The Fallen Series: Part I - Victory Falls

by Seth's Kiss

Canon Divergent: 'They made the biggest mistake of their lives. They forgot Aizen always had a back-up plan, with it usually being far worse than the first'. DARK Fic. Rated M (violence, horror, torture, non-con), also has MxM, MxF, FxF and many unstable pairings (for now). Warnings in each chapter for safety. Proceed with caution. BEING EDITED: Chapters may vanish till completion.

2. Part One: Prologue P2

The Fallen Series (a Bleach Fanfiction) by Seth's Kiss:

Official Summary: "They all made the biggest mistake of their lives: they forgot that Aizen always had a back-up plan, with it usually being far, far worse than the first."/Rated for reason.

A/N: The prologue was so, so long... I had to cut it...I mean it WAS very long... A total of more than 26 064 words! THAT IS SO LONG! ...Ok, I'll stop now (Clears throat)...

Disclaimer: And this will be the last time I say it for this fic (from now on, the disclaimer will figure either in the fanfic's prologue or first chapter: I'm not going to repeat it endlessly): I do not own Bleach or its characters, they exclusively belong to Tite Kubo; I do own everything else (plot, other characters) and I profusely apologize if I make the characters O.O.C, though I try my best not to (I even sought their personalities in depth to avoid that...I'm only human)...

Warnings: Same as in the first part of the prologue: if there is something far too dark (like graphic torture, death, non con assault and so on), I'll caution you all at the beginning of each chapter, I promise (the prologue, both parts, is safe, so not to worry), but I do maintain that this fanfiction is rated M. Again, if anything written doesn't appeal to you, either because it offends you or you are still underage: Please, don't read... Now then: On with the fanfiction...

Part One: Victory Falls:

The Fallen: Prologue (Part 2): The Traitor's Trial:

"Aizen-sama?" an insistent voice echoingly whispered softly in his head "Aizen-sama?"

The one in question opened his mind to four shadowed individuals, causing him to greet them with a dangerously delighted smile: "I am pleased to see that the first phase is a total success."

"No hello?" chuckled one of the four "You not a very morning person, are you, Sosuke?"

"In your best interest..." uttered another forebodingly "Do not insult or mock Aizen-sama in front of me, lest you have a death wish I will blissfully grant."

The third sighed: "Let's not fight amongst ourselves. We have more important matters ahead."

"Indeed" acknowledged Aizen calmly, his features darkening wickedly though he kept his trademark smile "They are completely oblivious to their upcoming downfall. It is best to act on that fact and to act now."

The fourth person then asked: "The next phase, Aizen-sama?"

"Yes. The Arrancars' revival: it's a crucial priority. Assemble as many as you can and once that's done, let Seireitei burn and fall to ashes."

In Karakura Town, the Kurosaki Clinic:

An empty glass shattered to pieces as it hit the wooden floor dead on, dropped from the hand a young girl standing alone, frozen in the living room, her other hand holding an open bottle of water that she was unconsciously pouring on the floor. Shivering as a chill descended her spine, Karin spun to stare at the sky with wide brown eyes searching the greyish ashen heavens...but saw nothing and yet, she frowned uneasily: she had a very strong sense of foreboding...and she didn't like it...

"Karin-chan?" called out anxiously a high-pitched voice, followed by loud hurried footsteps descending the stairs "Are you ok?"

"Y...Yeah...I'm fine, Yuzu" reassured Karin shakily, slowly turning away from the window to face her younger twin sister.

Apart from their deep chocolate brown eyes and pale peach skin, the two twin sisters looked nothing alike: Karin, the eldest, had short, chin-length straight black bangs and had a certain boyish and oddly mature demeanour for someone her age, whilst Yuzu had short wavy locks of toffee brown hair and was very girlish, naïve and slightly childlike...but the most important was that they got along and worried for each other...as well as refusing to worry each other when they could avoid it...

Yuzu blinked at her sister before insisting in a worried tone: "Are you sure?" Faking a wide grin, the black-haired twin nodded hastily: "Yep: Totally fine. Just tired and anxious, I guess. There's this weird feeling in the air, that's all, so..."

Karin goes over to give a reassuring pat, though with a shaky hand, on her twin's shoulder before rushing over to get a mop, a broom and a spade to clean up her accidental chaos: "Gosh! Look at this mess! I'll clean up though, don't worry: I'm not going to drop it on your shoulders like the boys do. I mean, really, they don't..."

"You know, Karin-chan" began the younger of the two in quiet voice, cutting of Karin's babbling as she noticed Yuzu's shining with nearly to be shed tears "That 'weird feeling in the air' you mentioned. I can feel it too."

"You too?!" exclaimed Karin aloud as she let the cleaning gear fall to the floor, staring at her sister with a distressed expression and cringing when Yuzu nods tearfully "I thought I was the only one, so I didn't want to talk about it, but..."

The front door opened, cutting their conversation short and making the two girls wonder who of the two male family members came home. As the youngest dashed towards over to see, Karin nearly rolled her eyes as she heard Yuzu squeal happily: "Otou-san!"

"Yo, Yuzu-chan" replied their father in a tight tone, with the edge of a strained smile in his voice, causing Karin to shake and feel apprehensive all over again, as she too ran over to see him: she had never, ever, heard her father speak that way.

Joining them in the corridor at the entrance, she nearly gasped: her father looked worn out and ten times older, with bags under his eyes and darkened, cheerless eyes.

"Ah..." uttered the man, Isshin, in the same tone of voice "Hi there, Karin-chan."

The tomboy twin glared at her father with wide fearful eyes: "What...happened."

Closing his tired eyes, Isshin sighed as it wasn't question, it was a desperate demand for an explanation...that they needed and they weren't the only ones to need it...

Opening his eyes again, he stared at his two distraught daughters before giving them a sad smile: "We're going on a trip to see your brother and I'll explain everything on the way, I promise. Before that, we'll make a quick stop at Urahara's shop, ok?"

A few moments later, in the Seireitei, at the massive doors:

Isshin, Karin and Yuzu stepped within the Seireitei through the vast doors of the Sogyoku, along with Keigo, Tatsuki, Mizuiro and Chizuru, as well as Jinta and Ururu who were the ones who initiated the journey in Urahara Kisuke's stead...

"So let me get this straight" began a stunned and wide eyed Keigo as he took in his surroundings "Ichigo is a Shinigami but not really because he wasn't born in this world like those who live here nor did he die yet to actually become one, however he works with them and keeps the creepy monsters that I've been seeing for awhile from eating us alive...That it?"

"I guess that's one way to put it" shrugged Isshin with a grimace as he glanced towards his daughters who also were gawking at the world around them.

"That's just crazy!" muttered Tatsuki disbelievingly as she put a hand to her forehead "I preferred it better when I thought Ichigo was on drugs! At least that is reality-related!"

However, and oddly enough, Chizuru seemed to be more acceptant of the situation: "It suits his mysterious outcast personality in a sense."

While Mizuiro nodded at her words in agreement, Tatsuki glared at her: "Please... Don't say there's any sense in this at all!"

"Oh, there you are, Isshin-san!" called Kisuke out abruptly, drawing the little group's attention as he approached them "I'm glad to see you've made. Thank you for your assistance, Ururu, Jinta."

Karin's eyes widened as she saw him before they narrowed and she snarled meaningfully at him: "Cut the pleasantries, old fart. Take us to Ichi-nii...NOW!"

As silence stilled everyone present, the blonde shopkeeper regarded the young with wide eyes before smiling ruefully: "Your personality's the spitting image of your brother's..."

Karin blushed at that before biting her lip and looking away embarrassedly while her sister, her father chuckled nervously and her brother's friends just sweat dropped at the very obvious truth.

"Don't fret, little one" spoke Kisuke softly, his face in quite saddened "I'll take you to him."

Breaths hitched in a few throats while choked sobs escaped others at the sight before them: Ichigo laid pale and motionless upon a bed in one of the Kuchiki's guest rooms, a mask secured to his face aiding his breathing and a few perfusions supplying him with nourishment.

"Ichi-nii!" wailed Yuzu uncontrollably as she ran over to throw herself, though landed with care, upon her big brother's cataleptic form "Oh, Ichi-nii!"

Eyes watering, Karin's knees suddenly felt far too weak and she was afraid that if she took but a single step forward she'd collapse into an uncontrollable mass of tears, while Isshin was so overcome by guilt, he dared not to even enter the room.

Tatsuki trembled with emotion as she was inwardly taking back everything she ever accused Ichigo of being, including not being a worthy friend: according to what Kisuke said, he went through great lengths to bring back Orihime.

Chizuru had hid her face in her hands but her sobbing was quite audible, which was quite stunning considering the fact that she wasn't exactly that close to Ichigo, or maybe it was her sensitivity taking over.

Keigo was oddly silent as if not completely grasping the situation before him or simply not being able to believe it and Mizuiro had closed his tear-filled eyes, but remained silent as well.

Yuzu sniffed as she nuzzled herself against her brother's chest, before gazing pleadingly at Kisuke, who remained quietly beside Isshin: "Is...Is he...Is he going to wake up?"

The blonde shopkeeper's heart tightened as he shook his head and admitted apologetically: "I...I honestly don't know."

At Kisuke's words, Yuzu then cried out even louder and outside the room, Rukia, who had felt guilty for not being able to protect Ichigo for his sisters hence dared not to appear before them and remained hidden since they arrived, felt her heart shatter at the little sister's cries...

Amongst the ruins of Las Noches, within the Hueco Mundo:

Breathing sharply between tightly gritted teeth, Grimmjow dug his trembling fingers in the white sands he was seated on, having gone pale further beyond belief.

"What the fuckin' hell..." began the blue-haired in a breathless, shaky whisper, as his wide electric blue eyes flitted to stare persistently at Tia "...did we just see?"

Sharing the same fearful disbelief as the male Arrancar, the blonde female tried to remain as calm as she could while maintaining eye-contact with the other and whispering back: "It's a portal from hell."

