Hey everyone! We're back with a new chapter, and it seems we arnt the only ones either. The sequel series to fairy tail has also just released its first chapter, covering the 100 year quest that our main cast left off since we last saw them about one year since the manga ended. (in Real time.) Personally, I am beyond thrilled and excited to see the story continue again.
Greatkingrat88: I'm not.
Quiet you. Anyways, despite my joy, I unfortunately probably wont be able to add any elements from it to this story. My other crossover with it sure, but I'm afraid its very unlikely anything from it will have a huge impact on THIS story. Maybe I'll be proven wrong. Who knows?
In any event, this is a chapter Ive been looking forward to for sometime. As per usual, I wont say why until the final Authors note. Just know that there is something I am VERY eager to hear your thoughts on.
Thanks once again to Greatkingrat88 (for writing) and jcampbellohten (for being our Beta)
Bleach is owned by Tite Kubo and Shounen jump. Fairy tail is owned by Hiro Mashima and weekly shounen magazine. I own NOTHING. This is all just for fun.
They had convened in Byakuya's hotel suite, Erza's entire team assembled under the assurance that for the duration of the meeting, Yoruichi would act as sentry. Erza had approached Byakuya about using his lodgings for the meeting under the suggestion that it was a place as good as any, but the truth was that Erza felt rather too embarrassed to use the shopkeeper's facilities right now. If the Kuchiki minded, he had made no indication of it, and as such the team now stood assembled in the main room of the suite. It was early morning, early enough that the Sun had barely risen. Atypically for Gotei protocol, Erza had also invited Ichigo, Orihime, Tatsuki, Chad, and Uryu; this had in fact earned her a sideways glance both from Soifon and Byakuya, but Erza was not about to back down.
"Alright, everyone," she said, deliberately choosing not to use any formal invocation of the meeting, "you can stand or sit if you like, but this meeting is in session. Questions and suggestions when I am done speaking, got it?" Seeing the quizzical look of the teenagers, she continued.
"This will be a quick overview of our plans of defense for Karakura Town, in the event of an invasion. We've continuously taken in data about the city, and new intelligence suggests it is of critical value to Aizen's plans. This is an ongoing process and by no means a finalized idea of how the city might be defended, but the enemy might not wait for us to finalize anything, so… here we are.
"Before I continue, I'm sure all of you are wondering why I've invited non-shinigami to this briefing."
"Indeed," said Soifon. "This is privileged information, classified with good reason."
"I have considered that," said Erza, nodding sagely as if Soifon's words were wise and impressive, "but for the record, although they are children, they are officially aligned with us as part of the deal following Aizen's defection. Furthermore, they also represent considerable assets in terms of the power they possess."
She turned and looked at the teenagers. Not long ago, she would have excluded them from this automatically, but after learning of Aizen's true plans… nothing short of shipping them halfway across the world would keep them unaffected. Just handling the defense alone wouldn't keep them out of this. There was no choice.
"This is your home," she said plainly, looking them all in the eye, "and you deserve to know what's coming. You deserve to have a choice in whether you want to be part of this or not, because Aizen may not give you that choice."
Ichigo nodded firmly, and it seemed to please the teenagers well enough. Even Uryu seemed to relax a little; he had stiffened at being described as an 'asset'.
"That is why," said Erza, "and I will hear no objections to it. Right; on to the defense plans. Nozomi?"
"Yes, commander."
The green-haired science advisor hastily prepared a projector, a smooth little device borrowed from Urahara Kisuke's shop. She placed it on the centre of the floor, and soon there was a three-dimensional holographic rendering of Karakura town, quite like a map.
"We're in luck, I suppose," Erza continued as the people assembled around her shifted to get a better view, "in that Karakura isn't a very large city. Layer one, please."
Nozomi pressed a remote, and a layer was added to the map, revealing five points forming a circle around inner Karakura.
"We will be stationed here, divided into teams for rapid response. In the event of an invasion, we will need to be ready to counter whatever comes our way as quickly as possible, to contain the danger while we await reinforcements. I, myself, will be stationed here at the south, alongside Momo," she said, pointing to the southernmost icon, "whereas Captain Kuchiki will be stationed up north alongside Kuchiki Rukia. Soifon, you're to the east of me. Rangiku…"
Quickly, she outlined where each team would patrol every day, and how they were expected to respond; if it was a singular breach, if there were multiple ones. How each one of them best ought to respond, how they ought to retreat and regroup if faced with superior force, how the Gotei had forces ready at a moment's notice to come pouring in when the time did come, and who was expected to come in where.
"So, uh, where are we in all this?" asked Ichigo. "It's all well for you guys, this is your job, but we can't be on patrol. We got school. Should we quit school?" He added that last part quite hopefully.
"No," Erza said firmly. "You are to change nothing about your daily routines except in times of absolute emergency. You are auxiliaries in this, and if you want to participate in this defense, you are to obey the command of any member of my team as a superior officer. We are making allowances for you here and now, but we have no use for allies that cannot show discipline."
Soifon gave a slight, almost invisible nod of approval.
"Erza… what is it Aizen is after?" asked Ichigo.
Erza took in a deep breath. She wanted to tell him the full truth; in fact, it took considerable effort not to. However, she was being watched by two notorious sticklers, both of whom believed in the rulebook quite fervently, and as much as it pained her to admit it, certain things were classified with good reason. It would not be responsible to tell them the full truth, not yet. That would only cause them undue stress over something they had no control over, which would only worsen the issue of discipline.
"He wants to kill a whole lot of people," said Erza, deciding at least not to lie. "He has a reason for doing so. We're still working on exactly why, but he's… well, he's insane, so he might have no reason at all. There will be no escaping for Karakura if he succeeds. Is that good enough?"
Ichigo nodded quietly, looking humble.
"I have a question, then," said Uryu.
"Ask," said Erza.
"It's alright for them," he said, nodding to his fellow teenagers, "to follow orders from the shinigami, but frankly, I am not sure I can trust you people have our best interests in mind."
"'You people'?" said Erza, hurt. "Uryu, I know you all-"
"Not you personally," said Uryu hastily, a little embarrassed, "but let's be honest and say I've got good reason to be skeptical."
Erza nodded.
