Kurosaki Ichigo slung his bag over his shoulder and merged with the mob of students leaving school for the day. Despite the impression his brightly colored hair gave off, he was not, in fact, a delinquent. And yet, the other students gave him a wider birth than usual. The reason for this was clear to anyone who took a peek at his face.
To call his expression anything other than a scowl would be disingenuous. Even as the mob thinned as students went their own ways, cutting down this street or that alley, or stopping at one station or another, the annoyed scowl persisted. The casual observer might find this odd, considering the dwindling number of people around him, and even more so when he turned down a street that was completely barren. No, most people wouldn't even be able to perceive the cause of his irritation.
Sure that he was clear of any onlookers, Ichigo slowed to a stop.
"You aren't going to get any stronger if you don't take the initiative. Isn't that right, Kurosaki?" Madarame Shino jabbed a finger into her partner's chest.
Yuki Ryūnosuke staggered under Shino's scrutiny. He pleaded with Ichigo, "I get that, but you can't reach your full potential unless you get the basics down. Right, Ichigo?"
"You can't even get through basic training without dozing off, you lazy bum!"
"You get just as bored as I do, Shino-san, admit it!"
The rookie Shinigami wrestled each other to the ground. Shino clearly had the advantage in both strength and technique, but Ryūnosuke was putting up more of a fight than usual. And Ichigo couldn't care less. He kicked the pair of them like a large, tangled soccer ball.
"What was that for?!" The pair whined together.
"You guys are fricken annoying!" Squabbling stopped, Ichigo started moving again. He paid no mind to the rookie Shinigami sulking behind him.
Ryūnosuke and Shino had been following him around for a few days now. After he offered to show them the ropes in Karakura Town, he'd expected to let them loose after just a few demonstrations. But no, they still clung to him as if he were some kind of teacher. That wasn't his job and it was starting to piss him off.
The first couple of times weren't so bad. They paid attention and applied what he showed them fairly well. With Chad and Orihime lending a hand things went even smoother. But life didn't stop for these kinds of distractions, and he had other obligations. School aside, he'd gotten chewed out at his job for ducking out early a few times already.
He leered over his shoulder as the rookies quietly started to bicker again. He felt like a damn babysitter. The substitute Shinigami gig was supposed to be just that. At this point, he was hardly a substitute at all. If the Soul Society thought they could eat up his time like this, they were dead wrong.
As soon as he got home, he'd kick these two to the curb and get back to his life. He'd given them more than enough to figure things out from now on. His mind made up, Ichigo breathed a sigh of relief. His burden felt a little lighter already. He almost started running to get back as quickly as possible, but Ishida Uryu appeared from around a corner, blocking his way.
Ichigo studied Ishida's face for a moment. The guy was a blank slate most of the time, hardly ever showing what he was feeling on his face, but now he was very clearly troubled about something. "What's up, Ishida? I feel like I haven't seen you for days." They were in the same class, but Ishida had been distant since the rookie Shinigami showed up. Well, more distant than usual.
"Sorry. I've been . . . distracted lately." That was weird. No snarky rebuttal? No condescending comment about having seen each other in class? Yeah, something was definitely up.
Ichigo shifted his bag and started walking. "Is that so . . ." There was no point in prying. If Ishida wanted to say something, he would say it. Ichigo passed Ishida with the Shinigami trailing behind. "It was good seeing you."
"Are we friends, Kurosaki?" Ichigo turned to see that worried look on Ishida's face. He couldn't make a joke in a situation like this.
"What kind of question is that? Of course we are. Unless you've got other ideas."
That was the right answer, apparently, because Ishida visibly relaxed. The worry in his eyes was still there, but it was somehow less. "I see. I'm happy to hear that."
Ichigo shivered. "What's your deal? You're creeping me out here."
"It's nothing," Ishida chuckled, "I'll be going away for a while. I don't know when I'll be back, so I figured I'd give you a heads up."
"What the hell, man, you couldn't have just texted me or something?"
"I thought it would be appropriate considering we haven't spoken face to face in a while. Excuse me for being considerate."
"Don't go getting snippy with me. Just don't go out of your way next time. Better yet . . ." Ichigo glanced at the rookie's hovering nearby. They weren't arguing anymore, but the sight of them still pissed him off. Shino was picking at her fingernails, and Ryūnosuke was fiddling with the Soul Society's equivalent of a cell phone. "Hey, how about you give me a hand with these guys before you go? You're the only one who's been neglecting his responsibilities."