"I fuckin' see that" snapped Grimmjow quietly, resisting the urge to roll his eyes at the woman for stating the obvious "It's the rest I can't...I just don't understand how..."

As she nodded her agreement, Grimmjow glanced back with wide eyes towards the clearing where the dark portal of swirled black mist had opened, a few shadowed figures standing by it...whose faces were impossible for Grimmjow not to recognize...

"How is this even happen-able?!" choked the feline Arrancar in a hushed voice, turning away from the improbable phenomena occurring and slumping against the rock they were hiding, completely at loss and staring dead ahead without really seeing.

Silently taking in the blue-haired's understandable alarm, Tia admits gravely: "You'll need all the aid you can possibly acquire, Jeagerjaques."

"What the heck you talking about?!" seethed Grimmjow with a bewildered glare "We have a serious issue here, so the heck..."

"Jeagerjaques" cuts off the tanned female relentlessly with a stern glare of her own "I am being very serious. For some reason, this is happening: it's too late and nothing can be done to stop it. But...not all those we see over there are loyal to Aizen: they are those who were and are loyal to you. And honestly, between you, Nelliel, my Fracción and me, we will never stand a chance against all of them: we'll never survive, especially if they fall under Aizen's spell again. I now dare you...to say that I'm wrong."

Mulishly turning his head away to stare at the clearing and eyeing some of the former dead Arrancars being rounded up by eerie cloaked beings, he grimaced in frustration. Of course Tia wasn't wrong. In fact, her proposal made plenty of sense...there were just a few rather pertinent problems: firstly, even if Aizen wasn't presently controlling anyone, the Arrancars were still firmly guarded and ominously surrounded whoever the bleeding heck those cloaked guys were, who gave off absolutely no reiatsu, so it was hard to tell what they were, though one thing was for sure was that they either worked for or worked with Aizen, as he once mentioned that he had many allies unknown to them; secondly, of the former Espada members, Grimmjow was positively certain that none would join them; and lastly, even if they did manage to gather allies from amongst the revived, where the hell would they run and hide to? True, Aizen was defeated by Kurosaki Ichigo and surely detained by the Shinigami or something along those lines...but that wouldn't last long. Oh, hell no, not when talking about a devilish monster like Sosuke Aizen.

Grimmjow abruptly backpedalled to the young teen. Maybe he could do something: that Shinigami boy did really did seem capable of the impossible...or maybe not or maybe Grimmjow was giving him too much credit... But still... it was worth a shot and, besides, he really no longer had anything to lose...

"Fine" spoke up the blue-haired Arrancar with determination, startling the other "But if we do this, Hallibel, we fuckin' do it my way, no questions asked...Deal?"

The blonde female Arrancar blinked at him, surprised at the sudden change in his demeanour before overcoming it and smirking at him approvingly: "Deal, my lord."

He growled at that: "Oh yeah... And while we're at it...Don't ever fuckin' call me that again..."

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Eyes slowly fluttered open revealing pale blue eyes that slowly took in their surroundings before they widened imperceptibly as they locked with pale lilac ones.

With a haughty lipstick-ed grin, the being with lilac eyes chuckled as she flipped one of her dark purple pigtails: "Oh? So you're back from the dead too, Stark?"

The Arrancar in question, Coyote Stark, the Espada Primera of Aizen's army, spoke in his usual tired tone of voice, yet a hint of curiosity combined with disbelief could be detected in his words: "Apparently, kid? I don't get it though...How?"

"According to these..." paused the female Arrancar with a slow blink, eyes flickering to the cloaked, hooded individuals surrounding them, before glancing back towards Stark and shrugging casually "I actually have no idea who they are by the way, but according to them, this is on Aizen-sama's orders."

"Aizen...sama?" uttered slowly the male with eyes narrowed in confusion before his attention was drawn to his partner, best friend and other half stirring beside him, while the purple-haired female to raised an eyebrow incredulously at the brown-haired Espada.

"You...do remember Aizen-sama, don't you?"

"It's not that I don't remember" he began, his frown deepening "I'm just wondering why it is that Arrancars like us...chose a Shinigami to be our leader..."

Eyes going wide, she stuttered slightly before she clamped his mouth shut: when she thought about it, she too couldn't understand the reason for their choice either...or her own choice for that matter. A dainty hand flew up to her mouth as she whispered quietly: "I can't...I can't recall...You?"

"Vaguely..." admitted Stark as he slowly shook his head, eyes narrowing in concentration "I remember Aizen approaching me, wanting me and Lilynette to join... I was about to decline, I didn't want to, but then...And then that's when everything becomes a blur... I don't get it... Why did I end up accepting when I was going to refuse?"

"Well..." the female Arrancar sighed in irritation "At least you remember something. For me, it's the total blackout. I don't even remember meeting with Aizen-sama in the past... One day, I was with the herd, the next...I was part of the Espada...The heck!"

The last part was spat with indignation and Stark couldn't blame her: it was rather frustrating. Glancing at of the corner of his eye towards the other Arrancars, he noticed that some seemed to be just as lost as they were, it didn't seem to be the case for the others: in fact, they appeared very aware of what was happening, a feat that caused him to frown...What was going on?

His eyes scanned the Arrancars and suddenly came to realization that someone was missing...

"Grimmjow-sama!" gasped softly the female Arrancar, startling Stark and causing him to stare at her with wide stunned eyes as he happened to be the one the Primera was thinking of "He had been captured! That's why! I remember now!"

Confused by her words, Stark was about to ask her what she meant when he suddenly felt a brief yet powerful flare of reiatsu he instantly recognized. Looking over his shoulder, he sees the blue-haired in question, cautiously hidden behind the rubble, with Hallibel Tia beside him. He locks wide stunned eyes with Grimmjow's vivid cautious ones before the latter lifts a sole finger to his lips, signalling Stark to keep quiet.

Still stunned but clearly understanding that the other didn't want his presence known, Stark nods his head once and very discreetly in order not to get caught. Upon his acknowledgement, Grimmjow sends the lone wolf a thankful nod of his own before focusing his attention on one of the cloaked individuals nearing the crowd of revived Arrancars before removing the hood, causing everyone present to either gasp aloud, choke on their breath or simply stare in shock, even Tia and Grimmjow didn't expect to see who it was that they were currently seeing...

The dark purple-haired from before, Cirucci Thunderwitch, had eyes fly wide open in horrified awe as her purple lips parted: "Luisenbarne...Veneno. Even you have been revived?"

Veneno Luisenbarne (1), with his short messy white locks and pale caramel skin, stared back with cold dark blue eyes as he spoke in an emotionless voice that could rival Byakuya Kuchiki's: "Not exactly. But that's not the most important right now. Your revival, all of you, is upon Aizen-sama's command as such you shall abide by him from this very instant. Also..."

"Hell no!" interrupted a flamboyant, conceited voice, drawing Veneno's deadly gaze "We are of Lord Barragan's guard! And we follow him only! Unless he says otherwise, we simply won't!"

"As you can see, Culhourne Charlotte-san" spoke up again the other as frigidly as ever "My 'dear' brother is no longer here so you'll heed either to me or Aizen-sama instead."

"Hmpf!" snorted Charlotte with a smug expression "As if I'll heed to a brat like you, Ven-"

The Arrancar's sentence was cut short as a blade abruptly pierced right through his throat, causing blood to seep from his lips parted in shock while a voice from behind him whispered in his ear: "You may pledge your loyalty Barragan and that is undeniably admirable but do understand that insulting our Veneno-sama...is just asking to be killed."

The person's holding the blade then proceeded to fiercely behead Charlotte, to horror of many, letting both the body and head fall to floor, before turning and bowing respectfully to Veneno: "I apologize."

"You simply did your duty as Fracción, Fleur" praised the master as he patted his Fracción on the shoulder before facing his brother's other remaining Fracción "And the same fate will await you should you persist in refusing to obey."

The five remaining Fracción to Barragan Luisenbarne shuddered at the other's warning, before one of them bared his feline fangs at their master's brother despite his fear: "We'd rather follow at least Grimmjow-sama than either of you two."

Veneno regarded the Fracción calmly - Vega Ggio, if he recalled correctly - before his eyes widened slightly and flickered searchingly amongst the other revived Arrancars. When he saw that the one he was looking for wasn't there, his expression flew into full panic: "Where's Grimmjow? Wasn't he revived?"

"Perhaps his wounds were too critical for him to be brought back, like in Barragan's case" suggested Fleur casually as he sheathed his blade.

"Nah, that's not possible" exclaimed loudly a tall Espada with a wide annoyed grin "I was gonna kill him but I was stopped. So unless my intent was enough, I doubt the cat even died."

Clenching his teeth tightly, Veneno nearly had a heart attack: "So what you are saying, Nnoitra...is that he's not only alive but free out in the open?! That is not good...at all."

"Veneno-sama?" questioned another cloaked person nearby, noticing the other's alarm.

"Find him! NOW!" shouted Veneno aloud to the other cloaked individuals who instantly departed to carry out the order "Aizen-sama will not accept this!"

Nnoitra Jiruga, the Espada Quinto, chuckled nervously at the other's reaction: "You know, I could have killed him if wasn't for that brat Shinigami..."

"'Him' being alive is not a problem. On the contrary, it would undeniably please Aizen-sama" reassured Veneno though he himself was still trembling "However, Grimmjow in liberty...that is quite the predicament."

Tia and Grimmjow looked on unpleasantly shocked, not believing their eyes or their ears. The feline Arrancar then turned to his companion and whispered: "Hallibel. Go back."

"What?" she questioned with wide eyes, still caught up in the conversation they had just overheard.

"Go back to your Fracción and Nel" repeated Grimmjow evenly with more clarification "They are looking for me, not you. So if you move around, you shouldn't have any trouble... Well, I hope not. Anyway, go. I'll draw their attention and see who I can convince to join us."

Tia stared at him, half in awe, half in bafflement, before nodding: "Fine. But then what? We can't stay here: they'll keep chasing us until-"

"Open a Garganta to the Human world as soon as you meet up with the girls" ordered the blue-haired male as he stood "I'll join you there and give you the details. Now, go."