"Fair. Right, Uryu. What makes you skeptical, aside from old grudges?"
"Alright," said Uryu, taking a step forward, pointing at the holographic map, pointing at the three southernmost points of defense. "It would seem you've placed both yourself and captain Soifon within close vicinity of your own home, and that of the Kurosakis. It would seem to me, commander, that you're displaying a particular bias. Is this really your idea of a good defense strategy, or are you looking out for your own first?"
Erza could see Byakuya throw a disapproving glance at the young quincy, but she was determined to meet his concerns.
"I hear you-"
"How dare you!"
It was Momo exclaiming the words loudly, like a very fierce squirrel.
"How dare you stand there and talk to her like that? You're a child. I don't care if you're a quincy or not, you don't know anything about military defense, not compared to her. She's a captain, and you're- you're just a big-mouthed nobody!"
"Was I invited here to be shouted over?" said Uryu coldly. "I was under the impression we were free to ask questions."
"Not stupid ones!" Momo snapped. "Honestly, don't you see it's a privilege to be here, you stupid little-"
"Momo!"
The vice-captain fell silent immediately. Erza realized she had raised her voice. Momo shrunk down, looking like a hurt puppy.
"I just…" she trailed off.
"It's… fine," Erza said, her voice a bit strained, "but I brought them here because I wanted to hear their concerns. So… don't interrupt people, okay?" She turned back to Uryu. "I'm sorry," she muttered. "You were saying?"
"Is my opinion welcome?" said the quincy reservedly.
"It is," Erza insisted. "Perhaps you are right. Perhaps I have placed undue priority on what is relevant to me, without meaning to. Let us all discuss the defense, then, and figure out what makes sense. If necessary, we'll change."
This seemed to placate Uryu, who nodded.
"Good," said Erza. She nodded at Nozomi. "Now, layer two, please."
The holo-map shifted again, and Erza started, "Now, here we see our plan of action in case of a diversion tactic toward the outskirts of the city…"
Lanza had tried distractions. He had tried training. He had tried long-winded talks with his subordinates. He had even tried long, lonely walks in the palace, the last of which had only made things worse.
Because ever since that one night, Lanza was still not sure of who he was, and being left alone with his mess of a mind had only made things worse.
Jellal Fernandes.
That was who he had been. Or, who he was?
"Forgive me, lord," came the quiet rumble of Edrad Leones, "but you seem troubled."
The bulky arrancar had sought shelter under Lanza's wings not long after Grimmjow's disgrace; the former espada had not been a good master. Especially given his treason, Edrad's life had not been worth much. A packless servant hollow, as much as Lord Aizen did his best to dispel these primitive notions, was a weak hollow in the eyes of the masses. Knowing this, Edrad had begged Lanza to take him on, and Lanza had taken him in. He had pretended to think it over, to give it very particular consideration, but the truth was that he had been happy to. The thought of redeeming somebody from the crueller aspects of their nature would have appealed to him in and of itself, but to save him had been a welcome distraction from his inner struggle.
"It is nothing, Edrad," Lanza said wearily. He was leaned back in a couch in his chambers, his fracciones lounging about the place. Loly and Menoly had both sought his company as usual, but he had dismissed them. He wasn't sure what to do with himself, and their comfort did not help much.
"As my lord says," Edrad said reservedly. He seemed mostly to keep himself to himself, still in the process of gauging his new master, and his new companions.
"You have more, do you not?" said Lanza, his words less of a question than they were a statement.
"It is not for me to say, lord."
Lanza straightened his back, and looked Edrad in the eye.
"Edrad, be aware that I am not Grimmjow Jaegerjaquez. I do not desire to have my boots licked or my ego stroked, nor will I punish subordinates for speaking up, even if I disagree with them- so long as they respect my authority. If you have more to say, then I- well, I won't order you to do so, but I would appreciate if you spoke your mind."
There was the slightest tensing in the room. Both Ggio and Findor had their eyes on Edrad now, although their postures were quite calm. The girls were not as subtle, both staring menacingly at the newcomer.
"As my lord says, then," said Edrad with a nod. "Truth be told, Lord Valiente, is that you seem struck with some strange melancholy. I cannot say what or why, but you have confined yourself to your room for quite some time, leaving only to heed the summons of Lord Aizen. You appear lethargic, even apathetic, despite your stature, power, and seniority. This is strange. Nobody reaches the level of espada without a singular force of will."
"You got some nerve, newbie," snorted Menoly. "Trash talking our lord like that? Learn your place!"
"What she said!" snapped Loly. "You got guts, greenhorn. Be a shame to see them spilled all over the floor."
The threats were idle; Edrad would likely have defeated either one of them in single combat without too much trouble, but more was at stake than posturing and ego. Lanza had no intention of having to deal with infighting, now less than ever.
"Quiet, the both of you," he said firmly, making sure not to speak in too harsh a tone. "I asked for his opinion, did I not? Edrad is one of us now, and he has a right to speak- especially when called upon to do so." He turned his eyes back to Edrad. "Continue, if you would."
Edrad nodded gratefully.
"I know my lord has… unorthodox ideas of how hollows ought to treat one another," he said cautiously; despite having the look of a barbarian, he obviously knew how to speak diplomatically, "but most do not share these views. Lord Aizen's new ways will take time to settle, and in the meantime, Las Noches is a hollow society, the same as it has always been."
"Meaning?" said Findor, a slight edge to his voice. Unlike Loly and Menoly, he didn't seem to dismiss Edrad out of hand, but he didn't seem convinced, either.
"Cruel, ruthless, and constantly ready to pounce. The strongest do not often fight, but that is because they have learned how not to blink first. People like yourself, lord, people below the level of Vasto Lorde… well, somebody will in time start to think to themselves that maybe Lanza Valiente will blink. Lord Aizen's protection is all well and good, but it cannot protect against the stupidity of a savage, cruel, and egotistical opportunist."
Lanza gave him a scrutinizing look. "You speak from experience, I suspect."
"My former lord was very ambitious and without subtlety," said Edrad, "and for that he paid the price. But he is not at all different from many hollows like him, close in terms of power. How long before somebody will perceive weakness in you, lord, and make a move that could end poorly for either one of you?"