"What, do you expect a Quincy to show Shinigami how to do their job?"
"I expect you to lend us a hand! You helped save them so they're your problem too."
"Hardly! You're just too generous for your own good, Kurosaki."
"There's nothing wrong with-" Ichigo's shoulders jumped at the sound of someone shouting. His head snapped around to find Ryūnosuke, wide-eyed and clutching his phone close to his ear.
"Y-Yes sir. My apologies." He collected himself as well as could be expected and spoke much more softly. "This is certainly terrible news . . . yes. Yes, I will inform Madarame Shino-san as well. Thank you very much, sir. Yes, well then . . ." Ryūnosuke gently pulled the phone away from his face and stared blankly at the receiver for a moment.
Shino was the first to approach, "Hey, Ryūnosuke, what's up? What was that all about?"
"Huh?!" The rookie Shinigami's eyes slid slowly to his companion, "S-Shino-san, I . . . That is . . ."
"Hey! You alright?" The kid was obviously shocked by something, but taking it easy wasn't going to get his brain working again. If whatever he was told was bad, then they needed to get him talking fast. So, Ichigo interjected, "What's going on? We can't do anything if you don't tell us what's happening."
"Ichigo . . . Ah! You're right! Shino-san, we need to return to the Seireitei immediately!" Ryūnosuke's eyes focused and suddenly he was all woken up.
"What? Why? Our assignment's just getting started."
"It's got nothing to do with our assignment!"
Ichigo grabbed him by the shoulders and held him down, which didn't take a whole lot of effort. The little guy had gone from barely awake to taking off like a rocket way too fast. It was a real pain. "Slow down. Tell us what happened, Ryūnosuke."
Ryūnosuke blinked and took a couple of deep breaths. "Right. Sorry, Ichigo, it's just . . . We've been summoned back to attend a funeral." He turned to Shino and finally let it out, "1st Division Lieutenant Sasakibe Chōjirō has died. They're calling everyone back."
Shino wasn't the only one who recoiled at hearing the news. Ichigo hadn't interacted with the man much-his impressions were pretty much limited to the pencil mustache he wore-but it was hard to think of either of the 1st Division leaders being anything but healthy.
"What should we do? We can't just leave Karakura Town to fend for itself, can we?" Shino fingered the flower decoration in her hair and shifted in place. That ever confident, headstrong Shino acting so indecisive was evidence enough that things weren't right.
Something big was happening in the Soul Society.
Ichigo put a hand on Shino's shoulder and gave her as reassuring a smile as he could muster. "If you guys have been called back, then they must need you for something. We'll all head over together and find out what's going on."
"I don't think that would be appropriate, Ichigo." Surprisingly, Ryūnosuke voiced an objection. "It seems weird to me too, but we know why we've been called back. A long standing Lieutenant has passed away, so the Gotei 13 is gathering us all to pay our respects. I think bringing an outsider like you might be seen as disrespectful."
Shino bristled, "Hey Ryūnosuke! You can't say that to the guy that's been helping us out. He's every bit a Shinigami that we are, and you know it."
"I agree with you, Shino-san, truly. But this is just too weird. I'm so at a loss that I don't know what to do other than stick to the strictest interpretation of our orders. Please forgive me, Ichigo." Ryūnosuke lowered his head till his body was parallel with the street. Shino opened her mouth to argue, but didn't. She must have noticed it too.
Ryūnosuke's legs were shaking quite badly. He might belong to a different division, but any Shinigami could probably understand how grave an incident the death of a high ranking Gotei member was. And despite his inexperience, he was still a trained member of that organization. He had professional obligations to consider. That was a part of the world of the Soul Society that Ichigo simply couldn't touch. He couldn't stick his nose in if it didn't have anything to do with him.
Unless he was specifically invited to participate, he could only be a bystander. That was a hard pill to swallow.
"Alright. I get it." Ichigo gave Ryūnosuke his own firm pat on the shoulder, "You guys go do what you have to. I'll make sure things are taken care of here while you're away." The rookie Shinigami raised his head. Despite the weary look in his eyes, he gave Ichigo a grateful nod.
"Thank you, Ichigo. And sorry for always troubling you like this." He lowered his head in a more shallow bow and Shino joined him.