The female Arrancar hesitated briefly before sonido-ing away, leaving Grimmjow alone who, as soon as she left, unleashed his reiatsu, letting it run wild: a dead give away to his presence...

And Veneno, Fleur, the cloaked individuals and the other revived Arrancars all sensed it.

Back within the Seireitei:

Sitting upon a porch somewhere in her Division, Nanao was currently filing some paperwork and seemed to relish the peace and quiet, as usual...but oddly enough, she wished that her everyday annoying, irritating, eccentric, yet unbearably charismatic disturbance would just... disturb her. Sighing softly, she glanced over her shoulder to where her captain laid resting, his hat covering his eyes. He was in rather good condition compared to a few captains, but he was rather emotionally drained: his best friend, Captain Ukitake, nearly died in front of his eyes and Nanao could understand and respect that it was quite devastating event to be a witness to. She sighed yet again before resuming her work but suddenly stopped again upon sensing a familiar reiatsu. Looking up from her files, Nanao locks eyes with Lisa and unconsciously straightens up with a blush: the former Division's lieutenant was someone the current lieutenant had always looked up to and admired, really wishing as a child to become like her...

"Ya...Yado...Yadomaru-senpaï!" stammered the usually composed Nanao, standing upright to greet the other "It's very nice to see you here after so long."

Lisa stared at her calmly before nodding and crossing her arms: "Yep. It's been awhile. You've grown, Ise. Congratulations on becoming lieutenant...years later I guess."

"You...remember me?" uttered with awe the younger of two.

Lisa tilted her head as she raised an eyebrow: "Why wouldn't I? If you remember me, shouldn't I remember you? It'd be awkward if I didn't."

"Oh. I...Yeah, I guess so" murmured Nanao with embarrassment, averting her eyes.

"Relax, kid: I'm messing with you" smiled softly the female Vizard at the other as she patted her on the head, before turning her attention on her former currently snoozing captain and smirking "Now...it's his turn."

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The sky was blue, void of troubles, as if no brutal storm had recently rattled every single Shinigami...Yet, despite the sun filling the clear sky with rays of warmth, Shuuhei felt frozen...

He let out a quiet sigh for the umpteenth time while closing his eyes and wondering: Out of all the people within the entire Seireitei, why the heck was his luck so bad?

He had lost not only his own captain, Tousen Kaname, who he greatly admired even after all that had happened, but also the only friend he had found when Tousen had left, Captain Sajin Komamura...

His own life was almost cut short by the monstrous beast, Ayon, back in the fake Karakura Town, while trying to save Matsumoto Rangiku, who, ever since they've returned, hasn't left Ichimaru Gin's side. He had to admit, although he was happy that not only she had bonded again with her childhood friend and also Kira Izuru had a 'captain' to look up to...it still made Shuuhei feel deeply jealous...

He once got beaten by Yumichika Ayasegawa, who was, not one or two, but three ranks below him: now that was just downright humiliating...

He almost had gotten a blind right eye by a wild hollow that attacked him in the Human world during a training session, leaving him instead with scars...

And he nearly got killed by another hollow in the Rukongai when he was a child.

Shuuhei sighed once again: 'What the heck is wrong with me? I'm shouldn't be like this: Kira's the gloomy one, not me. Yeah, I guess...I'm just the unlucky one...'

He suddenly let out a yell of surprise as he was violently kicked to the ground from behind and fell face first in the dirt. Quickly turning around, he shouted angrily: "The hell?!"

"The hell yourself!" retorted Mashiro superciliously before pulling out her tongue childishly and blowing a loud raspberry "Moping around is boring! Get up, up!"

Shuuhei blinked at her before narrowing his eyes: "Don't order me around, kid..."

"Eh?!" exclaimed loudly the green haired girl, pointing at him with a mock expression of haughtiness "But I'm the one older than you!"

At that, Shuuhei raised an eyebrow sceptically: "Are you sure you're older than me? 'Cause you're acting like a child..."

"That she does and it's bloody annoying" a deep voice nearby huffed in agreement to the lieutenant's comment.

"M...Muguruma-taichou!" exclaimed Shuhei in surprise with wide stunned eyes upon seeing the captain he had admired so ever since he was a child, the captain that gave the inspiration to join the Seireitei...Where had he been all these years?

"Relax, kid...I'm no longer captain. It's just Muguruma now."

"Kensei, you meanie!" whined out Mashiro with fake tears as she rushed over to bang at his back vehemently, causing a vein to throb menacingly on his forehead. "Mashiro..." he began quietly between clenched teeth "I ain't patient with brats...And you know that, so..." he took a sharp intake of air before screaming at the top of his lungs with a wild expression "Cut it out before I beat you up!"

"Hmpf!" pouted the little green haired imp as she turned away from him and crossed her arms in mock fury.

Trying to ignore her attempt to rile him up even further, Kensei just huffed and rolled his eyes before focusing on the young man staring at them as if they came from another planet...Not far from the truth actually, so Kensei didn't blame him: the two of them along with the other Vizards did live on Earth for awhile after all.

"What're you sulking about, kid?" asked Kensei demandingly, causing Shuuhei to startle slightly, not expecting the question.

"Ah...uh..." stammered the young lieutenant before calming down vaguely and shrugging "Nothing...Nothing at all..."

"Don't take me for an idiot" growled out Kensei before poking at Shuuhei's head for emphasis, taking the young lieutenant aback again "This face ain't screaming: 'Nah, I'm good and all's fuckin' peachy'."

"What Kensei said" nodded Mashiro solemnly "Except I'd be nicer about it, neh?"

"Shut it, Mashiro" ordered the man firmly but with no real bite, before addressing the current 9th Division's lieutenant "I heard about Kaname, so sorry for your loss, kid. Really...I also know that now the 9th Division has no captain but if you agree, I can be there for you, 'kay?"

As Shuuhei's eyes began to fill with tears, Mashiro tilted her head contemplatively while she blinked repeatedly, yet slowly at first, before snapping her fingers as she recalled: "Oh, I remember you! You that kid from way back that Kensei saved from the Rukongai. You were scared an' all... Yep, definitely you! And every time Kensei tried to get you stop, you cried even harder. What can I say? He is just so bad with kids. I feel sorry for his future children..."

"JUST FREAKIN' SHUT IT MASHIRO!"

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Yumichika ran. That's all he could do...even though he knew it would get him nowhere. No matter how fast he ran, how far he ran, how long he ran, he never escaped. No, he could never escape, not from her, never from her...yet he still ran, even though he could no longer breath and felt as if his heart was about to burst. Though she was not yet there near him, he could hear her deep cruel derisive voice, smell suffocating sickly sweet scent, sense her overwhelmingly terrifying presence, just as well as he could feel her possessive claws seeking him, ready to embed themselves deep within his delicate skin, to make him hers over again. Abruptly, he stumbled and was dragged to the ground by the force of the fall. Fear seeping within his veins at his sudden vulnerability, wide pale lavender eyes met an entity of sheer evil.

Rapidly bolting upright, a pale panting wide-eyed Yumichika resisted the urge to scream with all his might as he instinctively wrapped his arms around his trembling frame, yet breathed out in relief: it was a nightmare...Right at this current moment, it was just a nightmare.

"Whoa...Stay put, Yumi" ordered a firm yet concerned voice causing the 5th Seat to pause in his wild distressed movements as his eyes widened upon setting them on his interlocutor.

"Ik...Ikkaku?!" gasped out Yumichika in shock, witnessing that his friend's body was entirely mummified, the only part free of the bandages being his face "You're the one who should be in bed!"

"Nah, I'm good...A little roughed up by that damn whale, but I'll live." reassured Ikkaku with a smirk, before he scowled "But you're not. I'm gonna murder Kira."

The beautiful purple-eyed man, now slightly recovered from his initial kick in the teeth from the disturbing nightmare, chuckled amusedly: "By all means, go ahead."

The 3rd Seat looked quite taken aback: "I thought you were gonna stop me."

His best friend just shrugged offhandedly: "Well, I am pissed off at him too."

"That isn't a very beautiful thing to say, Yumi" reprimanded Ikkaku teasingly.

"Like you're to talk!" laughed out Yumichika, before looking sideways at his friend half-snootily, half-jokingly "Besides, you are lecturing me about saying or doing something that isn't beautiful... Surely you are mistaken...or the world has abruptly come to an end."

Ikkaku chortled at his best friend's overdramatic antics when suddenly the room's front door was brutally kicked upon, sending it the opposite wall and reducing it to splinters. Yumichika and Ikkaku blinked before recognition lightened their faces: after all, they only knew one person who would dare to do that in the 4th Division.

"Yo, you two" drawled out their captain with a grand grin, as he rested a hand on the now door-less frame "How ya doin'?"

"Yeah, how are you, Feathers, Baldy?" called out Yachiru happily after popping up near Kenpachi's head, faithfully retaining her position on his shoulders. "Fukutaichou..." grit out the 3rd Seat through clenched teeth as a vein throbbed viciously upon his bare forehead "I...am...not...bald!"

The little pink-haired girl giggled out good-naturedly while Yumichika smiled as he held his friend back to prevent him from murdering their lieutenant. Kenpachi looked on before nodding to himself: "Well, apparently you've healed up real nice..."

"And how's Ichigo?" inquired Ikkaku worriedly, making Yumichika realize he had missed something, something rather big apparently for Ikkaku to be worried.

"Ha? What do you think? He's kickin' back to life just fine" Kenpachi grinned, before adding proudly as he banged a fist to his chest "And he's got me to thank for that. Now, as a refund for my immense generosity, he can fight me once recovered."

Yachiru cheered loudly, whilst Yumichika and Ikkaku sweat-dropped and laughed nervously, feeling sorry for the orange-haired teen, until a voice interrupted them: "Like that's ever gonna happen, idiot."