Loly looked like she was about to say something rude, despite Lanza's words, but Ggio spoke before she could.
"He's right, actually," he took a step forward, eyes on Lanza. "You are not weak, lord. I know so, because I've seen you personally. But what I know won't stop others from thinking differently. This… state you're in, it can't go on forever. I didn't want to say, didn't want to disrespect you, but now that it's come up…"
Lanza nodded, and sighed.
"It is true I haven't been myself lately, isn't it?" he muttered. "And I suppose all of you noticed it started at a specific time, too."
"Karakura," Findor said. "Ever since you got back, something has eaten at you. What happened, lord?"
"Alright…" said Lanza, and as quickly and concisely as he could, he recounted the events of that night to his servants. To speak the words was surprisingly relieving, more so than he had ever imagined. To get it out there, to share this burden with a few trusted people…
"Jellal Fernandes…" Findor said, nodding sagely. "You believe you came from a whole other world, lord? That this… Fernandes is who you were?"
"I know it to be so," said Jellal, with the steely conviction of a man desperate for something to believe in. "It is all too real. Every day… every day, I remember more of who I was. Who I am. I remember servitude to evil, I remember perpetuating the same cycle of slavery that I once fell victim to."
"You sound as if you feel… guilty, lord," said Edrad cautiously.
"I do," Lanza said with a nod. "I may not have remembered it, but that was still me. I did a great wrong to people I loved. I am… Jellal Fernandes, and I bear responsibility for my actions."
"Pardon me, lord," said Edrad, "but how old do you believe you were when you died?"
"Not very old, I think," Jellal muttered, thinking back. "In my early twenties, at most."
"And how long have you been Lanza Valiente, the hollow?"
"I… I can't be sure. Certainly longer than that. A lot longer, actually," he added, thinking back to the timeless era of the Hueco Mundo wastes, an everlasting nightmarish cycle of violence.
"Then, lord," said Edrad, "if you have been Lanza that much longer than you have been Jellal, why would you think of yourself as the human shell you were so long ago? When the contents of what you are is not defined by your time as a human, but your time as a hollow?"
Lanza blinked. "That… is a fair point, I suppose…" he said. He stared out into the air, a strange look in his eyes. Suddenly, with energy nobody had expected, he stood bolt upright.
"That's true, isn't it?" he demanded, giving Edrad a piercing stare. "I've been one way so much longer than the other, haven't I?"
"Y-yes, lord," Edrad stuttered.
"But even with that," Lanza said, taking a few steps forward, "am I not still Jellal? How can I shed what I once was? How can I know, Edrad? How can I?"
Edrad gave a look of complete uncertainty, quite unprepared to answer any question so deeply philosophical in nature. He looked to his right and to his left, desperate for any help in the question.
"Lanza."
The voice was sharp and serious. It was Loly who had spoken up, walking toward her master with determination. She grabbed his sleeve, tugging at his arm.
"Loly-" he started, but she cut him off.
"Lanza, look at me," she demanded. Slowly, Lanza turned away from Edrad, who breathed a sigh of relief.
"What is it you want to do?" said Loly.
"What do you mean?" said Lanza, his voice irritable, unstable. "This isn't the time for-"
"With life and all that. What is it you want, Lanza?"
"I told you…"
"It's a simple question. What do you want?"
"How am I supposed to know?" Lanza said sullenly.
"Oh. Okay," said Loly with a shrug. "I guess you don't want hollows to be better than they are, then."
"Of course I do," said Lanza, sounding offended. "That's the one thing I've always desired!"
"I see. Well, I guess you don't want to follow Aizen into that future, then?"
"Yes, I do. Don't be stupid."
"And do you want to work with Halibel, Neliel, and Ulquiorra, directly under Lord Aizen?"
"…Well, yes, of course."
"And do you want us all to understand why we should be nice to each other?"
"I… well, yes."
"Then, it sounds to me," said Loly severely, "like you want all the same things you did before. Almost like you're the same person you were a few days ago. Lanza, what's really changed?"
Lanza stared at her, and his fracciones could see the light of revelation pass across his features.
"Damn… I mean…" he took a deep breath. "I'll be damned, you're right," he muttered. "I… I still want the same things. I have the same goals. I haven't stopped being me. The only difference is I got confused about who me is. But… I can't let that stop me from going forward. Lanza, Jellal… I'm still who I am. I know I am."
"That's our lord, alright," said Ggio with a grin.
"This is not done," said Lanza, shaking his head, "but… thank you for snapping me out of this, all of you."
He looked Loly in the eyes specifically, and there was no hiding that one person was slightly more to thank than anyone else.
"Oh, it's nothing," said Loly, a bad attempt at false humility in her voice. "What's a fraccion for, really?"
He smiled at her.
"It's still not done. I… I have to face her again. One way or the other."
Loly's smile dropped from her face almost instantaneously. "What, that woman? The one who almost crushed your skull last?"
"One way or the other," Lanza insisted, "but regardless… I truly am grateful. Come, let's go somewhere, away from this room. It's past time I showed a strong front, don't you think?"
This met with general approval, and Lanza soon walked out, his entourage in tow and a certain spring to his step.
This wasn't done, not nearly, but he had learned something about himself. Who he was, that wasn't ruled by the past- but by the present, and what he did with it.
There she was again. Sitting politely at a distance, watching him work through his frustrations primarily by reducing a boulder to rubble. He had to be careful; using too much force would trigger the wretched spell the shinigami had put on him, but he couldn't bear to sit still. He'd imagine the face of a shinigami on each point of rock he'd hit, imagine their bones snapping, their blood spraying, the life seeping out of them…
He had been at it for over an hour, and his one hand was getting sore; even his hierro had been weakened. The girl had only been there for a few minutes, and Grimmjow wasn't about to accommodate her. Let her sit there, if she wanted. He had things to do, even if 'things' only meant crushing a huge piece of rock. He had discarded his vest, which seemed a wise choice; his pants already had tears and gashes in them from flying debris.
Eventually, the rock reduced to pebbles, he decided enough was enough. Promptly he marched a few paces away, making sure not to face in the girl's direction, and inspected his hand. He grimaced. There was blood there, and his knuckles ached something fierce. Irritably, he sucked at the bloody gashes.