The two guardians of Karakura Town stepped away and had a Senkaimon gate opened. Ryūnosuke stepped through with one last thankful nod. Shino turned to Ichigo and offered yet another formal bow. "We'll be back soon, so please take care of us again when we return," she said, then stepped through the gate.
Ichigo ran his fingers through his hair, "Whatever's going on, it sounds serious. What do you think, Ishida? Ishida!"
"What? Oh, sorry, Kurosaki." Ishida adjusted his glasses, but that did nothing to fix the distracted look on his face. "It certainly is concerning, but they made it perfectly clear that this is an internal problem. It isn't any of our business."
Concerning my ass! He barely looked interested. Where did he get off going on about 'internal problems'? "Yeah, you sound real worried."
Ishida sighed, "Occupy yourself with matters out of your control all you like. I have my own problems to keep me busy. I'll see you later, Kurosaki." He turned and started walking away without so much as an apology. And he never explained why he's been a no-show lately. What a jerk.
"Fine! Be a distant bastard! See if I care!" Still, as cold a guy as Ishida could be, he never let himself get so distracted. He definitely did have his own problems. As much as he wanted to stick his nose into his friend's business, Ichigo held back. No point in hurting the guy's pride. Instead, he called out to him, "Hey, Ishida! We are friends. Remember that."
Ishida stopped at that, but Ichigo turned and left his own way before anything more could be said.
+ Break +
Ishida's eyes were wide as he stepped out of the pillar of light. The suburban scenery of Karakura Town was gone, replaced by the lush green of wilderness. It's like a Garganta, then? Only more immediate. Catching the last motes of light fading away, he tried to decipher the technique that had brought him here.
It appeared as freely as a Garganta, not requiring any set up in advance. However, it was less of a passage through a void as it was a direct doorway between two places. That made it fairly similar to the Soul Society's Senkaimon gate. A curious thing indeed.
To think that Quincies were capable of such techniques.
"You seem surprised," Quilge Opie said, leading Ishida down a path dug into the forest floor, "Is it really so strange that we would have our own methods of traversing the barriers between worlds?"
"So this isn't the Living World, then?"
"Hmm, I suppose you could say that. Though, neither is it a realm of the dead. This is a world created by the power of the Quincy; a haven to protect our kinsmen from the injustices of the Shinigami."
Ishida looked at Quilge's back, straight and unwavering. He walked at a brisk pace with a confident, rigid gait. This man was proud. Enough that he did not falter in the slightest when faced with the reality of his situation. Or maybe he simply refused to see the truth. No matter how he looked at it, this place was like a hole in the ground. The Quincy had been chased down, and this is where they had escaped to. Surely this was more a prison than anything else.
"You just thought we were chased here with our tails between our legs, didn't you?" Ishida jumped, but recovered his composure after a moment. It was an obvious enough conclusion to come to. "Well, I cannot blame you. Many of us felt the same at first, but His Majesty put those concerns to rest."
There it was again. His Majesty . . . This Yhwach. What kind of man was the so-called Quincy King? Quilge spoke very highly of him, but the opinion of one man was hardly enough to go by. He would need to meet this man before he came to any conclusions, if such a thing was possible. "Tell me, Quilge, how many Quincies reside here? I can't imagine your camp being very large if it has escaped notice for so long."
Quilge's shoulders shook. Was he upset? No, that wasn't it, "I invite you to see for yourself, Ishida Uryu, how large our camp is." They approached the tree line and Ishida shielded his eyes from the light. He saw then the smile on Quilge's face, thin-lipped and unsettling. It gave him a bad feeling.
But when his eyes adjusted that feeling evaporated completely. He had expected a small clearing in the trees with a settlement nestled between the greenery, but that was far from the reality.
There was no clearing, the forest simply ended in a cleanly trimmed line. And what lay beyond that line was no simple camp. It was a city! Paved roads and houses filled his vision, and although the style was a bit old-fashioned, it was certainly thriving as well as any modern town.
"Now, now. Don't look so shocked. You didn't actually think the Quincy would live in squalor, did you?" Quilge laughed and continued his marching step towards the hidden civilization. Ishida followed, but the truth was he really had thought the Quincies' situation would be pitiable.
There weren't supposed to be any Quincies left. That was what the Shinigami and even his own master had led him to believe. He had entertained the idea that some Quincy might still exist somewhere. People like him, remnants of a lost people, but nothing like this ever occurred to him. It was too unreal even for a fantasy.
