that account for unexpected variables and changes while flawlessly running mental simulations of his opponent's actions. Yet he hadn't given Kisuke Urahara much thought, instead dedicating himself to more important issues. The recently promoted captain might possess an intellect rivaling his own, but that did not make him a threat. After all, while Kisuke Urahara was potentially the only person in the Seireitei able to counter his plans, likewise he could develop countermeasures for everything the man created.
It would be moderately troublesome killing the man if it came down to a battle of simply intelligence. But the vast difference between their spiritual energies, abilities and repertoire of techniques meant the outcome was already decided.
That mindset changed three weeks ago when he detected a familiar, yet subtle, spiritual energy radiating from the recently created Shinigami Research and Development Institute.
He hadn't originally believed the findings from his spiritual sensors. Something like that couldn't be true. It was impossible. Not a single Hollow or shinigami aside from himself had stepped foot anywhere close to the Kiryuin Manor since he first deduced its location decades ago. While an ordinarily unbelievable scenario given the unique spiritual energy clinging to the property, soaking into the very fabric of reality, nothing was impossible when Life Fibers were involved. But more importantly, the current matriarch of the Kiryuin family was only in her late teens. It was physically impossible for Kisuke Urahara to have entered the Original Life Fiber's sanctum. The creature's wards and defenses would have devoured him alive.
All of this was predicated, however, on Kisuke Urahara on visiting the World of the Living, eluding his surveillance of the Kiryuin Manor and stealing a sample of Life Fibers.
There had been rumors of Kisuke Urahara's peculiar behavior over the years. Thirteen years ago, long before Kirio Hikifune was promoted from captain of the Twelfth Division to the Royal Guard, the man had mysteriously vanished for several days without a trace. Yet that hadn't been enough to garner further observations. He had been more concerned with some promising Hollowfication experiments in the outer Rukon Districts, safely hidden from any prying eyes. But the series of miraculous inventions Kisuke Urahara created over the next few years, one after another in quick succession, heavily suggested he'd somehow entered the Soul King Palace.
Aizen's pace quickened slightly.
But if he added the recent burst of spiritual energy into the equation, there was only one possible conclusion – Kisuke Urahara had created a second Hogyoku, one independent of the Original Life Fiber.
It required a considerable amount of self-control to restrain his growing exhilaration into nothing more than a pleasant smirk.
If Kisuke Urahara was intelligent enough to create a Hogyoku, than that could only mean he understood the truth lurking in the shadows of both the Soul Society and the World of the Living. Aizen never thought he would see this day. Creating an actual Hogyoku implied that Kisuke Urahara must also know the Original Life Fiber's terrifying plans concerning for humanity. The only question was broaching the subject of Life Fibers. Caution would be necessary to avoid any unwanted consequences. Gin and Kaname might be loyal towards his goal of rebelling against the Gotei 13 but that was because it conformed to their own interests.
They were merely subordinates, cast aside at the first opportunity.
Kisuke Urahara, on the other hand, had the potential to be a valuable ally – his first true comrade – in destroying the Original Life Fiber and saving humanity. All he needed to do was figure out the most appropriate method of speaking with the man. But that shouldn't be too difficult. Surely Kisuke Urahara, as someone who understood the truth behind Life Fibers, would be amenable to cooperation.
...
November 1st, 2001
"It is the Hogyoku's will."
Kisuke Urahara watched his adversary with a calculating gaze as the specialized Kido continued taking effect, "The reason the seal I shot into you is only now taking effect is because your powers have started to weaken. This is all thanks to Ichigo. The seal was able to take effect because he fought so hard and pushed you to your limit. The Hogyoku…is saying it does not recognize you as its master."