"Does it hurt?"
The human girl had come to his side. Of course she had.
"Fuck off," he muttered, but his heart was not in it.
"You don't have to answer. It's fine," said the girl.
"Fuck was your name again?" he said irritably, looking her in the eyed.
"Orihime. Don't you remember?"
"Orihime. Right, whatever. 'Does it hurt' is a stupid fucking question, and you know why?"
"Why?" she said innocently.
"If something hurts don't mean shit to the likes of me. Climbing the ladder is the same as pain. Makes you strong. Hurts? Sure. It's supposed to."
He grimaced as his hand moved in a particular way, squeezing a particular nerve ending.
"Well, if you say so."
"Yeah. I do say so."
She paused, and there was something truly annoying about her innocent, cheerful face. "I could do something about that, you know," she said after a while.
"Like what?" he snapped. "Kiss it better?"
"Well, I could take away all the damage, actually. If you like."
Whether she was full of shit or not, he couldn't tell. She appeared to believe it, herself.
"Yeah, well, don't," he muttered. "You don't get strong without hurting for it."
"Okay."
"Okay?" he echoed.
"It's your choice. Of course, I wouldn't want to hurt. What's the sense in hurting if you've already worked hard?"
He gave her a look, frowning.
"What's that supposed to do, anyway?"
"Give me your hand," she said gently, extending hers.
"Yeah, fuckin' right…" he muttered. He stared. He had an instinctive distrust of anyone offering him anything, because his entire life- his life as a hollow, which was the only life he knew- a body never got something for nothing. Everyone was always out for themselves. Nothing was for free.
"Fuckin' fine," he said, violating his instinct of mistrust, chiefly out of a mixture of boredom and anger, "but no funny fuckin' moves, okay?"
"O-kay," Orihime said cheerily. She let his rough hand rest in her palm, his bleeding, hard knuckles making her hand seem tiny by comparison.
She held her other hand in the air over his, and with a look of focus on her face, she said, "Souten Kisshun!"
Grimmjow wasn't sure how, but there was a flash of yellow light, encasing his forearm.
"The hell is this?" he muttered. "Some kinda weird…"
He hadn't felt anything at first. But now, he realized he didn't actually feel anything. No pain, no jets of sensation with every heartbeat. Before his eyes, the scratches and cuts mended.
"I'll be fucked," he muttered, making a fist as Orihime dismissed the light. "You can… do that?"
"Mmm-hmm," Orihime said with a nod.
"Yeah, well… that works, I guess," said Grimmjow, whose grasp of gratitude was somewhat weaker than that of most people.
"Glad to help."
"Don't let it go to your head," said Grimmjow. "I don't owe you nothin' just 'cause you fixed a few scrapes. Got that?"
"Sure!"
He shook his head.
"You're weird."
"Mm-hmm," she said, nodding again. "So… how are things going? Do they feed you? Actually, do you guys actually eat?"
"Of course we fuckin' eat," Grimmjow scoffed. "The whole eating souls thing, remember?"
"Oh, yeah," Orihime said. "Do you eat souls of people? Because that's not very nice."
Grimmjow chortled. "I ain't eaten a human bein' for ages now. Hollows like me, we eat hollows that grew strong enough to be food. A thousand human souls would barely be enough. Would be a fuckin' hassle."
This, which Grimmjow had expected would disgust most humans, didn't seem to phase her. "You don't eat people, then. That's good."
"…Yeah," he muttered, "I got something to eat this morning. Some shitty spiritually charged paste. Better than nothing, but it tastes like ass."
"How would you know what ass tastes like?"
Grimmjow gave her a surprised look. "You're fuckin' with me."
"A little," Orihime admitted with a giggle.
He shook his head. Humans…
"You looked angry, you know," she said, "when you trained. Do you always do that?"
"I didn't," Grimmjow muttered.
"Okay. I guess you were just pretending, then. To get yourself worked up."
"It ain't none of your business, okay?" he spat. "Don't go poking your nose where it don't belong! What I was thinking about, that's got nothing to do with you."
"Okay."
He gave her a long glare. "Ain't for you to think about."
"I'm not."
"What goes on in your head, that's for yourself and nobody other."
"Of course."
"Fuckin' A it is."
"Want to talk about something else-"
"Fuckin' fine," Grimmjow spat. "Sheesh, calm the fuck down, okay?"
"…Yes, I'll try my best," Orihime said, managing to keep a straight face.
"I was just… I was thinkin' of my fracciones. My subordinates. Y'know, the ones what died when we attacked Karakura."
"Oh. Well… I guess I'd be angry, too, if my friends died."
"Friends?" Grimmjow snarled. "Like fuck they were friends. They were shitty weaklings that failed me. I'm glad those assholes died! I was angry 'cause they were weak, too weak and stupid not to get themselves killed!"
"Oh. Okay."
"I sure as fuck don't miss the bastards," Grimmjow snarled, clenching a fist. "Don't nobody need spineless scum that can't even take care of themselves!"
He slammed his fist down into the ground, the nails digging into his palm.
"Useless," he muttered, "stupid, useless, fuckin'…"
"Okay," said Orihime. "Well… well, if you don't like them or don't miss them, then why are you thinking of them?"
Grimmjow flinched. It was quite a question.
"I ain't," he said, taken aback. "It was just… a whatchacallit, a coincidence."
"Sure."
"It fucking was!"
"I'm not saying it wasn't," Orihime said, quite innocently. "You're a big, bad hollow. I'm sure you don't care."
"…Yeah," Grimmjow said with a nod that was just a bit too enthusiastic, "just as long as you remember that."
"I will," she reassured him.
"'Cause there ain't a hollow that's weak enough to give a shit if he lost some weaklings."
"You'd know more about hollows than me."
"…Yeah."
"Why don't you tell me more about hollows?" said Orihime. "You know, like you did before?"
"Sure," said Grimmjow, strangely keen to change the subject. "Sure, whatever. Ask."
"Well…" said Orihime, "I always wondered if…"
She launched into a series of questions, each more bizarre than the next. Grimmjow found himself answering to the best of his ability, for reasons he couldn't quite explain.