No matter where he looked there were people. Quincies dressed in white and blue, going about their lives. They were really here. They were really living. Even if Ishida didn't know a single one of their names, he felt that he was surrounded by familiar faces. It was almost enough to bring him to tears.
In truth, he had harbored intense jealousy towards Kurosaki and the others. The Shinigami comprised an entire world all their own. Even in death, Kurosaki would never be alone. And even Inoue and Sado had found others like them. None of them had to concern themselves with the loneliness. They were his friends, but he couldn't help but harbor those bitter feelings.
He wouldn't have to worry about that anymore, though. He wasn't alone, and judging by how large this Quincy society was, he never truly had been. They were always here.
Of course, that raised the question. "Why now? Why wasn't I contacted before now?" It was a question mostly to himself, but Quilge responded promptly.
"It is fairly dangerous for us to venture out of this place. Were this world of ours to be discovered before we were ready, the forces of the Soul Society would surely fall on us like a terrible, raging waterfall, and we would surely be swept away. So you see, it was simply too much of a risk."
"I see . . ."
"Of course, you didn't have to remain ignorant of us. That master of yours could have told you all you wanted to know, I am sure."
"What? Sōken could have? What do you mean?"
Quilge brought a gloved hand to his mouth, but it could not hide his amusement. "Oops. I've said too much. I must apologize, It is not for me to say."
If there had been any doubts in Ishida's head before, they were gone now. This man, Quilge Opie, may be a Quincy, but he was not someone Ishida wanted anything to do with. Looking at that smirking face, he saw far too much of the Captain of the Gotei's 12th Division. His sickening demeanor, if nothing else.
"Oh come now, don't look at me like that. It honestly isn't my place to speak on such matters." Ishida smoothed his features to as neutral an expression as possible. He couldn't afford to get on these people's bad side before he got the answers he wanted. Quilge smiled, "There, that's better. Now, if you would hold your questions, I will take you to someone whom you can ask all you wish."
Adjusting his round glasses, Quilge set off without waiting for Ishida to agree. The man's manner continued to irk him, but this is what he wanted. The sooner he got his answers, the sooner he could return home.
Though, knowing about this place, could he still consider Karakura Town his true home? He was a Quincy, and this is where all the Quincies were. The sights he saw as Quilge led him through the streets were new and distant at first, but as they continued on he began to feel a sense of familiarity in the old-fashioned European architecture. The people, all dressed in white uniforms similar to Quilge's, started to feel less like strangers and more like family that he hadn't seen for a long time. It was strange.
As Ishida followed Quilge, approaching a massive palace nestled in the middle of the city sprawl, he took in as much as could, noting oddities that he would want to ask questions about. And all too quickly they were upon the palace. Massive pillars lined the lengthy staircase leading up to the main gates. Judging by the size of the place, it could probably house a whole other town inside of itself. It was far more extravagant than he would have expected for a Quincy stronghold.
The inside of the building was no less extravagant. Vast halls, swooping staircases, and innumerable works of art lined the walls and even some of the ceilings. Stark white pillars in every single room whether they were bearing a load or not. It was just too odd.
After what felt like a half hour, Quilge finally stopped at an ornately carved wooden door. It's surface was polished to a shine and decorated with simple scenes depicting Ancient Quinces slaying Hollows. It did not stand out from the rest of the decor in itself, however a tremendous spiritual pressure pulsated like a heartbeat from behind it.
Quilge knocked on the door and waited politely for it to open. A woman in a hat and uniform let them in and the spiritual pressure overwhelmed Ishida's senses for a moment. His first step into the room was heavy. He almost collapsed on the spot, but pushed through the thick membrane blocking his way. Once inside, the pressure enveloped him and his body adjusted. Still, he had to catch his breath.
"My Lord Haschwalth," Quilge announced, snapping to attention and delivering a stiff salute, "I bring you Ishida Uryu, as requested." Ishida followed his gaze to the other end of the room. Sitting behind a small desk that was far too simple compared to the rest of the palace, was a man with long blond hair. He looked up at the pair and smiled.
"Thank you, Quilge. You may go prepare for your next mission." The man called Haschwalth said in a voice that barely reached Ishida's ears. Quilge obediently delivered another salute and marched out of the room without another word.
It was nice to be free of the man, but Ishida had no idea what to expect from the man on the other side of the room. He stood waiting to be addressed. Judging by Quilge's formality, there were certain proprieties he'd need to observe.