Aizen stiffened at the implications behind Kisuke Urahara's explanation. He had known the inherent risk of implanting the Hogyoku into his soul. Isshin Kurosaki had been telling the truth when he mentioned the chances of surviving were astronomically small. Yet even though he had severely underestimated the Hogyoku's connection to the Original Life Fiber, it had been a necessary risk for his plans to reach fruition – freeing humanity from the tyranny of Life Fibers. But if Kisuke Urahara spoke the truth, and the Hogyoku no longer saw him as its master, then the consequences were dire.
Those things were aware of his plans.
"You're wrong," he muttered, his lips trembling at the growing implications of his defeat, "It can't be! It's impossible! I control this power!"
He hunched forward, agony and pain coursing through his veins, when the sealing Kido embedded in his body suddenly strengthened. Struggling to remain standing when the spiritual energy transformed, forming into large crosses that stabbed completely through his chest, Aizen sneered defiantly. He refused to allow someone like Kisuke Urahara, who ignored the growing threat of Life Fibers plaguing humanity, to defeat him!
"Urahara…Kisuke Urahara!"
Such a decision defied common sense and reasoning! It was a betrayal of humanity itself! Even though he'd never gained the opportunity to speak privately with Kisuke Urahara one hundred years ago without risking throwing all of his plans to the wayside, he expected the man to have done something. Anything! By creating the Hogyoku, Kisuke Urahara should have known about Life Fibers and their plan to devour humanity! He should have spent the last century preparing contingencies to neutralize and counter both the Original Life Fiber and Ragyo Kiryuin! His invention and usage of a specialized Gigai able to conceal his shinigami powers meant he could safely interact with Life Fibers!
There was nothing stopping Kisuke Urahara from entering the Original Life Fiber's sanctum underneath the Kiryuin Manor!
So why in the world had he refused to stop them? It didn't make any sense!
"Do you know how much I despise you?!"
The uncaring expression on Kisuke Urahara's face bothered Aizen more than anything else. Ignoring the seal slowly creeping up his body, encasing his lower legs within an earth-like shell of matter, he gnashed his teeth in frustration and angrily demanded, "With your great intellect why is it you don't take independent action? Why in the world is it that you choose to subjugate yourself to that thing?!"
"When you say 'that thing,' are you talking about the Soul King?"
Kisuke didn't recognize the source of his adversary's mounting anger as closed his eyes and calmly sighed, "I see…so you saw it, didn't you? Without the existence of the Soul King the Soul Society would split into pieces. The Soul King is the keystone to it all. Without that keystone in place the system would fall apart. That, my friend, is how the world works."
"That's an argument only a loser would make!"
Aizen tore furiously at the seal enveloping around his body in a desperate attempt to regain his freedom. How could he have been so blind? He refused to allow someone like Kisuke Urahara to emerge victorious. It spat in the face of everything he fought tooth and nail to achieve! The man might have created another Hogyoku but he was still utterly blind towards the truth of the world. Kisuke Urahara never encountered Life Fibers. It was an impossible contradiction that went against everything he believed!
But the other man's blatant ignorance in the face of reality suggested otherwise.
Snapping a piece of the growing seal, freeing his left arm in the process, he desperately motioned at the only person would could have possibly understood the atrocious but necessary actions he took over the last two hundred years, "A victor should speak of how the world should be! Rather than how the world currently operates!"
"I REFUSE to accept a world ruled by that thing!"
As the seal finished enveloping his body, instantly severing all of his senses in the process, Aizen's seemingly incoherent ranting contained all of his self-loathing and hatred at failing to create a future for humanity free from Life Fibers, "I am a victor! I shall decide how the world should be!"
...
November 9th, 2002
The sound of Kisuke Urahara's footsteps reverberated through the darkness as he strode through the pitch-black void encompassing the lowest level of the Central Great Underground Prison – Muken. For several long and immeasurable minutes he walked through the shadows without uttering a single word, the miniature device sewn into the pocket of his dark coat constantly emitting the spiritual frequency necessary to prevent the bypass into the normally impenetrable prison from sealing shut. Adjusting the brim of his bucket hat upon reaching his destination, Kisuke frowned at the swirling darkness stretching before him.