Into a quiet alleyway stepped Chad, from out a worn door with rusty, half-broken hinges. It was an old building that had once, perhaps, served as an office complex, decades ago. Whatever the case, it was set for demolition- a demolition that kept mysteriously being put off.
"You're really improving, kid," came an appreciative voice, having followed closely behind the tall, bulky teenager.
"You would know better than I, sensei."
"You're always so serious, you know that? It's like I'm talking to John Rambo."
A smile played across the man's face. He was older than Chad, looking to be well into his mid-thirties, but even so, Chad was taller and better built. All the same, Chad knew he would not in a lifetime defeat him in battle, not as he was now.
"If you say so, Mr. Kugo."
The man shrugged, leaning back against the wall. "Fine, fine… you coming back tomorrow, or what?"
"Mr. Kugo," said Chad politely, "I know my demeanour does not come across as enthusiastic, but I am deeply grateful for your aid. I never had any sense of how I would harness these powers. Now that I know it is a… 'fullbring,' I am growing stronger every day. I will be a worthy companion to my friends in the battles to come, and that is a favour I will never forget."
"I take it back," Ginjo said with a grin. "John Rambo could never sound that believable."
These jokes, Chad supposed, were what passed for humor among most people. He felt a little guilty for not finding them all that funny.
"As for my next session," said Chad, "I will come back as often as I can. Your requirement of secrecy is somewhat… constraining, though."
Ginjo shrugged. "It is the way it is, kid. You've seen the shinigami, ain't you? Been their prisoner? Trust me when I say you got off as lightly as anyone could, and that's because they were desperate. We don't want none of that. I get you don't like hiding things from your friends, but…"
"The safety of your own matters greatly. This, I understand well," Chad said with a nod, meaning it. One's extended family was everything, and he would do anything to keep them safe- so of course he could not fault Ginjo for doing the same.
The man himself nodded. "Tomorrow?"
Chad shook his head. "My studies have begun to lack as of late. I must spend additional time catching up."
"Stud and scholar both, huh?" said Ginjo. "I wish more kids thought like you."
"I must look to the future, as well," said Chad dispassionately. "Nevertheless, I look forward to our next meeting, although I fear I may damage your quarters. Last session, it was… difficult to hold back."
"Don't you worry about that," Ginjo said dismissively. "I'll be in touch. By next time, I'll have found someplace quiet to train. Someplace that can take a pounding. Yeah?"
"I appreciate it. Thank you."
"Until then," said Ginjo, with a casual, two-fingered salute. "See ya 'round, kid."
"Farewell, Mr. Kugo," said Chad, and turned around.
Having found these people was, in all honesty, a stroke of incredible luck. Without them, he would have been left in the dust as Ichigo advanced further and further. What use would he be to his friend if he could not keep up?
It had not been easy to convince these fullbringers, but the effort had been worth it. In a matter of days, he had advanced in ways that only served to reveal how lacking in direction his training had been. As he walked down the street, he made a fist, feeling his energies stir. Strength lay this way, strength that was rightly his.
Momo was out on patrol, so Erza had requested Nemu's aid in smoothing out her administrative duties. While the scientist sorted through stacks of paperwork with mechanical efficiency, sorting them by order of importance, Erza went through the defense plans over and over, considering the input she had gotten that morning. Byakuya, of all people, had seemed to find her suggestions sound, which was oddly worrying to her. Soifon had been somewhat more cautious; she had thought the ideas decent but cautioned her that battle plans were often the first casualty of any engagement and that there were many unknown factors still. To Erza, an inexperienced commander as she was, she wasn't sure what to make of any of these things.
Then, there was Momo's outburst…
Erza was interrupted from her reveries by Nemu, sitting down opposite of her desk.
"Er, yes?" Erza said, looking up from the plans.
"Your paperwork has been fully sorted, and all parts of it I deemed not needing your personal attention have been taken care of and need only your signature," said Nemu in her normal monotone. "Please, do not mind my presence and carry on your work as you would normally, commander."
"…Right," said Erza, bending over the plans again. What if she focused on this one point? Was Uryu correct in saying she had a bias? So much hinged on her judgment…
There was something, Erza quickly realized, about the way Nemu would sit. Perfectly still, almost like a statue, which felt a lot weirder than how normal people would act. Normal people would twitch, maybe tap a finger, make slight movements… and Nemu had, true to her word, simply made herself as non-intrusive as possible. Which, ironically, made her presence feel rather intrusive.
"Nemu," said Erza politely, "is there a particular reason you are sitting opposite of me?"
"My allotted work is finished. I intend to wait until such time that you have a moment to spare, for an unrelated inquiry. Until such time that you have finished work, please continue as you were before, commander."
"Well… alright, then," Erza said, a bit taken aback.
"Is it inappropriate for me to sit here?" said Nemu. "I could move if-"
"Oh, not at all!" Erza said, wishing she had actually said, Well, actually, if you wouldn't mind waiting somewhere else…
"It's fine- just fine."
She bent over the defence plans again- which, truthfully, she knew she was just staring herself blind on at this point. There was little else to add, but she couldn't shake the feeling she might have missed something.
A something she would never catch with somebody looking right at her, barely even blinking.
Erza put the plans down and looked up, placing her elbows on the desk.
"Nemu, what can I help you with?"
"I would not want to disturb-"
"Nemu, I am asking you. What's on your mind?"
"Very well," said Nemu, apparently not so apologetic as to insist a second time. "I do, in fact, have a question. It is more of a personal nature, if I'm honest, which I am led to understand is considered unprofessional, yet acceptable within reasonable limits."
"…Yes, that sounds about right," Erza said, inwardly rolling her eyes, hoping it wouldn't be a question about relationship advice; that would be a blind woman led by an even blinder woman.
"What is my purpose in life?"
Well… that was unexpected.
"I'm sorry?" Erza croaked, entirely taken aback. Forget romance; that would be easy compared to fundamental questions of philosophy.
"I have had time to think following my being posted here. After you liberated me from my father's grasp-"
Erza made a face just at the thought of the monster
"-I have had the chance to spend more time freely with Isane, which I appreciate, but at the same time, I am robbed of my primary function. This has been… distressing."