Haschwalth shuffled a stack of papers on his desk before raising his head again. "Ishida Uryu, son of Ishida Ryūken, son of Ishida Sōken. A respectable lineage, if a little muddled." Ishida bristled, but Haschwalth deigned not to notice. "Please, come closer. I believe we have much to discuss."
Hesitating only a moment, Ishida strode across the room. His footsteps echoed loudly in that empty chamber, making him feel exposed, the center of attention. There were three more doormen than he initially realized, their presence hidden within the encompassing spiritual pressure filling the room. As he approached the desk it became clear that this Lord Haschwalth was the source.
Was this man really a Quincy?
"Now then, Uryu. You must have many questions to ask, yes?"
"I have a few, yes." Ishida fought back a wince. The man in front of him was not Yhwach, that was for certain, but he was still clearly very important. Disrespecting someone of high standing was a quick way to make sure he never got to ask what he wanted.
"Well?" Haschwalth stood and rounded the table. He was tall and his white coat reached to his shins. The saber on his belt only added to his air of authority. "Ask away."
Best to start from the beginning. Quilge had no real reason to lie to him, but it couldn't hurt to compare his answer with Haschwalth's. "What is this place? I can see that it is a home for Quincies, but how has it stayed hidden for so long?"
"You wish to know how all the forces of the Soul Society could miss us, correct? The answer to that question will require a bit of extra explanation. I hope you don't mind." Ishida shook his head. "Good. The reason we have been able to remain hidden is that this world is outside of the basic structure of the universe as the Shinigami know it. Are you aware of the concept of Balance as proposed by the Shinigami, Uryu?"
Balance? It seemed like a fairly simple idea to reason out, but the way he said it made it sound like there was more. Ishida shook his head.
"For the Shinigami, Balance is the state in which everything exists in harmony. In the case of the universe, this achieved through maintaining the three main planes of existence; the world of the living, the Soul Society, and Hueco Mundo. These three worlds are in constant competition with each other, threatening to consume one another. The purpose of the Shinigami is to keep any one from gaining on the others. As such, Balance is maintained. This is how the world was sculpted by the Soul King, and this is how it has always been."
"Our world here, lies outside of the Soul King's Balance. It is a wedge that we expended a great deal of power and life to carve out of the very fabric of the universe. In this place that sits outside of Shinigami understanding, we are practically invisible. We are free to continue living and bolstering our forces. Is that a satisfactory explanation?"
Ishida blinked. There was a lot of information packed in that explanation. Balance, the Soul King, carving out the fabric of the universe . . . it was overwhelming. How little did he actually know about this? About anything? "Yes, I think that is sufficient," he said, despite how little he actually understood.
"Excellent. Your next question, then?" Haschwalth wasn't going to give him any time to digest any of that, it seemed.
"My next question . . ." There was only one question he really wanted to ask now, but considering that last answer, it might be too touchy a subject to rush into. "As I was being led through the city, I noticed that everyone was dressed in the same uniforms. Also, there were no children among the people that I saw. What is the reason for this?"
"Ah, a question with a much simpler answer. Please come with me. A visual aid will help." Haschwalth led Ishida out of what may have been his office or a spacious waiting room and into a long, equally spacious corridor. Quincies criss-crossed their path going about their own duties, but they all found a moment to stop and salute Haschwalth. That gave Ishida pause.
Perhaps he was reading too much into it, but was that not the reaction a leader elicits from his followers? If Quilge hadn't gone on and on about the man called Yhwach, it would have been easy to call the man leading him the true king of the Quincies.
The authority Haschwalth exuded as they passed through the crowded halls of the palace enhanced his kingly image a great deal. He never stopped for anyone, no matter how important they looked. The most he offered anyone was a neutral smile and a very slight gesture with his hand. His back remained straight as a board, and despite his hair falling between his shoulder blades, he walked with such poise that the ends hardly swayed. He was a man extracted directly from a royal portrait. Proud beyond measure.
Haschwalth led Ishida away from the bustling crowds and through a door that was a measure smaller than most of the others he'd seen so far, and up a cramped staircase. There was no door at the top, instead, the cramped stairway opened up on one side, revealing a breathtaking view of the Quincy city.
"What you see here," Haschwalth began, slowing his stride to a shuffle, "is the city we have built over centuries of fearful isolation. How does it look to you?"