They all turned to see the 10th Division's captain, staring warily at the broken hinges of what once used to be a very healthy door of the 4th Division's barracks, who was in company of a very serious, preoccupied looking 6th Division's captain. While Kenpachi took an offended expression, Yumichika enquired in everyone's stead: "Why is that, Hitsugaya-taichou? Has Ichigo been that mortally injured?"

"No, it's not that" said Toshiro as he shook his head contritely "He's lost his Shinigami abilities and is a plain human once again. Right now, he's in a coma."

Ikkaku's eyes widened in shock whilst Yumichika gasped and covered his mouth in horror, but their captain just huffed, annoyed: "So? He'll get them back or somethin'...or we just do what the little Kuchiki did to him in the first place..."

"It won't work" Toshiro sighed exasperatedly, while Byakuya glared at Kenpachi for calling his sister 'little': she was already chagrined by her height...that was enough. Seeing the 11th Division's members' utter confusion, the young captain explained: "Anything related to spiritual energy that was once within Kurosaki has left him along with his Shinigami powers, meaning that soon, he'll no longer be able to communicate with us, let alone see us. And if we try one way or another to return his abilities back to him, it'd kill him. He might not even be reborn later on as a Shinigami if he dies... He'll just be...dead..."

Toshiro was going to say 'another nameless soul in the Rukongai', but he steeled himself against it as it would have been a little harsh not mention quite hypocritical: after all, everyone within the room, with the exception of Kuchiki, had stemmed from that place...

"But why?" whined Yachiru, while the other three were too shocked to speak.

Toshiro met the little pink-haired's teary eyes and whispered with a frown: "I don't know...really. You guys will have to ask Urahara or Unohana, they gave the impression they knew the reason but didn't actually seem to want to share the info."

At that, Kenpachi rose abruptly and strode dramatically to the entrance, making Toshiro draw away just in case, before announcing vehemently: "Then I'll go beat the 'why' and 'how' outta them!"

"Wait for me, Ken-chan!" called out the little girl, dashing hastily after him...

And just like that, they were gone.

The young Toshiro blinked slowly while staring in the direction they had just left before closing his eyes and sighing in frustration: "I'm beginning to think that, of the Gotei 13, no captain is sane..."

"And by 'no captain', I do hope that you are not including me, are you, Hitsugaya-taichou?" pointed out the Kuchiki noble forebodingly, using a tone of voice that made Yumichika and even Ikkaku recoil.

"Oh no, Kuchiki" stated the 10th Division's Captain unflinchingly before walking further away in the hallway. Having made some distance between him and the two 11th Division's members, Toshiro glares over his shoulder in the 6th Division's direction as he states in a dry whisper: "You are included."

Byakuya's expression turned even more threatening as they both resumed walking within the 4th Division's corridors: "Oh? And how, pray tell, do I include in this?"

Keeping his gaze forward, Toshiro sighed tiredly: "I'll start with the others if you don't mind: Ukitake, bless him for his hard work in spite of his condition, treats me like a child: it is quite demoralizing, believe me; Kurotsuchi is utterly mad, no doubt there: he sees everyone as a test subject, even us other captains; Kenpachi is even worse: the only incentive he has in life is constant battle and he is himself sheer brutal violence incarnated; Kyoraku, with all the respect I owe him, is almost always drunk and is a total lazy ladies' man and what exasperates me more is that Matsumoto is always encouraging his ways: Thank God for Ise otherwise I don't what would befall the 8th Division; Komamura...I'll remain neutral for I'll admit I don't know much about him and perhaps never will, though he did seem decent enough as captain: may he rest in peace; Unohana is excellent at her job, but she is not someone anyone should cross: especially since we all basically have our lives in her hands; Soifon, with all her composure as an assassin, has a rather unhealthy obsession with the former 2nd Division's captain: I have a rather hard time forgetting what I saw... As for you, what mature captain, and clan leader no less, tears down an entire army just because they annoyed him?"

"They had it coming: they had openly offended me" voiced the other in a mildly narked tone as he recalled the incident the 10th Division's captain was referring to: it was back in the days when he had recently been named clan leader and was given a mission to put out of action a rogue group of numerous Shinigami hiding within the Rukongai...who had the misfortune of daring to call Kuchiki Byakuya a 'far too pretty thing for leadership'.

"Unhuh..." uttered tiredly the young white-haired with an expression of incredulity "Still shows me you are missing a little sanity or at least a little maturity."

Suddenly standing in front of the 10th Division's captain, Byakuya narrowed his eyes at the younger captain: "Would you have stayed calm in a similar situation if provoked, Hitsugaya Tôshiro? I heard that recently it wasn't quite the case."

Tôshiro's eyes widened with horror as an image of him stabbing Hinamori flashed in his mind causing him to shudder at the remembrance and clench his teeth tightly.

Seeing the guilt upon the younger captain's face, the 6th Division's captain instantly reminded himself of his own recklessness when it came to Rukia and sighed quietly: "I apologize: That may have been a little out of line."

The young white-haired captain gave the other a small lopsided smile: "Wow...the great Kuchiki is apologizing. That's a new one..."

When Byakuya raised an eyebrow, Tôshiro chuckled quietly: "Well, I won't push my luck: I'm sorry as well."

Acknowledging the apology with a single nod, the Kuchiki noble tilted his head slightly to the side: "I suppose we all have our own principles and positions to defend with excessive senseless haste when provoked, no matter how outlandish they may seem to others."

"Mm..." hummed the young captain in agreement, his features softening at Byakuya's more than accurate words "I suppose you're right."

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It was a cold and cloudless night when Gin stood in the forest's clearing, bathed in blood, Shinigami blood, Shinigami who had been under that man's orders, the man who was there the whole time and watching with an amused smile, that smile that almost never left his face.

That man chuckled drawing Gin's attention: "Well, well. That's quite the talent you have there. Did you enjoy battling against my men?"

The question was simple yet to Gin it seemed vulgar, arrogant, possessive, dangerous...Just like the man was himself. Outwardly shrugging uncaringly, inwardly shrugging off his anxiety, Gin graced the other his forged smile: "It was okay."

The man's eyes gleamed with dark interest: "I wonder if your friend shares your talent."

The young one's smile withdrew a little: "I have no friends and no need for them."

"Ah?" uttered the man with raised eyebrows, hinting his disbelief "So if you have no need for them, you don't need that one over there, do you?"

Gin glanced over his shoulder to where Aizen had motioned, eyes falling upon the young girl laying unconscious on the ground, the girl Gin had come to cherish and failed to protect. Failing to her protection was the reason Gin decided to avenge her by coming out of the shadows and approaching this man...and was close to regretting it.

The young silver-haired child turned to glare threateningly at the man, causing the latter to voice with amusement: "Oh...You seem to care for her. Are you sure she's not your friend?

Gin's eyes narrowed further, sickened that the man found this all 'amusing': "I told you: I have no friends...but she stays out of this."

Nearing the young child, the man confirmed whilst nodding: "You have my word that she'll stay out of this...On a condition of course: you cannot expect me to endow you with my kindness without an equal contribution on your part."

Though he upheld his glare, Gin gulped hard as his heart raced: he was afraid...of this man... What kindness? This man was all but kind. Were he truly kind, he would have never hurt her.

As the man held his chin in a firm and falsely gentle grip so their eyes could meet, Gin whispered quietly, as if afraid she would hear: "As long as you let her be, I'll do anything for you."

The monster before Gin smirked malevolently as he neared his face to the boy's: "Anything?"

"Anything" asserted the silver-haired child resolutely, though on the inside, he was breaking: he felt as if he had just sold his soul...but if it meant assuring her safety then he'd give it up to dance with the devil of a man standing before him.

The man's smirk widened as he leaned further and further, until their lips were inches apart...

And Gin's eyes flew open...an action he instantly regretted as he was met with blinding light which caused him to shut them again and hiss at the discomfort, before he came to sudden realization: he was...alive? Why? The lingering familiar energy enveloping him told him that it was Orihime who brought him back...but it still didn't explain why she would do such a thing, even if she was prone to such rashly humane decisions.

Feeling a presence beside him instantly answered his question, he gingerly turns his head in that direction and smiles as he sees his treasured Rangiku fast asleep on the chair near his bedside with her head resting upon her arms, right beside his own restored and bandaged arm. Lifting his other hand delicately, he sets it gently upon her long golden ginger wavy locks, careful not to wake her from her peaceful slumber as a bitter thought ran through his head: 'You just can't leave me behind, can you?'

"She hasn't left you since we came back."

Gin shifted his calm eyes towards those who had just entered, unafraid as he had felt their reiatsu well before they had arrived...besides, as long as he didn't feel that fiendish man's crushing reiatsu, he had nothing to worry about...anymore at least...

"Ah, Hitsugaya-taichou" whispered faintly the silver-haired man, acknowledging first the youngest of the two who was the one who had spoken, before shifting his eyes towards the other "Kuchiki-taichou... How nice of you two to come visit me... Forgive me my most unseemly state..."

"Save it" interrupted a frowning Toshiro, waving his hand without rhyme or reason "Remember who you are, Ichimaru. If it weren't for Matsumoto, you'd be dead by now. So be grateful that you're even allowed to go through a trial."

Gin just eyed him silently, calmly before he smiled dryly: "Still mad at me, hm?"

Toshiro just grit his teeth and restrained himself in order not to lash out at the other, knowing that attacking a bedded person, enemy or not, was uncalled for...Also, given his previous conversation with Byakuya, it would put him in a ridiculous position...

"Speaking of trials, Ichimaru Gin" spoke up the head Kuchiki noble, bringing the silver-haired man's attention back to him "Aizen Sosuke's trial will begin shortly. Do you have a statement that you wish to make?"

Gin's whole body went entirely rigid as brutally as his smile faded from his face: "Ai...Aizen? He...He's alive?!"

"Yes, he is" confirmed Byakuya, slightly taken aback by the man's reaction as the Kuchiki noble detected a hint of dread upon the other's features "I'll be attending, therefore I'll ask again, do you have a statement?"