"From your silence I take it you already know why I'm here?"
Kisuke found the resulting silence somewhat concerning, a sensation compounded by the strange nature of the endless void composing Muken. As he stood unmoving in the darkness, the faint chill permeating the prison giving him goose bumps, the shopkeeper resisted the urge to sigh when the shadows slowly parted, revealing a smirking figure. Although his body was covered head to foot in thick black straps, sealing away his movement and immense spiritual energy, Sosuke Aizen's single visible eye nevertheless narrowed in amusement from Mayuri Kurotsuchi's uniquely crafted chair.
"That all depends, Kisuke Urahara," Aizen grinned smugly at the other man, "Have you come all this way, breaking some of the Soul Society's most ancient laws, simply to learn my motivations? My background and reasoning? Or perhaps you grew concerned about the condition of the seals binding me to this chair?"
"My, oh my. You sure do like taking apart my hard work, don't you?"
His expression twisted into a calculating frown as he stared at the nineteen seals etched into the floor, cracks and splinters indicating what transpired, Kisuke slowly shook his head in disappointment, "In less than a year you've already removed more than half of the seals placed upon your body by Central 46. Well now…that's quite the impressive feat. And in any other situation I'd be shaking in my boots. But I'm curious, Aizen. Is this due to your own ingenuity and intellect…or the Life Fibers comprising the Hogyoku fused with your soul?"
Aizen closed his uncovered eye at the question, "Life Fibers, you say?"
Raising his right arm, the only limb he managed to free from the powerful seals constraining him to the chair, he motioned politely at Kisuke, "While a notably accurate conclusion, it is long overdue from a man of your intellect. From what I remember, during our last encounter you were still blind to the concept of such things. The truth of the world remained lost to you. A regrettable, if understandable, excuse if we were speaking about anyone other than yourself. It's truly disappointing, Kisuke Urahara, it took you over a century to realize the existence of Life Fibers."
"Well…"
Kisuke purposely drawled out the word, allowing it to mask his embarrassment, "I don't know about your Hogyoku, but the one I created wasn't made with Life Fibers. It's actually a very long story. One, I assume, you're already quite familiar with. However, you're wrong about one small thing. During your battle against Ichigo, even before you departed from the fake Karakura Town, I already knew about Life Fibers."
The brief but noticeable widening of Aizen's single eye at the admission intrigued the shopkeeper. Deciding to press the advantage, he sighed gently, "You can thank Uryu for that. A few days after you escaped from the Soul Society with my Hogyoku his father sent him to Revocs headquarters for a two-week internship. During those fourteen days Uryu met some rather interesting people…including a woman by the name of Ragyo Kiryuin."
"And then things became complicated…"
Ignoring the constant chill permeating Muken, the former captain narrowed his eyes, "Uryu still hasn't explained all the details but a few days after his internship ended he returned to Revocs. He broke into their high security research laboratories and stole a large quantity of Life Fibers, which he gave to me for safekeeping. While I was shocked by his behavior, the strange spiritual energy coming from those threads piqued my interest. I promised Uryu I wouldn't tell anyone where I obtained the Life Fibers. Unfortunately…"
Kisuke sighed as he removed his hat, allowing his shaggy light-blonde hair to fall freely, "…I was preoccupied with more important matters at the time. I didn't truly start researching Life Fibers until a week after you were defeated by Ichigo."
"And what have you found?"
Aizen's condescending smile returned, although not as wide as before, "Given the specialized Gigai you're wearing, it should have been relatively safe for you to handle Life Fibers."
"You're right on the nose," Kisuke frowned, pausing briefly as he mulled over his words, "Are you familiar with the concept of Kamui?"