Ishida scanned the buildings and streets that lay before him all the way out to the horizon. What he saw was much the same as when he was walking the streets himself. Uniformed Quincies going about their day like any other townsfolk he'd seen. "It looks normal . . . at first, but the uniforms make it seem like a community on edge. The absence of children in the street gives the impression that said streets are unsafe somehow."
"Hmm, well observed. Ours is in fact a community on edge, as you've said. We are at war, after all." Haschwalth stopped and turned his attention to the city stretching out beyond the horizon. His expression remained the same. "We are all soldiers fighting for the same cause. It is appropriate, then, that we follow a sense of decorum, is it not?"
That does make some sense, I suppose, Ishida thought, but he didn't want to give this man anything to work with just yet. "And the children? Observing military decorum is well and good, but is there some reason the children should be hidden away?"
"There are none, Ishida Uryu. Children, that is." The smoothness of Haschwalth's voice belied the shocking nature of the words he'd just spoken. Ishida tried to demand an explanation, but fear of some horrific cause held his tongue firm. "Don't look so shocked. There is nothing about this that should upset you. Rest assured. This war of ours is not something as simple as you seem to be imagining." Haschwalth continued, unfazed by Ishida's shock, "You see, our battle was not started recently. No, it is a conflict that has been raging for more than a millennia."
"When we first arrived in this place, we were few. The Shinigami exerted a tremendous amount of effort to exterminate every last drop of Quincy blood, leaving us in a truly desperate situation. We rebuilt, however. With His Majesty's guidance, we rose from the pile of corpses that the so-called Balancers made and flourished. From the very moment we arrived, we have been working towards one goal: Victory. In order to reach that goal, we needed an army, which we now have. Of course, a population that is too large would only hinder our ability to wage war on the level required. So, once our army reached the desired size, we stopped any more children being born."
Ishida recoiled, "You what?!" Haschwalth had assured him that the answer would not be so horrible, but this was still quite bad. This kind of population control was something out of a dystopian novel. How could Quincies carry out such a plan.
"Quite the dramatic young man, aren't you. Rest assured, young Ishida, that everyone here is of the same mind. From the very start of each of their lives the people have known that there was a limit. We have never stopped those that disagree with this law from leaving. Your mother was born to the Katagiri family, correct? Their ancestors chose to leave this place for that very reason."
Was that true? If so, then perhaps it wasn't such a bad thing after all. Though the idea still left a sour taste on Ishida's tongue. "I see. Now that you have explained it to me, that does make a fair bit of sense. Thank you for enlightening me." He offered only a shallow bow to express his gratitude. Haschwalth was clearly very important, but even he mentioned a Majesty. That was surely Yhwach.
Haschwalth actually smiled at the show of subservience, though the expression was slight. A fitting response. "It is no trouble, young Ishida. Now, I believe you have one more question."
Ishida's shoulders shook. He had been trying to hide his true goal behind his other questions, but the man standing in front of him already knew what he really wanted to ask. "That is correct. I want to ask you about my master, my grandfather, Ishida Sōken." Ishida took a deep breath. The Quincies were clearly a utilitarian bunch, so there was a good chance that whatever Haschwalth responded with would fill him with dread and rage. He wanted to know where the Quincies had been while his grandfather had been struggling. Why hadn't they helped him in his time of need? He wanted to accuse them of abandoning him. But all that came out was, "Why did Sōken have to die?"
The expression on Haschwalth's face didn't budge at all, but Ishida clearly felt an unseasonal icy breeze on the back of his neck. "You recall I mentioned the Katagiri family, yes? That their ancestors were Echt Quincy who left on principle? Your grandfather was much the same, but he was a traitor."
"What did you-" Ishida clenched his teeth, but Haschwalth raised his hand. A non-threatening gesture that carried a terrifying weight.
"Do not misunderstand me, young Ishida. Ishida Sōken was a respectable man of pure blood. He was not ejected from this place, nor did he have any need to flee. However his goals and philosophy ran counter to ours. He sought a world where the Quincy were like lap dogs of the Shinigami, and that is something that we could not stand."
"Are you saying you had a hand in his death?"
For the first time, Haschwalth's serenity faltered, "Do not make me repeat myself, Ishida Uryu." The sheer force of those words drove Ishida back.
"Then why? If you respected him, and you would not harm him, why did he have to die?!"