"Robbed?!" Erza exclaimed. "You were continuously abused by a thoroughly evil man!"
"It was unpleasant," Nemu said with a nod, "but all the same, my purpose is lost to me."
"What do you even mean?" Erza demanded, thoroughly confused.
"I believe there is some confusion on the issue. Allow me to explain, then."
Erza thought she heard a spark of energy in Nemu's normally quiet, deadpan voice, when she began to speak.
"I cannot imagine what life must be like for people like you. People born, not out of design but by random chance, without a purpose given to them. I am not like you. I was designed. I was given one purpose, one overriding drive, and that was to serve as my father's assistant- and also, admittedly, his punching bag."
"Well- well, yes, but you're not his slave," Erza said defensively. She was treading fully unknown waters, and part of her felt oddly offended. Shouldn't Nemu be grateful for this?
"I am not, no," Nemu said, her eyes looking right into Erza's. "I developed higher intelligence and I am capable of learning from my experiences. I am… an individual as much as anyone else. But, you do not understand. I suspect you are incapable. I was made with purpose, a purpose that gave my existence a meaning. This purpose is taken from me. So, what do I do now that I do not have one?"
"I- well," Erza said, wrestling with a question she had in no way been prepared for, "why do you ask me?"
She was really just buying time. Part of her wanted to send Nemu away under the pretense of official business, but she wouldn't; that would be rude, dishonest.
"Because it was you who took it from me."
"I didn't!" Erza paused, and thought. "Well, I suppose technically I did, but…"
"But?"
"I mean… I don't know!"
"You changed my life very drastically. Quite possibly for the better."
"Quite possibly? He beat you all the time!"
"You get used to it," Nemu said. "I heal quickly. When it's all you know, it's nothing too bad."
It was a horrible thing to hear, all the more for the scientist's casual honesty.
"Quite possibly," Nemu continued, "because there are advantages. But, if I cannot find new purpose, then I will have no reason to go on. I am not like you. I cannot drift through existence with the vague notion that things will work out somehow, thinking only of the immediate future."
"Well…" Erza said, "what am I supposed to do?"
"I'm not sure," Nemu confessed, "but as it was you who changed my life so drastically, I had hoped you had thought about the ramifications. Which, by your facial expression, I can tell that you have not."
"Look, this is one of those things… one of those things you're supposed to figure out yourself, okay?" Erza said, flustered. "You give your own life meaning."
"Easy enough when born with a malleable mind that can handle uncertainty."
"Well…"
"Should I live for Isane? I could do that. I am told that is… romantic. It carries the downside of being dependent on her being alive, and all lives are finite."
"Well… no, I mean, you should live for yourself," said Erza, now totally lost. "I mean, you should live for her a little I guess, but… oh, damn it."
"I am not sure I understand," said Nemu, and at this point Erza suspected the scientist's naivete was somewhat constructed, deliberate. "Should I live for her, or for myself?"
"Both!"
"But what does it mean? To live for something. My purpose up till recently was quite… concrete. Practical. This is not."
"Look," said Erza, sighing, "these things… most people don't usually think about it that much."
"Maybe they should. I certainly do."
Erza frustratedly ran a hand through her hair, and leaned back in her chair. Frustrating though this was, in a sense she did feel responsible- a chronic affliction for Erza Scarlet- because although she had never suspected this outcome, Nemu wasn't wrong as such. She was a… special case, and it was Erza who had made that change, even if it was for the better.
Yet, Erza, whose life had been rather a mess, tangled up in unattainable utopian idealism, all the worse for the taint of a false prophet, did not feel qualified to tell other people how they should live. She barely figured out how to live her life.
Then again, it was most people. And, since she felt some responsibility, she had to at least try.
"You want my advice, Nemu?" she said, leaning forward again, elbows on the desk and her eyes fixed on Nemu's.
"That is what I requested from the beginning, so yes."
"Well," said Erza, and hesitated. Well… there was no need to overcomplicate things, was there? Life could be simpler than people expected. It was all about attitude and perspective.
"Is there something in life you enjoy doing?"
"What is the relevance?"
"Answer, Nemu. You wanted advice, and I'm going somewhere with this."
"Well…" said Nemu, looking thoughtful, "certainly, there are things in life I find enjoyable. I enjoy Isane's company. I enjoy reading. And… some other things," she said, and Erza decided not to ask what 'other things' were; she might not want to know.
"So, isn't that worth living for, then?"
Nemu gave her a scrutinizing look. "To live simply for enjoyment? Is that not hedonism?"
Erza shook her head. "No, it's purpose. There's nothing hedonistic about a hard day's work, or giving all you've got doing something you believe in, but it's enjoyable all the same. It gives you a reason to keep going."
"I… see," said Nemu, although Erza could tell that she did not.
"Most people don't have great, big ideals to follow, or some great vision. You don't need to, not to have a good and meaningful life. Most people just fill life with things that make it worth living in- friends, family, work, hobbies, all different things that give people some kind of purpose."
"But if there is no meaning outside of yourself?"
"Does there need to be? We create meaning. Nobody needs to tell me what I should do in life for me to find it worth living. Tell me Nemu, you're a science specialist. Do you enjoy doing science?"
"I… don't know," Nemu said, for the first time on the back foot. "It's what I was made to do."
"Your father's intent, but it doesn't have to be yours. You want to know what your purpose is? Find something you like doing, and get good at it. Make friends. The rest will sort itself out."
"And what if I enjoy doing things that others disapprove of?" Nemu said, furrowing her brows. "What if something I enjoy is something that causes others discomfort?"
"You do you, and you let them do them. So long as you're not hurting anyone, or breaking the law, you do what you feel like doing."
"Is that how you live?"
"…Sort of," Erza said. Much of her life was not enjoyable as such. It was not fun to rail against injustice. It was not fun to struggle with inequality and oppression. It was just… necessary.
Nemu nodded, seeming content.
"It is a… simple enough moral baseline," she said with some deliberation, "but it works. Yes, I think it does."
"I'm glad to have been of some help, then. Did we solve the question of why we exist?"
If Nemu noticed the slight tint of sarcasm in Erza's voice, she gave no sign of it.