Both ranked captains regarded with curiosity and surprise, along with a faint twinge of oppressing concern, the way that the silver-haired man had completely frozen, even the hand smoothing out Rangiku's long locks had fully stilled. Gin's wide glazed eyes seemed to hold only utter panic before they abruptly narrowed in concentration. The young captain was about to question him on his new reaction when the three male occupants of the room felt a very angry reiatsu heading their way, causing both Toshiro and Byakuya to turn their heads towards the door, awaiting the surprise visitor, the first completely oblivious to the person's identity as he shifts his hand to his sword just in case, while the other knew exactly who it was and had a slight feeling that he'd need to stay longer than he would have wanted...

"Ah..." sighed Gin suddenly exhausted, catching the captains' attention, seeing that the silver-haired man looked a lot calmer as a small rueful smile graced his lips "I was really hoping that I wouldn't have to face him at all. Too bad it ain't gonna happen: he's also pretty pissed off at me too apparently..."

The door violently flung open revealing a fuming and rather livid Shinji, his eyes blaring wildly as they finally focused on the bedded man. Anger boiling further than a hundred degrees, the blonde Vizard hurled forward, only to be held back from his arm by Byakuya who suddenly looked simultaneously annoyed and bored.

The blond man blinked before turning his head ever so slowly towards the one restraining him to glare at him ominously: "Let go, Prince, I'm warnin' ya..."

The Kuchiki clan's leader incredulously lifted an elegant eyebrow at the threat, as if taunting the other to prove the veracity of his words.

Shinji bares his teeth and clenches his free fist, about to tell the noble off again or else, when he is interrupted: "Oh please, you needn't bicker over me like that: it's embarrassing."

"Who's bickering over you?!" seethed both Toshiro and Shinji, snapping their glares towards Gin, who had a small wry smile, while Byakuya just sighed tiredly.

Gin then eyed the Kuchiki silently before asking: "Why are you doing this? You have no reason to. In fact, you should be thrilled to witness me locked away or dead even, seeing that not only I almost killed you but that that hit was in fact meant for your lil' sister. I don't suppose you of all people would ever take such an insolent affront so lightly. So, tell me...What's this sudden...kindness, Kuchiki-taichou?"

"You're spot on, which isn't all surprising coming from you, Ichimaru Gin" responded Byakuya while closing his eyes, as he relinquished his iron grip over the blonde's arm when he felt the latter go slack as he listened "It is true that I would like nothing more than to end this conversation here and now, and take my leave."

"Then why, might I ask?" persisted the bedded patient when the other fell momentarily silent.

Opening solely one eye, the noble clan's leader reveals evenly: "To be entirely honest, I have been approached by both my lieutenant and your own former lieutenant, Kira Izuru, asking me to grace you with the ability to tell me, and by extension the members of Central 46, exactly what pushed you to follow Aizen Sosuke...if it was all but to eliminate him in the end."

Shinji and Toshiro's now wide astounded eyes darted between Byakuya and Gin questioningly, as the latter grimaces: "And how'd they find out?"

"Apparently, one of Kurosaki Ichigo's friends would have seen you attempt to take Aizen Sosuke's life which caused him to slay you in turn, before this very friend told Yasutora Sado, who in turn told Inoue Orihime, who then told it to Rukia, who told Matsumoto Rangiku, who went off and informed all of the 11th Division, including Madarame Ikkaku, who himself told Abarai, who told Kira Izuru..."

Truly amused, Gin snickered: "Looks like someone was playing on a grapevine..."

Seeing that Byakuya was still waiting for an answer to his previous question, the sliver-haired man smiled mirthlessly: "If my fate is to be trialled and then condemned, so be it. I have absolutely no regrets, absolutely none...No, wait...I do have one actually: that I was utterly powerless in the end to murder Aizen myself."

Shinji's eyebrows rose at the unexpected revelation: "Why would ya want to kill him? I always thought you were on his side: his subservient lackey or somethin'..."

Gin gave the blonde Vizard a laconic smirk: "I had to keep up appearances: as you know, Aizen isn't easily fooled after all."

"But, if your true goal was to kill him, why would you..." began Toshiro who was in complete awe, as his mind went through all what he had witnessed and had heard the former 3rd Division's captain accomplish on Aizen's behalf "Why would you go that far?"

"Ah..." uttered Gin with a small appeased smile "Sometimes...you just need to sacrifice it all, no matter the cost, for the ones you hold dear...Everything I did, all I've endured, was solely for her" he revealed softly, caressing Rangiku's hair again.

"Matsumoto?" voiced aloud the young captain disbelievingly, eyes wide as he pointed towards his resting lieutenant "All you did, everything you did...was for Matsumoto?"

"Mostly..." he admitted before adding wistfully "And it would be nice if you could please lower your voice, Hitsugaya-taichou: she doesn't need to know."

The other three remained silent at that, glancing over to Gin's childhood friend, before Shinji focused on the bedded male with a dark scowl: "She doesn't know? She doesn't know that you've hurt others...for her? Like you did with Hiyori?"

"I'd kill for her" revealed warningly the silver-haired man whilst levelling the blonde's fierce look with chilling glare of his own "And no, she doesn't. And it will stay that way. Leave her in her ignorance: she has nothing to do with..."

"Oh but she does!" snarled the blonde Vizard, cutting the other off "If she really is that important to you, maybe I should give you a taste of your medicine!"

Gin's expression darkened even further: "Lay your hands on Rangiku...and I'll end you, even if that'll be the last thing I do. No one touches her...not even Aizen."

About to retort fiercely, Shinji stopped upon hearing Aizen's name before staring at the silver-haired man: "What do ya mean 'not even Aizen'? What has he got to do with this?"

"That concerns me" said the other firmly "If you want to avenge Sarugaki, it'll be taken out on me and me only."

"Besides..." spoke up Tôshiro evenly, bravely entering the hostile exchange and focusing on the blonde "Regardless of Ichimaru, Matsumoto is the lieutenant of the 10th Division, which does happen to be my division: as if I'd let anyone, no matter who they are and no matter the reason, harm my lieutenant. Am I clear?"

Shinji stared at the white-haired captain before muttering under his breath with an offended expression: "Not like I was serious about it...As if I'd hurt a woman."

Gin regarded them for a moment before directing his attention on the Kuchiki noble: "What will become of Aizen? I mean, now that he has attained immortality..."

"If I am not mistaken, extended imprisonment" supposed Byakuya pensively "The more he has committed, the longer his confinement, though I personally hope he'll be given a sentence assuring incarceration for life, despite its rarity."

"As we do all...He truly deserves it, after all he has done" utters Toshiro with a frown, while Shinji nods in agreement as he closes his eyes and crosses his arms.

Gin looks on at the three males before him with an unclear expression "Believe me, you've seen nothing... You don't even know the quarter of what he's capable of..."

"Meaning?" enquired the Kuchiki noble, intrigued by Aizen's so-called trusted and faithful follower's unexpected revelations.

"That you should have just killed him when you all still had a chance" whispered Gin painfully, looking away and missing the expressions the others took at his words: Tôshiro, Shinji and Byakuya exchanged glances, the former sharing an anxious one, the second having a tense one and the last one harbouring a solemn one.

The black-haired noble turned to face the bedded silver-haired man and in a tone he hoped was reassuring: "Gin. We might not be able to kill him, however, if you do know something that could be used to extend his years of penalty...Tell me."

Gin locked exhausted eyes with the noble before sighing: "Make sure he never ever gets out then... If he ever does, with what I'm going to tell you...this time, I'll be a dead man for sure..."

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As Byakuya patiently waited for Gin to give him more information he could use against Aizen during the latter's trial, Hitsugaya excused himself as he wanted to check on Hinamori while Shinji gently left when no was looking and was currently wandering the 4th Division's corridors, looking for the little blonde menace's room.

"Ugh!" complained an annoyed Shinji aloud "How the hell can you find your way in a place where everything looks exactly the same?! It's like I'm in a fuckin' maze! And all these white walls... I'm really tempted to throw buckets of rainbow-coloured paint on them just so I can find my fuckin' way!"

"Ano..." began a hesitant voice, causing the blonde to pause in his angry outburst "It is best Unohana-taichou doesn't hear you say that... She can be quite mean when she's angry... Ah! But...um...you didn't hear that from me...okay?"

Turning around and ready to send a dark glare at whomever it was that was talking, Shinji's eyes widened instead when he came face to face with a pair of breasts belonging to the body of a very tall young woman. Lifting his stunned gaze upwards, he is met with a very anxious expression, eyes flitting around cautiously making sure that the 4th Division's captain was nowhere nearby to hear the blonde's rant: "So please...just try to stay calm...and if you're lost...um...I'll be your guide."

"T...Tall..." muttered Shinji quietly, still amazed that a woman could be that tall.

"Alright-y then!" announced the woman with a wide smile, casting aside the other's astonishment, very happy he was now calm "My name is Kotetsu Isane, lieutenant of the 4th Division, and I'll show you around. Are you here to visit someone?"

Overcoming his initial surprise, Shinji looks away as he admitted grudgingly: "Yeah...Actually, I'm here exactly for that...Unfortunately for my own health..."

Surprised at the other's words, Isane tilts her head in curiosity but he stubbornly says no more, so she just nods once and leads the way to the Division's medical bay.

"This should be where she is staying" stated the 4th Division's lieutenant as she gestured towards the door of a room she lead the blonde Vizard to, after their perilous journey - in Shinji's opinion, as he still considered the 4th Division to be a labyrinth and was really tempted to confront whoever thought of the building the barracks the way they were.

"Finally!" groaned the blonde, relieved "I can't feel my freakin' legs!"

Isane chuckled a little nervously at that before opening the door for the two of them and announcing to the room's occupant: "Hello there, Sarugaki-san! You have a visitor!"

"Yo! What's up bitc...Argh!" cried out Shinji as his greeting was cut short by a bedside lamp colliding dead on with his face and sending him to the floor, much to the 4th Division's lieutenant stunned horror.

Isane locked eyes with incensed ones that glowered at her: "The hell you still here for, huh?!"