"God Robes?" Aizen chuckled softly at the concept, "That does sound like something Ragyo Kiryuin would create from Life Fibers. From the inflection in your voice am I to assume you've created one of these Kamui? Perhaps one designed to be worn by a Life Fiber Hybrid like Ichigo Kurosaki?"
"Your intuition is quite frightening," Kisuke sighed as he placed the bucket hat back on his head, "But you're correct. It took some effort but I created a Kamui for Ichigo – a sentient, living uniform capable of transforming into more powerful forms. It's similar in some regards to a shinigami's zanpakuto. And ironically enough, he chose to name her Mugetsu."
"Did he now?"
Aizen closed his eye and smirked at the memory of Ichigo Kurosaki's technique neutralizing the Hogyoku's growing influence on his mind, "While an interesting admission, I believe we're getting off topic. You never explained why you came here, Kisuke Urahara. Perhaps you wish to free me from Muken. But as you can see, I'm not in need of your assistance."
He accentuated his answer by clenching the fingers on his right hand, "Ten of the seals specifically created to seal my spiritual pressure while constraining me to this chair are already broken, unraveled by the Hogyoku's power. I simply need to patiently bide my time and eventually the remaining seals will shatter. From there, it's a trivial task escaping Muken into the World of the Living or Hueco Mundo without drawing the Gotei 13's notice."
Kisuke's eyes were framed in darkness as he listened to Aizen's explanation, "Is that right? Well then…I'm afraid I'll have to disagree with you. If you truly wanted to escape Muken, you could have done so months ago…"
Crouching down onto the floor, the shopkeeper ran a finger against one of the broken seals, "You were right about one thing, Aizen. The Hogyoku's power is eating away at the seals keeping you bound to that chair. But upon closer examination of the still functioning seals, including their inconsistent rates of decay, it becomes obvious you've been holding most of your power back, exponentially delaying your eventual escape from Muken."
Unconcerned by Aizen's perplexed frown, Kisuke calmly dusted off his hands and stood back up, "The only question is 'why.' It cannot be because you fear incurring the wrath of the Captain Commander. Due to the Hogyoku's power killing you would require his Bankai, a tactic Genryusai Yamamoto is notoriously adamant against using. No, the truth of the matter is much simpler. You fear leaving Muken because the moment you step outside its boundaries the Original Life Fiber – and by proxy Ragyo Kiryuin – will instantly become aware of your location. There would be nowhere in the World of the Living, Hueco Mundo or the Soul Society you could hide."
"That, my friend, is the downside of fusing with the Hogyoku."
Nearly half a minute passed in absolute silence before the corners of Kisuke's mouth curled into a smirk, "Fortunately, luck seems to be on our side. With her attention split between Nudist Beach, four Kamui and their experienced wearers and Karakura Town, it's almost certain Ragyo Kiryuin won't notice your presence."
Aizen leaned backwards, resting his head against the chair, "You appear to have put some thought into this, Kisuke Urahara. When did you first plan on visiting me? Surely coming to this dreadful place wasn't just a passing fancy."
"You give me far too little credit, Aizen. I always plan for all eventualities, no matter how improbable. After Ichigo and Ryuko left for London I immediately assumed Ragyo Kiryuin might attack Karakura Town in their absence," Kisuke reached into his coat, removing a duplicate set of keys for the nineteen seals at his feet, "After all, it's easier fighting two Kamui instead of four. And while I didn't anticipate the Quincy getting involved to such an extent, it appears my suspicions about that woman were completely accurate."
The traitorous captain carefully eyed the keys in Kisuke's hand, "London, you say? I was growing curious about the status of the creature known as Alucard. If I remember correctly, the embargo on Revocs clothing in England should have ended a few days ago. I take it things didn't go the way Ragyo Kiryuin expected?"
"Is it that obvious?"