"I can give you two reasons. First, Sōken was proud to a fault. This is a trait we encourage in our forces, however in his case it caused him to turn away from the progress we have made in our techniques and powers. In other words, he was too attached to the old ways, and so crippled his own potential for power. Second, because he was unwilling to pay penance for his sins. We can mourn for one who threatens our way of life, but we cannot offer them aid no matter how dire their need. Do you understand, young Ishida? Your grandfather's death was his own doing."
Ishida clenched his fists until his knuckles felt like they would split. He shook, not at the weight of Haschwalth's stare, but from the desire to lash out and deny those slanderous words. He so wanted to shout and protect his master's honor. He closed his eyes, fighting back tears, and realized that he agreed with what the Quincy leader had said.
His grandfather was the greatest man he'd ever known, but the more he thought about it, knowing what he did now, the more he could see the reason in Haschwalth's explanation. Sōken desired peace, but at what cost? He would have the Quincy kneel to men like Kurotsuchi Mayuri in order to survive, but haven't they survived just fine without doing so? He taught Ishida so much, all of the techniques that had carried him through his battles. But better techniques existed. How much pain could Ishida have avoided if his grandfather hadn't been so stubborn?
Why didn't Sōken ever tell him about this place? What possible reason could he have had to keep it a secret? It couldn't have been the population control. That was such a small issue in the grand scheme of things.
A thrumming stinging far in the back of Ishida's mind told him that he was betraying something dear to him, but it was simply impossible not to see the truth.
His grandfather, Ishida Sōken, was a traitor to the Quincies.
"You've calmed down. Good. There is something that I would like to ask you, young Ishida." Haschwalth placed a hand on Ishida's back and he felt air rush into his lungs as if he'd been breathing through a thick sack that was just taken away. "Shinigami will stand by and allow innocent lives to be lost at the hands of Hollows, yet when we try to destroy those monsters, they get in our way. They protect the Hollows in order to maintain their precious 'Balance'. Is it Balanced when the life of a living person, like your grandfather, is lost while the monsters that killed him are guaranteed salvation?" Ishida opened his mouth to answer, but nothing came out. What could he possibly say?
Haschwalth continued, "I have told you that we are at war, but I have not told you why. There are the obvious reasons, of course. The Soul Society threatens our very existence, so we fight. But there is more to it than that. Our purpose is not simply self-defense. It is not mere vengeance for our fallen comrades. We have a righteous charge that drives us forward!"
Ishida barely caught himself leaning forward. He straightened out and firmly closed his mouth, but his eyes and ears were glued to Haschwalth's speech.
"His Majesty Yhwach's ambition is greater than mere victory. More than a millennia ago, he recognized the unbearably flawed system under which all of existence is governed. The retainers of the Soul King tried to silence him then, but they failed. And now, after so much time, we are poised to realize his grand plan. We will conquer the Soul Society and usurp the Soul King's power, and with it, His Majesty will create a world that is free of the 'Balance' the Shinigami are so fond of! He will create a world where damned are rightfully destroyed so that the innocent may continue to live!"
"I have one more question for you, Ishida Uryu." Ishida blinked and nodded. For some reason, he felt eager to answer any question this man asked. "Will you join our fight? We are aware that you have been involved with Shinigami in recent years, and your knowledge would be invaluable."
The thrumming sting continued to prick the back of his mind, but Ishida ignored it. He wet his lips and swallowed through his dry throat to answer in as clear and dignified a voice as possible. "I would be honored to lend my strength to this cause."
Haschwalth smiled. Not a coy half-smile or a grin, but a full on smile, with all the warmth of the sun. What was it that Ishida had found so intimidating about this man? "It makes me very happy to hear that, young Ishida. I believe you can rebuild the honor that your grandfather demolished by becoming one of us. I will arrange for you to be added to the roster immediately. You will need to be integrated and properly trained before the battle begins." Haschwalth snapped his fingers and a Quincy that Ishida failed to notice before stepped forward. "Please follow Mr. Accutrone here. He will see to it that a space will be arranged for you. Welcome to the Wandenreich, Ishida Uryu."
The sharp looking Quincy saluted and gestured for Ishida to follow. Not wanting to be disrespectful, Ishida mimicked the salute and turned to follow. He was filled with an excitement he hadn't felt in years, since Sōken was first training him. From now on, he was a true Quincy, and he would be working to make the world a better place.
It wasn't exactly as Sōken had envisioned it, but surely if the destination was the same, it would hardly matter how they got there.