"I'm so sorry!" cried out the paling tall lieutenant in terror, before running away "I'm gone!"

"You look like shit, Baldy" Hiyori spat out as she focused her infuriated glare on her fellow Vizard who was struggling to rise from the blow.

Taking a seat near her bedside and rubbing at his sore forehead, Shinji's eyebrows rose at that: "Oh yeah? Shouldn't I be the one sayin' that about ya? You're the one bedded, not me."

The little blonde-haired girl's scowl deepened before she whispered furiously: "How dare you bring us here? Here of all places?"

"Was I supposed to just let ya die, Hiyori?" retorted the other with a displeased frown which caused her to look away uncomfortably.

"Where are the others?" asked abruptly the girl in an uncharacteristically quiet voice, desperately yet poorly trying to change the subject.

Shinji, completely understanding her ploy, just sighed as he lifted his eyes to the ceiling: "Last I saw, Mashiro and Kensei were tryin' to cheer up a kid from the 9th Division...Got to admit, that's a new one for Ken... No idea where Love, Rose or Hachi are, though Hachi's probably hangin' around the Kido Corp grounds. Lisa said she had to do somethin' down at the 8th Division... I think she just wanted to gossip with Shunsui again. They got along well...Wonder if they still do."

Hiyori stared unblinkingly at her fellow Vizard before asking charily: "What do we do now?"

"Hm..." hummed the blonde male faking contemplation before brightening up abruptly "Ah, by the way, did you know...? No, I guess you didn't: you were here out cold..."

"Spit it out, Baldy!" seethed the little blonde menace, hating the fact that her weakness was spoken about.

Though Shinji's expression sobered, his mouth stretched into a mirthless grin: "The old man made us an official rather long mind-numbing apology."

"Ha!" Hiyori exclaimed in shock not believing her ears "For Real?!"

The male Vizard nodded with a grimace, also hinting to his disbelief: "Yep. Says that dear bastard Aizen played us all so well, including Gramps, that he thought it was Kisuke and our fault. But now that he knows that it's not, he's sorry...Not his exact words, but you know."

The young blonde female scowled as she gritted her teeth: "...A little late for that, no?"

"Better late than never, you know" shrugged Shinji nonchalantly, as he hadn't been hurt as well which caused the girl to scoff at his attitude "He seems pretty adamant we move back to the Seireitei so that we can..."

"Hell no!" screamed abruptly the girl, completely outraged as she cut the other off and stunned him into silence "They chased us down like dogs because of Aizen! If it wasn't for Yoruichi and that idiot, we'd be in prison, experimented on or...or... I don't know what they would have done! It's not fair! They should have never doubted us!"

Shinji gauged his seething fellow Vizard silently for awhile before sighing: "Hiyori...I know it's tough. Heck, it was hard as hell for all of us. But its Aizen's fault, no one else's. We have to just...get over it and move on, you know?"

"Speak for yourself" hissed Hiyori inaudibly, still very bitter about it all "It will never be that easy."

"Never said it'll be that way..." pointed out Shinji seriously, before beaming "But we're stubborn survivors, right? We give it a try, ok? If one of us doesn't like somethin', we leave."

Hiyori raised an incredulous eyebrow at that: "You mean it? No 'I'm too lazy to leave now that we're already here'."

"Yeah" the male Vizard chuckled, amused at how well his companion knew him.

Lips slowly quirking into a small smile, the little blonde smirked at the other: "Promise?"

"I promise, Hiyori" assured the blonde male sincerely, inwardly glad that she calmed down.

Hiyori genuinely smiled at the other before dropping her smile and staring at him defiantly: "I still don't like you though, Baldy. You know that, right?"

"I wouldn't have it any other way, bitch!" Shinji grinned widely before pulling out his tongue impishly causing her to shake her head and roll her eyes at him but still gave him a wide grin.

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The court was dark as it was silent until a blistering light abruptly lit up the centre of the closed room, revealing the seat made out of seki of the trialled person, bound in thick black reiatsu-repressing bands, while the seats of the Central 46's members remained shadowed... Sosuke Aizen slowly opened his sole visible eye - as the other was also bound - before letting his silent, deadly calm stare sweep his surroundings. Confusion, however, flitted momentarily upon his features as all the members of the court suddenly stood up, as if to welcome someone important.

Aizen's visible eyebrow rose faintly when his gaze fixated upon the 6th Division's Captain walking into the Central 46's court room, the young man's frozen stare directed steadfastly upon the traitor, his eyes seeming impenetrable, however the brown-haired immortal, could clearly see the seething anger there. As his initial surprise wore off, Aizen just about scoffed aloud as he perfectly knew why the young noble lord was here: by tradition, the grand Kuchiki family has always been charged with compiling and protecting the Soul Society's history, so of course it would make sense that the clan's leader, Kuchiki Byakuya, also Captain of the 6th Division, would attend, as it would undoubtedly be considered as a chronological fact to be documented, recorded and filed. And, needless to say, the young man will also be present as a witness against an achiever of so many dire and ruthless crimes. Aizen's lips curved into a sinister Machiavellian smirk: this was going to be fun...

"Captain of the 6th Division and Head leader of the distinguished Kuchiki Clan, Kuchiki Byakuya-sama" announced a man amongst the seated members of the Central 46, drawing the said young leader's full attention "As a Complier of the Soul Society's history, do you swear to report this trial's events as truthfully as you hear them?"

"I swear" answered Byakuya serenely from the place which he was seated within.

"And do you swear to speak nothing but the truth as a witness within this trial?" questioned another man.

"I swear" repeated the young black-haired noble with a slight nod this time.

"We shall now proceed to listing the alleged crimes of the accused" stated a woman.

"I wouldn't call them alleged" snapped a second man irately "Were they alleged as you put it, he wouldn't even be here."

"True" agreed the woman "Allow me to rephrase that: We shall then now proceed to listing the authentic crimes of the accused: Accountable for high level treason and the manipulation of many innocent bystanders, that include but are not limited to Lieutenant Kira Izuru from the 3rd Division, Lieutenant Hinamori Momo from the 5th Division, Lieutenant Abarai Renji from the 6th Division and Lieutenant Hisagi Shuuhei from the 9th Division, who have all endorsed this charge, with the exception of Lieutenant Hinamori as she is in no condition to do so; Responsible for innumerable death tolls, including the former Central 46, several captains of the Gotei 13..."

And the inventory of his crimes went on and on...and on...And seemed to be utterly incessant.

Though outwardly indifferent, Byakuya was painstakingly horrified: he had come to discover gradually that the man was a monster, through rumours, narrations and so on...he just hadn't completely grasped back then that Aizen was capable of that much agony, chaos and death. He sincerely couldn't believe for a second that a person was...had been part of the Gotei 13...

After the woman finally finished enumerating the immortal man's numerous crimes, she began to enunciate the verdict: "Therefore, the accused will be detained an account of..."

"Detained?" snorted Aizen scathingly, curtly cutting off the other and utterly ignoring said person's glare "Is that what my 'dire' crimes merit in your opinion?"

"Be grateful that your sentence resumes itself merely to that, Sosuke Aizen, for your crimes are worthy of death, Sosuke Aizen" stated the Kuchiki's clan leader flatly, his voice giving off no emotion, whilst his eyes were dancing with sheer rage.

"Are they now?" asked the traitor with fake naivety, before chuckling darkly "Why don't you just kill me off then, hm? No matter how cold you may appear, you can't hide what I see within your eyes, my dear Byakuya. They are so expressive: the wrath, the hatred, the desire to end me, here and now. You want to slay me. So, tell me, what is it that's holding you back?"

"Nonsense" stated the 6th Division's Captain tersely, unconsciously diverting his eyes away from Aizen's and closing them to entirely shut out the man in front him, therefore completely missing the renegade's triumphant smirk "I said that your crimes were worthy of death, not that I desired to have you die by my hand. Please do restrain yourself from making such assumptions as if you familiarly knew me."

"Oh, but I do know you" asserted the bound man, causing Byakuya's heated glare to direct itself back upon him "You're the youngest leader the Kuchiki Clan has ever had: You had to become leader in your father's stead because of his poor health, so you had to turn into an adult quicker than you were supposed to. Out of fear of being an unconvincing and unimposing leader, you bolted your emotions in, hiding them behind an aloof mask, shunning away others with your undeniable skill and cold pride, yet no matter how you deny it, you are still young...and can easily be broken."

The last words were spoken which such dripping malice, as if meticulously coating an insinuating amass of threats directed straight at him, that Byakuya shivered involuntarily as he regarded the brown-haired man with slightly widened eyes, wondering how it was even possible for his long forged façade to be deciphered this easily: it was as if Aizen had managed to read into his very core like one would read a book, analyzing him and digging out what no one else knew...not even his own family...and this... this just by seeing his raging emotions surface within his eyes...

"Eyes are the mirrors to our souls, dearest Byakuya" emphasized Aizen cruelly aware of the disbelief the young Kuchiki was currently in "Yours just happen to be exceptionally readable... Oh, only by me, of course: I really do doubt anyone else would have ever determined your emotions this effortlessly" he added slyly, before raising his only visible eyebrow "Why do you think Gin always kept his closed?"

The young clan's leader snapped of his stupor upon hearing Gin Ichimaru's name, anger retuning full force within his intense glare as he parted his lips to speak...

"Forgive me for interposing 'myself' for you were about to talk, Kuchiki Byakuya-sama..." cut in heatedly a member of the Central 46, startling Byakuya as he was reminded that the two of them weren't alone while Aizen just rolled his eyes in annoyance "...but this has absolutely nothing to with your trial, Sosuke Aizen!"

"Precisely" agreed the woman from before "And you will refrain from attempting to provoke Kuchiki-sama in such an indecorous manner from now on!"

"Kuchiki-sama" called out another woman, drawing said noble's attention to her "If you wish, you may retrieve these abhorrent comments of this traitorous bas...uh, this traitorous man, from within your archives as they are..."