Kisuke carefully placed the first key into the proper lock, freeing Aizen's left arm and hand, "But you'll have to live without the details because, to be honest, we don't have any time to waste. As we speak Ragyo Kiryuin is preparing to attack Karakura Town. It's likely she'll use everything at her disposal – thousands of human-powered COVERS, the remnants of Xcution and the Grand Couturier. If she succeeds, there will be nobody left to stop the Celestial Cocoon Seed Planet."
"And you wish for me to deal with Ragyo Kiryuin?"
With an energetic crackle of spiritual energy the two seals constraining Aizen's upper chest vanished, "Why haven't you asked Isshin Kurosaki, the other one touched by the Original Life Fiber, to kill that woman?"
Kisuke hesitated as he placed the next key into the respective slot, "Isshin's history and relationship with Ragyo Kiryuin makes it highly unlikely he would find the desire to willingly land the finishing blow. Not to mention the matter of Ragyo Kiryuin's frightening intellect. It takes a certain amount of acumen to successfully run the second largest company in the World of the Living, which most likely increased due to the Original Life Fiber. She's not someone we can afford to underestimate. Ragyo Kiryuin wouldn't risk all her cards directly attacking Karakura Town without something prepared to deal with Isshin's interference."
"And that is where you come in…"
The fourth to last seal, binding Aizen's left leg, vanished in a flash of spiritual pressure, "Despite failing to seal away the Original Life Fiber, the information gathered during my short visit to the Kiryuin Manor led to some interesting revelations."
Kisuke's eyes narrowed as he unlocked the seal binding Aizen's other leg, "What you said before being sealed…you were warning me about the Original Life Fiber, weren't you?"
"Among other things…"
Aizen smirked when Kisuke unlocked the second-to-last seal, the one constraining his waist, "My goal has always been to destroy the Original Life Fiber and the Soul King. Allowing Life Fibers to devour humanity under Ragyo Kiryuin's delusional beliefs was something I've worked two hundred years to prevent. So if you're wondering whether I'm willing to aid in your fight against the woman, the answer is, of course, yes."
An intense burst of spiritual pressure pulsed across the pitch-black void when Kisuke released the final seal. As the traitorous captain slowly rose from the chair, standing for the first time in nearly a year, the shopkeeper adjusted his bucket hat once more, "Well then, I don't think anything else needs to be said. Now if you'll kindly follow me, the exit to Karakura Town is five kilometers in that direction. Installing a backdoor into this place without the Soul Society finding out was rather tricky."
"Of course…"
Aizen rubbed his sore wrists as he followed Kisuke Urahara through the darkness, "But there is one question I feel you should answer, Kisuke Urahara. Why didn't you simply ask the Soul Society for assistance in stopping Ragyo Kiryuin? Why come to me of all people?"
"Now that's a silly question, Aizen."
There was not a trace of amusement in Kisuke's expression, "You already know why I didn't bother going to the Gotei 13…"
Aizen's condescending smirk twisted into outright smugness at the shopkeeper's admission, piercing through the infinite void of Muken as they marched toward the distant exit.
...
Kamui Tales #33 – Over Budget
"This emergency meeting will now come to order!"
Genryusai Yamamoto, wizened and scarred from two millennia of fighting, tapped his zanpakuto loudly against the floor of the chamber. Staring intently at the twenty-five gathered men and woman representing the full military capabilities of the Seireitei, he waited until the last whispers died away before turning his attention towards the person patiently waiting in the middle of the room.
"Captain Aizen," the Captain Commander's tone deepened as he spoke, "Several hours ago you claimed to have evidence of a grave matter threatening the security and stability of the Soul Society. Under your request, I convened this meeting to address your concerns. The floor is now yours."
"Thank you," Sosuke Aizen bowed respectfully at the elder shinigami, keeping his posture lowered just long enough to alleviate any suspicions concerning his motivations. Fixing his glasses as he raised the clipboard in his right hand, several sheets of papers fastened at the top, he cleared his throat before continuing, "As you are all aware, it is the Fifth Division's responsibility to correctly appropriate the Seireitei's annual budget among the thirteen divisions and various associations. It is a task that I treat with utmost seriousness, which is why during this year's standard audit we discovered some major…discrepancies."
