Chapter 12
A quiet mummer goes through the crowd but no one moves. No one screams, shouts, or cries as they watch their Lord leave because they'll be on their way out soon as well. They carry boxes. Supplies that will only last them for so long and then they're own their own because no one knows if The Lord will come back.
Or if their leaders will either.
He's taking them with him. He's taking the Espadas to fight. The chances of all of them coming back for them is slim but no one stops them. No one calls them back because they're going to fight for their lives. For the lives of every single Arrancar while said Arrancars hide out.
While they run and hide in a safe house with the last of their supplies without knowing if anyone will ever come back. At least the Fracciónes—the name given to a member of an Espada's Cliques—get to go with them. At least they aren't forced to run and hide while they leave the Espada and their Lord to face their deaths.
No.
The Fracciónes have been given the chance to fight for their leaders. As the Arrancars watch them leave, envy fills them.
~o0o~
A steady stream of curses leave Ichigo's mouth as he runs across the desserts sands. Chad and Ishida run at his side while Nel clings to his back as the make their way across Las Noches.
It's empty.
The whole place is deserted. There's not a soul, Hollow, or Arrancar other than them in sight. It rubs Ichigo the wrong way. Even Orihime is nowhere to be seen or felt. So, it makes Ichigo's self-appointed mission of finding her and talking to Aizen about the truth of Central 46 pointless.
Because they're gone and it only means one thing.
The Attack is happening
And he's stuck here, in Hueco Mundo when he's really needed over in The World of the Living.
When he has to stop the fight before Aizen and his men are killed.
~o0o~
It's quiet. The whole place is deserted. It lets Aizen know that Daisy's plan worked. That the Double Agents—as the assassins had called them—had gotten to The Soul Society and had told them of their 'intentions' to invade The World of the Living.
"May'ba we sha get Daisy ta be our new strat'gist," Gin says from beside him as they walk through the abandoned city and Aizen shoots the smiling man a glare. "Just sayin."
"You must admit that this is coming along better than we imagined it would," Tōsen says and Aizen has to agree with them.
"Well, at least her leaving came with good results," he says as he takes one more look at the fake world. It's a duplicate of Karakura town. It's been made by the Death Gods for their upcoming battle so that their fight won't actually destroy The World of the Living. "Let's get back before anyone sees us."
With that, he opens his own type of wormhole to get them back into the real World of the Living. The others are waiting for them there. They sent the Espadas, Fracciónes, and Humans to Urahara's shop ahead of them. Urahara watches him sadly as they arrive.
"I'm sorry, Aizen," Urahara says but Aizen doesn't hold it against him. He tells him as much as he pats the man on the shoulder. "I still feel like I should have done something to help her but they took her before I could come up with an escape plan."
"Doing so would only have resulted in your own exposure," he consoles the man as he moves towards his group and Leah's. "We do not know whether Matilda still lives and therefore I do not expect your help, but there is still a war to be fought and I would appreciate it if you would lend us your assistance."
"You have it," Leah says, voice thick. Aizen gets teary nods from her whole group. "I don't care what she was—is. She's my Second In Command. She's family and you don't fuck with our family."
Cheers of agreement come from the others. Aizen gives them all a grateful smile as he turns to an orange-haired girl who stands in the far corner of the room.
"Orihime, you can stay h—"
"I'm coming," the girl says, conviction Aizen has never seen in her eyes and voice as she makes her way towards him. "I can't do much to help since my powers mostly heal, but I'm coming with you because this can't keep happening. The Soul Society can't keep killing people just because they feel like it."
"You will be going up against those who you consider friends," Aizen reminds the girl as she comes to a stop in front of him.
"I know," she says a defeated look in her gaze but she manages a soft smile at him. Taking a deep breath, she squares her shoulder and holds her head up high. "But, if they really are my friends, they'll choose the right side."
"And if they don't?"
"Then they weren't my friends to begin with."
Her shoulders are set, her gaze is determined. Aizen can see nothing of that weak little girl that followed Ichigo to The Soul Society as he gazes at her. He won't rejected her help. He won't shoot her down like the Death Gods have made the mistake of doing time and time again. Instead, he nods, soft smile in place, and turns towards his men.
"Everyone will be given a chance—an option to come to our side or perish. Therefore, it is important that no one attacks or reveal themselves until I have given the signal," he says, meeting every single one of their gazes. "Ulquiorra, Grimmjow, your main objective will be to corner the Tenth Division Captain and acquire the whereabouts of Matilda. Do not fail me."
"Yes, sir," Ulquiorra says while Grimmjow just nods his head in agreement. They've been chosen because they're the best fitted for the job. Ulquiorra is calm, calculating, where Grimmjow is brash and impulsive.
They're each other's opposites.
Ulquiorra is the stoic boy with a tight rein on his emotions while Grimmjow is the destructive force controlled by them. He lets his emotions lead him around and it's gotten him into some extremely tight spots. However, Aizen knows they make the perfect team.
Whether they want to admit it or not.
Where Grimmjow acts rashly and without control, Ulquiorra always has a plan. The boy is a gifted strategist. With someone like him to direct Grimmjow's destructiveness there's no doubt in Aizen's mind that they will conquer the battlefield.
They also have the most to lose.
Ulquiorra will lose the only Clique he has and Grimmjow will lose what Clique he has left. There's no way Grimmjow can hope to keep Leah at his side if Matilda dies. Leah hasn't so much as looked at him since he lost Matilda. While Leah has agreed to help Aizen out, he knows that she holds very little hope of finding her Second In Command alive.
The fact that Ulquiorra is still sane and standing is the only reason Aizen hasn't given up. While he knows the boy is no doubt strong enough to withstand losing Matilda without perishing as well, there's no way he'd be as calm as he is now. Exceptional emotion control or not.