"No," she said, "not quite. But, it's a start. Thank you, commander. I can tell this was not an area you are comfortable with, and for that I apologize."
"Well, um, don't sweat it," Erza said with a shrug. "What's a commander for, huh?"
"Not philosophy, it seems," Nemu said with a slight smile.
Erza let out a loud, spontaneous laugh, the tension in the air evaporating. "Yes, I guess that's true!" she exclaimed as her laugh died down to a chuckle. "I'll be damned, here I thought fighting arrancar was hard…"
And in a sudden burst of hitherto unseen emotion, Nemu let out a giggle.
Life really was full of surprises.
Ichigo had taken his new training regimen to heart and had found himself eager for more today than the visored had given him. Restless and far from tired, he had opted to go home late, heading for Urahara's place after he had finished with his new mentors for the day. He had trained for another few hours in the basement, and although he had eschewed further training with the mask- it was best not to overdo it, he had learned- he had spent that time simply practicing with his sword.
Eventually he had had enough, slipped back into his human body, and, feeling warm and sweaty, had begun to make his way home. The sun was already going down. His mother might scold him, but at least this time he wasn't hiding anything.
As he walked home he sensed a familiar presence, and in his path, on a rooftop, was Rukia. He waved at her, and to his surprise, she jumped down to meet him. She was in uniform, blade at her side, and something about the sight made Ichigo smile.
"What's that grin on your face for?" said Rukia, her tone friendly.
"Oh, nothing," Ichigo said with a shrug. "It's just a bit nostalgic, I guess."
"Nostalgic?"
"I haven't seen you like this for some time-" he said, "uniformed, on duty, out in the city- since…"
"Since?"
"Well, back when I first saw you, I think."
"That night…" Rukia said slowly, recalling the turn of events that had triggered the chain of events that had set them both here.
"It's… I think it was only three months ago," said Ichigo, blinking. "Actually, yeah. Three months almost exactly. Feels like…"
"Years," Rukia said with a nod, "like it was forever ago. Like you were a whole different person."
"Yeah, exactly," Ichigo said with a nod. "You feel the same?"
"Yeah…" Rukia muttered, feeling a small pang of pain at the memories; it had been a dark time in her life, "more or less."
"Three months ago I was just… a kid going through school and dealing with nothing more obnoxious than thugs with an attitude," Ichigo murmured, staring out into space, "and now…"
"Yes," Rukia nodded, "you've grown. And I… I've become an officer. Do you think you would have believed any of it, if you had been told? I know I wouldn't."
"Same," Ichigo agreed. "It's… crazy, the things you get pulled into."
They stood silent for a while, staring at the setting sun. It finally went down, and darkness began to settle in.
"So… me, a shinigami, bankai and all, and you, an officer," Ichigo said. "What d'you think comes next? At this rate, we'll both end up somewhere crazy. Who knows, maybe you'll wear the captain's haori some day?"
"Don't be ridiculous," Rukia snapped, although without much hostility. "For now… for now I am just glad to be alive."
Ichigo nodded. "It was hard on you, wasn't it?"
"I'm still breathing," said Rukia. "It wasn't… it wasn't a good time for me, but I made it through. Being alive means feeling pain. Some get more than others. I'm better off than some and worse off than others."
"I'm not sure whether that's really grim or really uplifting," Ichigo said with a smirk.
"What part of that was grim, you idiot?" said Rukia, and the hint of a smile told Ichigo her insult was merely jargon. "It's success. I'm climbing way higher up the ladder as a result."
"Yeah, but no matter how high you are, you'll still be a midget," Ichigo shot back.
"Maybe my brother's right about commoners. No manners."
"Who needs manners when you've got a bankai?"
They looked at each other for a moment, then broke out in laughter.
"I… I missed this, you know?" said Ichigo. "Even if it wasn't for long, there was a time when all of this, this whole…" he made a vague gesture, "running around with a sword and killing monsters wasn't such a dark business. But, any day now…"
The unspoken statement hung in the air. War. Death. Terror.
"We'll make it through," said Rukia firmly, "and when we do, I'll make sure to visit. We'll go hunting together. The hollows won't know what hit them."
"Then, I say we give them a handicap. One hand behind our backs?"
"Or a five-to-one ratio of opponents."
Ichigo sighed, happily.
"Thank you," he said simply.
"What for?" said Rukia, surprised.
"Being here, as I am. Maybe I was destined to be a shinigami, but it was you that got me here in the end. Hard as it was, I wouldn't want to be without it."
"Well… you're welcome," said Rukia simply.
"Yeah…"
"Well," said Rukia, before there could be something like an awkward pause, "I had better get on with my night patrol."
"And, uh, I better get home," said Ichigo, and glanced at his watch. "Actually, I better go right now, or my mom will kill me…"
"See you," Rukia said with a smile.
"I'll see you around, midget."
"Commoner."
They parted ways quite amicably, both going their own ways in the night, and as Ichigo walked away, he felt for the first time in a long time contentedness. There was still pressure, still stress, but something about this reminiscence had given him some reassurance that something in the world still made sense.
It might not; he might be entirely wrong, but if he was, then at least he was wrong without feeling miserable or afraid, and that, as of recently, was not nothing.
It was late at night in Erza's apartment, and both she and Momo had sunk into the couch in the living room. Isane and Nemu were out on night patrol, having volunteered for sentry duty; Erza and Momo were by themselves, weary and worn from a hard day's work. Tired as they were, though, both of them couldn't sleep quite yet, not before unwinding a little. So, they sat and talked, Momo leaning her head on Erza's shoulder.
"Funny, huh?" Erza muttered, yawning and stretching herself out a bit, "I had figured a field mission would mean less paperwork. Shows what I know about leadership…"
"You get used to it," said Momo with a weary smile. "There's a point where you start to ask yourself whether you'd rather have your arm chewed off by a hollow, but once you get past that, it's fine. Relatively speaking."
Erza laughed; Momo did not often joke like this. It was nice to see her not take things so seriously for once.
"Hey…" said Momo after a slight pause.
"Yeah?" said Erza, suppressing a light yawn.
"About this morning?"
"What about it?"