"Don't look at me," Mayuri Kurotsuchi preempted the suspicious glances from his fellow captains with an annoyed scoff, "I'm not the one responsible. The Shinigami Research and Development Institute's budget remains the same inadequate value the feebleminded members of Central 46 granted us for the last five years. I haven't spent a single penny more than that."
"Discrepancies?"
Toshiro Hitsugaya frowned at Aizen's peculiar choice of wording, "Are you trying to suggest someone, potentially a captain, has been stealing money, Captain Aizen?"
"It's nothing of the sort, Captain Hitsugaya. Truth be told, it's actually rather hard for me to explain," Aizen allowed a perplexed frown to cross his features, one that would convince the other captains of his false sincerity, "But after auditing the budget an additional two times while accounting for any potential private expenditures, I determined that a large portion of our annual budget is being spent on something called…Revocs."
"Revocs?"
Jushiro Ukitake couldn't help but quirk an eyebrow in curiosity at the strange name, "Why, I don't believe I've ever heard of such a thing."
"Perhaps we should let Captain Aizen finish his explanation," Shunsui Kyoraku smirked mischievously while nudging his friend in the ribs. He couldn't have been the only one in the room to notice several of his colleagues tense at the strange name, "After all, losing a large chunk of our budget would be rather terrible. If money keeps getting spent on whatever this Revocs sells, I won't have enough Kan to buy sake."
A slap echoed across the chamber as Nanao Ise angrily smacked the back of her captain's head before Yamamoto interjected, "Captain Aizen, do you have a list of the individuals and associations squandering our budget on something so frivolous?"
"Yes, Captain Commander," Aizen flipped to the second page on the clipboard, drawing the attention of his fellow captains and their lieutenants, and cleared his throat, "Starting with the most egregious spenders, last year the Shinigami Women's Association had a budget of two hundred and fifty thousand Kan. Of that budget, roughly eighty percent was spent on Revocs brand clothing."
"Wait just a damn minute," Kenpachi Zaraki's gravelly voice interrupted Aizen's explanation, "Are you saying you called this stupid meeting, woke me up at nine in the morning, all because some idiots decided to spend their money on clothing? Like I give a damn about Revocs or whatever. If you ask me, spending hours picking out clothes is stupid and – "
"It is not, Kenny!"
Yachiru Kusajishi angrily puffed her cheeks as she sat upon Kenpachi's left shoulder, "Don't you listen to anything I say? I told you dozens of times but you never listen, Kenny! The best and cutest clothes in the World of the Living are made by Revocs! And as president of the Shinigami Women's Association, it is my job to make sure we wear the latest fashions and trends!"
Kenpachi rolled his eyes at Yachiru's annoying explanation before something hit him, "Hey! That's why you put those locks on your room, right? It's full of clothing you bought with my money, isn't it?!"
Staring blankly in mounting confusion when the Eleventh Division's captain and lieutenant started bickering, Aizen coughed lightly before continuing down the list, "Roughly ninety thousand Kan was spend this year on Revocs clothing by the Tenth Division's lieutenant. And that's in addition to the eighty thousand Kan we discovered from the year before…"
"MATSUMUTO!"
Hitsugaya's left eye twitched furiously as sheets of ice began visibly forming at his feet. So THAT'S why his division had been strapped for money the last few years! It hadn't made any sense why he couldn't balance the books! Turning angrily towards the spot his lieutenant should have been standing only to notice her trying to sneak out the window, Hitsugaya suppressed the growing urge to strangle her, "Do you care trying to excuse your actions?"
"Uh…" Rangiku Matsumuto fiddled her fingers nervously as she stood in front of the window, one foot on the frame, "What can I say, captain? Revocs has the best designs! Whoever created them has excellent taste!"