"While I am entirely obliged by your concern..." interrupted Byakuya politely, while shaking his head gently yet maintaining eye-contact with the woman "As it is my responsibility, I simply cannot omit anything that has been said within a trial from the moment I have heard it..."

"I see..." uttered the woman in a fairly disappointed voice, before resuming in a normal tone "You may pursue then, Kuchiki-sama..."

The Kuchiki's Clan leader nodded once before looking back towards the brown-haired man, not surprised to see that said man already had his eyes trained on him.

"We shall now pursue, Aizen Sosuke. About..." Byakuya's voice momentarily faded from the traitor's focus as Aizen knowingly detected the obvious change in the use of his own name by the noble. He now called him 'Aizen Sosuke', instead of 'Sosuke Aizen': a typical yet unintentional way to further distance others from oneself. He nearly chuckled: he actually managed to make the noble uncomfortable.

Realizing that the Kuchiki leader had stopped talking and was now clearly awaiting an answer to a question gone unheard, the brown-haired says derisively: "My apologies, I seem to have missed what you've asked...Care to repeat, my dear?"

Aizen smirked in amusement as a flash of indignation sparked within Byakuya's eyes at the improper way he was addressed whilst he heard a few aghast voices from the others present whisper angrily 'Outrageous', 'Insolent' and 'How dare he?'.

Coughing into his hand as he tried to regain his waning composure, the Kuchiki noble repeated himself: "I said, since you mention Gin Ichimaru, I have a rather remarkable statement from his part concerning what he learnt about you when he faked working for you."

At that sentence, Aizen blanched considerably causing Byakuya to raise an eyebrow and tilt his head in mock concern: "Is there something wrong, Aizen Sosuke?"

Face stretching into a smile feigning innocence, the brown-haired immortal tilted his head: "My apologies, but you seem to be speaking of Gin as he lived."

"He is alive" confirmed the noble yet instantly felt on edge again as Aizen's face brutally lost its smile, leaving room for a dangerously dark, if not demonic expression.

"Is that so?" hissed the bound traitor, his eyes narrowing as one of his eyebrows slowly arched upwards "Yet I was so sure that the last time I saw him, he was dead. Oh well, I suppose that means I should ensure to be more thorough next time."

'Next time?!' realized Byakuya's mind as he was processing how casually Aizen spoke of his willingness to kill Gin Ichimaru yet again. The noble abruptly recalled the silver-haired man's warning: 'Just make sure he never ever gets out...because if he does, with what I'm going to tell you...this time, I'll be a dead man for sure...'

The Kuchiki noble breathed out unevenly as he tried to calm his racing heart and thoughts: Aizen honestly knew how to make others feel apprehensive and powerless without difficulty...

"So?" uttered the immortal ominously, drawing back Byakuya's focus "What is it that our dear Gin told you, hm?"

Quelling his raising distress, the noble spoke in an even tone of voice: "He admitted that, whilst in Las Noches, he has witnessed you - I quote - 'violently threatening and brutally harming the Espada soldiers in order to fully bend them to your will'."

Aizen's eyes widened at Gin's audacity, but at the same time, caught carefully within the confession, his wary prudence. The immortal man laughed out darkly: if Gin truthfully revealed this information the way the noble quoted it, then Byakuya knew absolutely nothing...

The Kuchiki leader stared at the other with widened horrified eyes: "You find this amusing, Sosuke Aizen?"

The brown-haired immortal chuckled at the other's expression: "The way you're wording it? Indeed I do. Can't you just resume the whole thing and say that I viciously tortured them?"

Byakuya's jaw tightened in sickened anger at the other's increasingly exposed inhumanity: "So you're admitting to it."

"Your words, not mine" reminded the other with a sinister smile "I simply expressed them differently."

"They are not mine per se" pointed out the noble, refusing to take credit for something he had learnt from someone else.

Aizen nearly rolled his eyes at the other's ridiculous sense of honour: "Same difference... The main point is that they remain words, Byakuya: you have no concrete proof against me."

The noble's eyes narrowed as he voiced in a bland tone laced with distaste: "Given the circumstances, I would believe Ichimaru Gin to you any day."

Aizen smirked at that: "Oh? Then know that what I do to with my belongings concerns no one but me."

Byakuya's expression turned into one of appalled shock at the other's words before levelling the immortal with a cold glare: "In that case, I'd also like to take into consideration your history with the Kuchiki family, Aizen Sosuke. You were taken in by Kuchiki Ginrei at a young age, thus most consider you as a member of the Kuchiki family, and in turn tarnished our reputation and name by the vividly dark disasters caused back then, the mayhem you have been causing in secrecy and the chaos you've just recently caused, quite blatantly I'd add."

"And what 'vividly dark disasters' have I caused your family in the past, might I ask?" questioned the immortal mischievously, smiling with malevolent intent.

Seething inwardly, the noble uttered lethally: "Don't feign ignorance: it's unbecoming of you."

The immortal's smile widened, relishing in riling up the ever so controlled prideful man: "I am merely asking to be enlightened. Is that too much of a demand, dear Byakuya?"

Closing his eyes momentarily, the Kuchiki clan's leader blamed hatefully: "You murdered Kuchiki Tetsuya's parents in cold bold and poisoned Kuchiki Ginrei's wife. Macabre feats, including everything else that has been accounted for, I will never absolve."

"Ah? Are those the only reasons you resent me, Byakuya?" voiced the traitor, surprise evident in his tone, before the malice returned tenfold "Mm, though it would make sense for you to be this oblivious, wouldn't it?"

"What are talking about now?" the Kuchiki noble voiced as his frown deepened, not at all liking the implications "Are you saying you've done more?"

"You really have no idea, don't you? Hm, poor child..." Aizen's dark smirk widened so far, it became unsettling "Ask your grandfather...or maybe even your dear father, Sojun, perhaps he'll tell you. Besides..."

"Silence!" raised abruptly Ginrei's voice, sharp as a knife just like his entrance within the Central 46's trial room, causing respectfully stunned, honestly surprised and wickedly amused eyes to fall on him "Keep your uncouth opinions to yourself, Aizen Sosuke. As for you, members of Central 46, could you please bring this trial to an end? Our clan leader is awaited."

While Byakuya stared at his grandfather with wide eyes, the members of Central 46 began to stutter their profound apologizes before discussing the traitor's fate and coming to a verdict.

And as such, one of the members' finally stood to pronounce it: "Sosuke Aizen, ex-captain of the 5th Division, we condemn you to the depths of Muken for 18 000 years and-"

"You filthy, inferior lowlifes, how dare you judge me? Don't you find this a little bit absurd?" smirked Aizen, goading at the Central 46's members who gasp at the belittling words he had just used to portray them, an evil glint in his only visible eye, that drifts over to linger with malice upon each seated member, before letting his gaze rest upon Byakuya, who simply stared back with an equally intense stare "Hmm...Seireitei will fall beyond any possible comprehension. Just wait and see..."

"Insolence!" shouted aloud a woman all of sudden from amongst the Central 46's members, as she slammed her hand down in front of her, completely appalled.

"You think you can look down on us because you're supposedly immortal now?!" bellowed out a man beside her.

"How dare you?!" screeched abruptly yet another woman.

"Cover the other eye of this impertinent fool!" hollered another man enraged.

"Sosuke Aizen, you arrogant traitor, your penalty will be extended to 20 000 years!" declares yet another man furiously.

Aizen's eye narrows nefariously as his sentence was pronounced before the reiatsu restraining black bands binding his entire body now completely blindfolded his eyes.

As the assembly began their gradual departure from the room, two guards moved forward to the bound immortal and, each taking hold of one of his arms, hoisted him up to his feet before they slowly led the man to the exit, towards his next and final destination, his impending eternal prison: Muken, the place of endless time. At first, Aizen offered no resistance whatsoever, however when he arrived at the two Kuchiki members' level, he suddenly halted in his tracks, his heavy heeled footsteps entirely stopping from echoing within the now completely empty trial room.

While the two guards brutally tried to usher him forward to no avail, the viewless man turned his head in the Kuchiki leader's direction, causing the latter to frown in puzzlement as to how the brown-haired could pinpoint his position without sight or reiatsu. Chuckling before his lips curve into a derisive smirk, as if hearing the other's thought, he whispers in a soft yet solid voice: "Lend me your ear, my dear."

When the young noble, irked, didn't move and was about to ask if he was truly talking to him in such a manner, Aizen chuckled and stressed out: "Yes, you, Byakuya... Consider this a mere banal request. Worry not, I won't bite."

Byakuya clenched his jaw angrily while one of his eyebrows twitched at the other's insistence to address him casually and so...indecently, before he glanced towards his grandfather who already had his eyes trained on him, gauging him carefully. When Ginrei nodded his head once before signalling to the guards to step back a bit, the young Kuchiki strode over to the bound man and stood right before him, absently realizing, for the first time, that he was somewhat shorter than Aizen... As the immortal man slowly lowered his head towards the young leader, Byakuya hesitantly turned away to let the other draw nearer to the side of his face. Keeping his gaze steadfastly in front of him, the black-haired man felt goosebumps raise against his better judgment as the other's warm breath hovered right above his ear, whispering the following dark threatening words in low dangerous tones: "Muken will not hold me forever, my dear Byakuya, remember that. And when I will leave this place, I will come to reduce you to nothing: I will disgrace you, debase your family and humiliate the other Seireitei's Shinigami, as well as Ichigo Kurosaki and his friends, in the worst ways imaginable... Count on that...for it will happen."

Watching them from where he stood, Ginrei knit his brows together as he saw the anxiety within his grandson's expression quickly morph to horror before locking his eyes with his grandfather's: like everyone else, Ginrei didn't excel when it came to reading Byakuya, but his clenched teeth and eyes widened a fraction further than what they usually, were enough to tell him that something was wrong...Very wrong. The young Kuchiki abruptly let out a surprised and pained gasp as Aizen didn't keep his promise, sinking his teeth deep within the other's earlobe under the guise of a wicked almost possessive bite. Fighting his initial instinct to violently pull back as he knew the outcome would undeniably tear at his ear, Byakuya remained as stock still as he could while the two guards did their best to pry off the brown-haired from his vicious hold as quickly and as painlessly as they could.