+ Break +
It was difficult not to smile when plans came together, but Jugram Haschwalth tried anyways. It wouldn't do to give his report to His Majesty with a full-fledged smirk, so he trained his expression to one of sophisticated satisfaction.
Marching quickly through the palace he largely ignored the droves of soldiers stopping to show their respects. Oh, he gave them little nods and waves of his hand, but those responses were practically automatic after so long. Not that they would care. Given enough of his power, they could be made to believe being spat on was a great honor.
Slipping past his adoring subordinates, Haschwalth made his way deeper and deeper into the palace and up increasingly more ornately decorated flights of stairs until he reached His Majesty's quarters.
"I like that look on your face, Jugo." His Majesty Yhwach spoke before Haschwalth had taken two steps into the chamber. His black cloak, draped over the low back of his chair, Yhwach studied the sprawling city that spread far into the horizon below. "You've recruited the Ishida boy."
"That is correct, Your Majesty," Haschwalth said, bending his body in a deep bow.
"It took less power than you expected? That is a relief. With all the set-backs we've encountered these past decades, it is nice to hear that something is going better than planned." Yhwach stood and poured himself a drink. Haschwalth hadn't seen any servants on his way, so they must have been sent away well before his arrival. They need not be privy to the details of His Majesty's plan.
Haschwalth's satisfaction dimmed, "It seems that you have no need of a report, Your Majesty."
"Ah, forgive me, Jugo. It is rude of me to watch you like that when you are in such a state. Anticipation got the better of me, I'm afraid." Apology or no, it was impossible to tell if His Majesty was looking into someone's future at any given time, and with so much of his power spread across the whole of the army, Haschwalth was as susceptible to that temporal gaze as any low ranking officer.
It was humiliating. He would not fault His Majesty, though. When one possessed great power, it was only right that they use it as they please.
"Such is your right as my king. There is no need for an apology, Your Majesty."
"I'm glad to hear that." Yhwach gestured for Haschwalth to join him and poured another drink. "Now tell me, will the Ishida boy prove as useful as we had hoped?"
Haschwalth thought quietly for a moment, taking a long sip from his cup, "I have some concerns. I had assumed the boy's connection to the Shinigami would make him resistant to my influence, but I underestimated how deeply linked he was to them. It appears that the teachings of one Ishida Sōken are to blame. His sympathy towards the Soul Society made for a difficult barrier to overcome."
"But you overcame it in the end. How much power did you need to invest?"
"More than most, but less than most of the Sternritter. Young Ishida is not nearly powerful enough to resist the way many of our elites have." Haschwalth allowed himself a grin as he took another sip. The stronger a Quincy was, the harder it was to influence them with his power. He would have to invest more, draining himself in the process, to push their thoughts along the path he wanted.
For many soldiers of the Wandenreich this was no issue at all. They started weak and were sympathetic to His Majesty's ideals, so they took very little to influence. It would have been best if Ishida Uryu had been so easy, but for such a valuable pawn, the amount of power transferred was a small price.
"Hmm," Yhwach stood and approached the open balcony. His pensive gaze took in the whole of the world that had hidden their people for what felt like eons. It was that very same all encompassing vision that originally endeared Haschwalth to HIs Majesty all those years ago. "Speaking of the Sternritter, I believe it may be time to call them together. We have stood by as long as we could, but time is running out."
Haschwalth's breath caught. He stared at His Majesty's back with worried eyes. "It hasn't begun, has it? It is much to early!"
"Calm down, Jugo. It is still dormant. But I can feel it stirring in the depths of my soul. I feel as a chrysalis approaching the end of a metamorphosis." The worry in Haschwalth's eyes grew more intense. It was rare for His Majesty to speak in such a way. "There is still time, Jugo. However, we cannot afford to wait any longer. If I am to usurp the Soul King's power, we will need to act now." Yhwach turned and Haschwalth felt at ease.
Despite his ominous words, His Majesty's eyes shone with the fiery ambition of a conqueror. He would lead the Quincy to victory and remake the twisted world of the Shinigami with his own hands. Haschwalth knelt and placed a hand over his chest in the deepest expression of loyalty he could muster. "I will gather the Sternritter at once, Your Majesty. We will begin preparations for the invasion immediately."
"Very good," was all His Majesty said before Haschwalth marched out of the chamber, invigorated. Yhwach did not share his ability to share his power with others, but even so, he made Haschwalth feel as if he were given the king's own confidence and determination.
The Shinigami would fall to the might of the Wandenreich.