The captain stared in disbelief when Matsumoto leapt out the window, vanishing moments later using Shunpo. Resisting the desire the chase down his lieutenant and make her pay for her crimes against the division, Hitsugaya turned back to Aizen and tensely muttered, "My apologies. Please continue with your report, Captain Aizen."
Aizen shivered at the growing chill in the air, which strangely enough wasn't coming from Toshiro Hitsugaya, and flipped to the next page on the clipboard, "Of course. Next on the list are Captain Unohana and Lieutenant Kotetsu of the Fourth Division. Their combined expenditure surpasses the Shinigami Women's Association with a staggering – "
"I don't think we need to worry about that, Captain Aizen."
The deadly undertone in Retsu Unohana's otherwise cheerful voice sent shivers down everyone, including Yamamoto's, spine, "How I decide to spend my division's yearly budget is not your concern."
Aizen observed the ambient temperature of the room plummet several degrees when one of the only shinigami able to match him in battle publically dared him to speak up. Nervously flipping to the next page as the dense spiritual pressure vanished, he swallowed the lump in his throat, "Yes…there was also fifty thousand Kan spent by…Captain Tousen?"
Every captain and lieutenant collectively turned to the blind shinigami, who took the unseen attention in stride, "What can I say? I like the sensation of their fabrics against my skin."
"Um…yes," Aizen decided to hold off discussing the matter with his subordinate until later, "That was all the captain and lieutenants with expenditures above seven thousand Kan. If we account for the seated officers and unranked shinigami, the total amount spent last year on Revocs clothing comes to three million, four hundred and fifteen thousand Kan, roughly forty percent of our annual budget."
"I think I've heard enough."
Yamamoto's voice carried across the chamber as he slammed his zanpakuto against the floor, "It is clear from the evidence that Revocs has a detrimental effect on the Seireitei. Every Kan spent on frivolous fashions and accessories limits our ability to protect the Soul Society and World of the Living. Therefore, I am opening the floor to suggestions on countering this serious problem."
"Considering the scope of the matter," Aizen made sure to choose his words very carefully when Retsu Unohana's expression tightened, "I suggest a complete ban on Revocs. While I understand my colleagues might find that somewhat drastic, the safety and protection of the Soul Society comes foremost. But if they truly wish to spend money on clothing, there are several stores in the Seireitei and Rukon Districts. For much cheaper prices, I might add."
"Hmm…"
Yamamoto stared intently around the room, ignoring the piercing stare from the Fourth Division's captain, before inquiring, "What is your reasoning for such a drastic decision?"
"Well…"
Aizen adjusted his glasses and shrugged his shoulders, "Considering we're already an old-fashioned and feudalistic meritocracy, why not go the whole distance?"
There was a tense moment of silence amongst the gathered shinigami at the admission. Leaning back in his chair as the ambient spiritual pressure originating from multiple sources in the room increased, Yamamoto tapped his finger against his disguised zanpakuto, "Fair enough. The motion carries! I hereby announce a complete ban on Revocs products within the Soul Society! Not a single Kan shall be spent on their clothing! You are all hereby dismissed!
A loud scream that could only come from Rangiku Matsumuto, who was currently hiding several rooms away, pierced through the air, "NOOO!"
As the captains and lieutenants departed for their respective divisions, some grumbling more than others at the declaration, Aizen's attention was pulled away from watching Toshiro chase down his fleeing lieutenant when Shunshi grabbed his shoulder and chuckled, "That was some meeting, Captain Aizen. You're a real lifesaver. I had a feeling Nanao was hiding something from me. Now I have an excuse to go snooping around her room for illegal contraband…"
Ignoring the glare coming from the Eighth Division's lieutenant, her glasses shimmering angrily as she walked out of the room, Aizen resisted the urge to smirk in triumph. It seemed everything was proceeding even better than anticipated.