Ulquiorra hasn't gone on a destructive, crazed rampage like so many who have lost their Cliques members have before him. Therefore, there's still hope.
Aizen clings to it like a lifeline and he's not too sure exactly why he does.
He doesn't bother to look into it though. At least not in this moment because war has finally come.
With one last look at his men, he opens the wormhole.
"Wait for my command."
Parting on those last words he steps inside, Gin and Tōsen at his side. Together they make their way to the fake world of the living in silence. For once, Gin isn't joking or laughing and it unsettles Aizen as much as it helps him concentrates.
There is no more time for fooling around.
Gin's silence only helps to remind him that they all could die in the next few hours. That he could die. That everything he's struggle to accomplish could be erased. Burned off the face of the earth and forever forgotten about.
He won't let them though.
He won't let them stop him when he's so close to reach his goal. When he's so close to finding his little, brown-haired girl.
His Trixy.
His daughter.
~o0o~
"Bue-beune—"
"Buena suerte, little one," he coos as wide green eyes stare up at him. He cradles her close as he walks through the quiet streets. Its night now and he makes sure to wrap her up tighter in his cloak. Keeping her safe from the chilly night air. "It means good luck."
Her eyes go wider. The wonder in them doubling as she goes back to trying to pronounce the word. She fails repeatedly. He doesn't blame her. The young thing is only a few years old. Definitely too young to say such big words but she tries nonetheless.
The little one's voice is low. Barely more than a whisper. Even as young as she is, she can sense that being too loud might bring unwanted attention. Behind him, he can just make out the sound of padded feet landing on the cobblestone streets but he pays them no mind.
The dog is not a threat.
It's an ally.
He trusts the dog's hearing over his own as it trails behind him. Ears up and on alert. He'll notice if anyone's attempting to sneak up on them so Aizen turns all his attention to the child in his arms.
"Sue-suete," she mumbles, eyelids drooping as sleep threatens to take her. He begins to rock her then. Quiet shushing noise leaving his lips as he urges her into the world of dreams. Behind him the dog growls. A low menacing thing and he knows they've attracted attention.
"Shadow," he calls as he turns to look at the dog. He finds him crouching. Ready for an attack and staring off into the darkness of the forest. "Track."
His command is instantly obeyed.
The dog shoots off into the thick trees, howling all the way, just as two figures appear at his side.
"Position?" he asks as he carefully passes the sleeping child over to waiting arm. The red-haired women takes the child easily. Wrapping her up in her own cloak before the night's chill can disturb the young one.
"Three kliks due west," the redhead says while the sliver-haired boy shoots off ahead of them. He follows the dogs howling easily enough. "The trap is set; all you have to do is lead the Hollow towards it."
He nods but can't keep himself from letting his eyes drift to the sleeping child. Bright green eyes and strawberry blonde hair. So close, yet a million miles away from what he used to have.
"She'll be taken back to her family," the red-haired woman says as she follows his gaze. He nods, tearing his gaze from the girl. He turns to head after the dog and the boy but is stopped by her voice.
"We'll find her," the woman promises. She clutches the child closer to her chest. "We'll find Trixy."
"I know," he says, emotionless brown eyes drifting up to gaze blankly at the bright moon. "I just hate using children as bait."
"We all do," she says, guilt in her voice as green eyes drifting down to gaze at the child in her arms. "But it's the only way to attract the Hollows. The promise of an innocent soul is the only thing that can tempt them enough to reveal their position."
"I know," he says just as Shadow's howls cut off. The abrupt ending causes dread to pool in his stomach. He shoots off into the forest before the woman can say a word.
The scene he walks into as he bursts through the tree line is horrifying.
"Aizen!"
He doesn't turn to the call of his name because his eyes are glued to the creature. It crouches above Shadow's body. The dog is suspiciously still. Laying in a pool of its own blood, the dog doesn't so much as whimper.
The creature, though, growls and snarls as it guards its meal. Sharp teeth gleam. The blood on them and on the creature's mouth shines in the moonlight. The creature is deformed and yet more human looking than any he's seen before.
Its body looks stretch. Arms and legs seem to go on for miles. Body impossibly thin. Its face though is what catches his attention. The mask is all wolf with deep sunken eyes that tell of no soul. Big boned ears sit on the creature's ears. They swivel back and forth as they pick up noises he too far away for him to hear.
"Aizen."
This time the call of his name is a whisper on the wind but the creature hears it. It springs forward at the sound of it, teeth bared and hands clawed. Aizen doesn't move. He can't. Those green sunken eyes keep him pin in place as the creature launches itself at him.
Because he recognizes them.
"Trixy."
The world slows to a crawl.
The creature is one second from tearing into his throat.
Something crashes into his side.
"Aizen!"
He falls in a tangle of limbs and curses as he and the silver-haired boy roll across the forest floor. The creature howls in anger before it turns and sprints into the forest. The boy is up as soon as they stop rolling and after the creature before Aizen can call him back. Though he still tries.
"No, Gin!"
However, the boy is gone and Aizen curses as he rushes to his feet. A sharp, searing pain shoots up his leg before her can take one step. He collapses back onto his knees at the feel of it, hands clutching at his leg. It's broken and so he can't go after the boy.
He settles for calling for help instead. He spreads his Reiryoku as far as he can but finds there's no one close enough. Tōsen still waits by the trap. He's ten kliks away and unaware things have gone horribly wrong while Daisy's busy taking the child home before she can be missed by her family.
He's alone.
Out on a chilly night, in a Hollow infested forest, with Shadow dead at his feet he finds himself wondering where it all went wrong.