"I'd watch out mainly for your family if I were you, dear Byakuya. Especially for the rabble..." warned Aizen darkly as he was forced away, fresh blood staining his lips and teeth turning his smirk sinister than it had ever been whilst directing it at the glaring Kuchiki leader, who was clutching tightly at his bloodied throbbing ear, wondering, not for the first time, what laid beneath the traitor's threatening words.

Byakuya felt a chill wander down his spine as he came to the awareness that his previous realization was false: Sosuke Aizen wasn't a mere monster... He was dire demented demon...

000000000000000000000000000000000000

"That threat was far too real to ignore" voiced Ginrei quietly, looking without truly seeing at what the pale moonlight touched within the lush Kuchiki gardens outside "and Aizen Sosuke has every single intention of carrying it out. Against us all...but mostly against our family..."

After a brief coughing fit, Sojun straightened from his seated position in his bed and sighed: "I never wanted this, any of this, to happen... I really do apologize, father."

His father looked at him over his shoulder with a reproachful gaze: "Why are you apologizing? You couldn't have known that it would end this way..."

"Perhaps..." relented slightly Byakuya's father before confessing in a whisper "Then again, we should have just listened to all those who stated that Sosuke was a danger to each and every one of us...even as he was but a child."

Knowing what his son was insinuating, Ginrei's eyes narrowed: "We can't rewrite the past, Sojun. What is done is done."

Byakuya's father closed his eyes and shook his head sombrely: "Yet look where it has led us. The Seireitei is now endangered by a demon of their own creation..."

The old Kuchiki remained silent at that, so Sojun opened his eyes as he continued to voice his thoughts: "I'm worried, father."

Closing his eyes in turn, Ginrei nodded in acknowledgment: "That's quite understandable."

"No, I mean, I'm worried about Byakuya" confessed the ailing Kuchiki as he bit his lower lip.

"Ah..." uttered Ginrei barely, not knowing what else to say.

Paling a little, Sojun shivered at his own words: "Knowing Sosuke, he already has him in his sights...and there's no doubt about it."

Ginrei stayed silent for a moment, taking in his son's exhaustion and anxiety, before admitting furtively: "Fear not, Sojun. I was planning on making a quick demand from the Onmitsukido to eliminate Ai..."

Sojun's face dropped the instant he heard the first of his father's words so he cut him before he could finish: "Father, do even realize what you're suggesting?! Not only it's against our laws to bribe another's death, but how do think it possible to assassinate an immortal man?"

Ginrei raised an incredulous eyebrow at his son's reaction: "Sojun, you're not supposed to care."

"I do not!" snapped Byakuya's father, totally irked "But you're the one who is not making sense!"

"I'm just looking out for my grandson" maintained the older of the two defensively.

Sojun seethed even further: "And you think I'm not? He's my son and I know precisely how Sosuke thinks!"

Knowing the way Aizen thought just as well as he knew Sojun's, Ginrei sighed in a low huff: "He'll use him to get back at us."

Byakuya's father stared at the elder Kuchiki with an even gaze: "Father...You know exactly that's not just what Sosuke wants from Byakuya..."

Ginrei cast an inscrutable stare his son's way as he asked the following: "Tell me, Sojun, after all these years, how can you still call him by his name?"

Sojun paused at his father's words before lowering his eyes and answering in but a near silent whisper: "I just can't associate him with the name: 'Aizen'...not when it has a particular meaning to me so worlds apart from Sosuke..."

Knowing exactly what Sojun spoke of, Ginrei just looks at his ailing son out of the corner of his eye before he states vehemently: "Byakuya must never know any of this."

Little did the two deeply distraught nobles know that Byakuya had, in fact, heard it all...from behind the room's doors. He too worried by Aizen's unclear yet rather ominous words decided to seek answers from his grandfather and was told by Tetsuya that he was with his bed-ridden father. Reaching the room in question, he was about to knock and announce his entrance when bits of the conversation being held froze him midway as they reached his disbelieving ears, leaving his hand hanging in the air, millimetres from the entrance, before it fell lifelessly to his side and he retreated as quickly as he could.

Both his grandfather and father seemed to know a lot more on Aizen Sosuke than they rendered others, including Byakuya himself, to believe...and that unsettled him greatly.

In the Hueco Mundo, not far from a Garganta:

Tia, Appacci, Mila Rose, Sun-Sung, Nelliel, Grimmjow and a group of runaway Arrancars ran towards the opened Garganta, as those who decided to side with Aizen were hot on their heels: they needed to get out of the Hueco Mundo now if they ever wanted a chance to escape.

However, of those that opted to follow Grimmjow's group, two girls stood behind, hesitating...

"Hey!" yelled Grimmjow loudly, catching the two girls' attention "Make up your mind!"

With wide terrified eyes, the blonde girl Arrancar looked at her black-haired partner who had her teeth stubbornly clenched as she glared at the floor. Raising her angry eyes to the ones before her, she hisses: "Why are lookin' at me? I ain't holdin' you back!"

The short blonde-haired female gave her a hurt expression before she startled as Grimmjow took hold of her arm and warned quietly: "I'm not forcing you two, but if we leave, there's no second offer. So choose: us...or Aizen."

The blonde parted her lips to speak but was cut off by the black-haired girl who shrieked indignantly at the blue-haired male: "It's Aizen-sama to you!"

"Stupid kid, what don't you get?!" bellowed Grimmjow with blazing incensed eyes, making the two females shrink slightly, as they both had momentarily forgotten who it was that stood before them "He doesn't care about you! He's never cared about you! Or you! About any of us! It's all about him! And it's all it's ever been! He manipulated us, used us, lied to us, betrayed us and for what?! ...Just to be thrown away like dirtied worn laundry having outdone its' purpose?! And now that he failed...whatever his big project was in the end, he suddenly needs us to help him?!"

He then moved forward to grasp the petite black-haired's shoulders for emphasis: "We are finally free. Free from the Hogyoku, from him... Can't you see that?"

Delicately reaching for the muscular arms clutching at her frame and prying them off with slow movements, the black-haired bit her lip as she glanced apologetically at the blonde girl, her partner, her only friend in this hellhole, before she gave the blue-haired a nasty glower: "If we all finally free to do what we want, Grimmjow, here's what I want to do: forever belong to Aizen-sama! And I'm free to do so!"

Gasping in shock as her friend dashed off and headed back towards where Aizen's devoted followers were gathering, the blonde girl let her tears fall as she screamed: "...LOLY!"

(1): Veneno Luisenbarne is an O.C (he in no way exists in Bleach) invented for this story and supposed to be total opposite of the Segundo Espada, Barragan Luisenbarne, while allegedly being his brother. And Fleur is his Fracción (who kind of looks like Meiko (the short-haired version) from Vocaloid, if that can help you imagine this O.C). If you want to know how to imagine Veneno, he looks a lot like Lessa in the Korean manga of the same name: 'Lessa'. P.S: For any , I'll give a detailed physical description when they meet official characters.

A/N: "As for those who just read, you really don't know how hard it is to write..." Especially if I have to consider that I write in a disorganised way: I don't exactly write in a chronological order, I just tend to write whenever ideas sprout in my mind and then link all the parts together afterwards. So sometimes, I give more details to a certain part I really focused on and just write off quickly a part I found too obvious for details and end up just sloppily writing it down...But do tell me if it goes too fast. Also, I don't know if you noticed but sometimes, you imagine a scene one way and then you start writing it, it totally becomes something else and then after that, you're stuck? Happens to me all the time and it is rather annoying really... Oh dear me, I'm rambling (laughs nervously) Ok, I'd just like to state... Do you guys have any idea how many times I had to re-watch Episode 310 (the last episode of the Winter War)?! I completely lost count and I actually had to see it again one last time before posting the prologue to make sure I covered everything. Even though you might have noticed that I made some changes, some you could consider quite huge or drastic... that could or could not make you happy. Sorry about that, really...but like I'll say now, this fic is an alternative version of the actual series that came from my odd imagination...

For the gag about Erza and Renji, sorry, I just couldn't resist! Here is how it came to exist: my friends and I were watching FairyTail and one of us pointed out (after seeing Erza's angry side) that most Manga redheads were short-tempered, and then we began listing the characters, at some point mentioning Renji...which made us die of laughter because we began imagining Erza in a Shinigami Armour... Ok, it's a little lame but here's the explication for the joke...

Also, when I started writing Aizen's trial scene in the prologue and had absolutely no inspiration whatsoever... Then my very, very long playlist that was on and running played Asylum by Disturbed...and gosh was I inspired! The writing just flowed afterwards (especially with the very fitting lines (in my opinion): 'I was not made for Asylum'; 'In the end, it will be your suffering; in the end, you will find out everything...' and 'Destroyer come to light...' Also, there's a rather dark mocking laugh at the beginning of the song (that starts after the first few 12 seconds, I think) which I somehow associated with Aizen and could no longer get that thought out of my head after that...Weird, huh? That particular scene was intense and hard to write: putting Byakuya and Aizen in a battle of wills was quite difficult...

B.T.W: I have a question for you: what colour are really Gin's eyes? At the very beginning of the series (his fight against Toshiro), his eyes were red, and right before his death, they were blue. So...Can someone tell me which of the two it is?

So there you have the full prologue for this fic: I honestly CANNOT believe I wrote this much... I promise to update the 1st chapter as soon as I finish it (it has bits and pieces for now and its steadily growing). Like I mentioned on my profile, this story has three parts and in the first part (Victory Falls), I'm thinking about roughly a dozen chapters, maybe more maybe less, because according to the plot, the first and last part are not as long compared to the 2nd (I won't give the other 2 parts' titles just yet...Suspense). So...yeah, I'll go now...Bye 4 Now ;)

P.S: If you could please show your support with reviews, follows and/or favourites (your choice entirely), that would be sincerely considerate of you. Thank you!