"I, um," said Momo, stumbling over the words, "I'm sorry. I, uh, I shouldn't have…"
"It's okay," said Erza with a shrug, too tired to think too hard about it. Everyone could have an off day. "I mean, it was a little… odd. But, um, just forget about it."
"It's just…" said Momo, and Erza realized the topic wasn't done with so easily. "I, uh…"
"What?" Erza muttered, leaning back into the couch.
"It's stupid, really."
"If you've got something to say, say it," said Erza, doing her best to sound friendly.
"Well…" Momo paused, and took a deep breath. "I… I guess I feel protective of you."
Erza blinked. "Uhm…"
"I know, I know, it's stupid," Momo added hastily. "You don't need anyone to protect you. You're strong. You can handle somebody questioning you. I just felt… I felt like he had no right. Which is silly, of course."
"It's…" Erza paused. "I mean, it's nice that you're looking out for me. Just… try to do it in a less… in a different way, that's all."
Momo nodded. "Of course, Erza."
"Want to watch some TV?" Erza asked, wanting to change the subject. "You might as well get some human culture while you're here."
"Sure," said Momo, "just for a little bit. We need to sleep soon."
Nodding in agreement, Erza picked up the remote, and the TV screen flickered to life at the press of a button. They came into the second half of some B-grade romantic comedy, and neither of them understood it, or cared to do so. Sleep at the edge of their senses, they just watched quietly, simply enjoying each other's company. Momo snuggled in tightly against Erza, who found herself putting an arm around the younger woman.
"It's nice, isn't it?" Erza murmured.
"Mmm-hmm," Momo said happily.
"Just… relaxing. With friends. Can't remember when I last did that."
Or when I'll do it again. If I'll do it again.
As if she had read Erza's mind, Momo said, "We'll do it again, soon. When the war is over. I'm sure we can get some movies over into the Gotei, right?"
"Yeah…" Erza murmured, imagining what it'd be like. Renji and Hisagi, rolling their eyes at the corny jokes and the cheesy plot. One or two of her friends who might even like it unironically. How everyone watching would be perplexed by the cultural elements and references from the world of the living, things they wouldn't understand. How much fun they could all have, playfully mocking the sillier elements of the movie…
It was an appealing thought. It was not as lofty a goal as legal rights for all, or a raised standard of living, but it was more attainable. Yes… yes, if she lived through this- no, when she did- she'd make sure to follow up on this. One had to have some fun in life. The conversation with Nemu had revealed to her that although her life was full of meaning, it could stand to be more enjoyable.
"Oh, look, it's raining," Momo murmured, gesturing vaguely at the screen, "and now the young man is chasing after the young woman. You think they'll get a happy ending?"
"I just think they might," Erza snorted. The plot really was predictable, even if the viewer had never seen a romantic film in all one's life.
There was indeed rain, and there was indeed a chase- a handsome twenty-something man about to convince an equally handsome twenty-something woman that getting on that plane would be a bad idea because it would separate them forever, or something like that. Erza wasn't sure. She didn't know their names; she didn't need to.
"It's kind of cute, though, isn't it?" Momo murmured, sitting herself up a bit further, still leaned on Erza, "even if it's just a silly fantasy…"
"Yeah," Erza murmured, never having understood the romantic all that well herself. She understood loyalty and she understood love, quite keenly at that, but romantic attachment had never really been a factor. There had never been time or interest from her.
"Yeah, I guess it is. Kinda nice. He says something emotional, opens up, and then she's convinced he's the love of her life… yeah, I get the appeal. I think. Well, sort of," said Erza, determined to not lie even here.
"He caught up to her," Momo said.
"Mmmyeah," Erza said.
Momo looked up at Erza, eye-to-eye. Their faces were just an inch apart. Normally, Erza would have found it odd, but in the haze of exhaustion, in her state of relaxed comfort, her standards for oddness- which were already rather low- had lowered considerably.
"And then they lived happily ever after…" Momo whispered quietly.
"Mmm-hmm…."
Erza wasn't sure how it happened. Several seconds of time were a complete blank in her memory, and no matter how hard she tried later on, she would not be able to remember what chain of events there had been leading up to this point.
It was just a fact that, as if waking up from a dream into another dream, Erza became aware that her lips were locked with Momo's.
Momo was kissing her.
She was kissing Momo.
She was kissing Momo.
Slowly, as Erza became fully awake, she began to stiffen, and in the back of her head, great alarm bells chimed. Something was happening, something she could not process. The hand that held on to the couch gripped onto the padding, hard. Out of sheer momentum, she kissed Momo back for a few seconds before freezing up entirely. It would have been very awkward if Momo hadn't chosen to break the kiss within seconds of Erza hitting a mental wall.
"Oh… oh, wow," Momo said, looking into Erza's eyes adoringly. "Oh, my gosh…"
Erza was still, like a statue, but her mind was chaos. She was completely awake now, yet less conscious than when she was dreaming. A million thoughts poured through her head at once, and she felt her cheeks heating up. What was going on?!
"I- I mean," Momo continued, blissfully unaware, "it explains so much. I… I didn't really know. I mean, I think I did, but… but not really. And now… now, you… I mean, do you…?"
Momo looked at Erza, who had to remind herself to blink; she had stared wide-eyed at Momo long enough that her eyes had begun to dry.
"W-well?" said Momo uncertainly. "A-aren't you going to, um… to, uh, say… something?"
"I. I-I-I-I," Erza began, realizing that she had somehow forgotten how to speak, "I, um, I, I mean-"
The panic had to have shown in her face, because Momo shrunk back, clasping her hands over her mouth.
"Oh, god," she whispered. "Oh, god, I got it wrong, didn't I?"
Erza gaped, knowing she had to say something, do something, do anything. The vulnerable, hurt look on Momo's face was a knife twisting in her heart. But, Erza, master of the blade though she was, hadn't the first idea of what that something was. This, she was wholly unprepared for. A million thoughts surging through her head at once, she could not grab hold of even one of them to focus.
Somewhere deep inside her, a voice emerged, stirred into action by Momo's increasingly horrified face. This is a hollow attack, it said, and you have to focus, or people will die.
The fantasy did the trick well enough, as Erza forced herself to snap out of her state of shock. Quite abruptly, she stood up.
"I-I-I, uh, I'm going to bed," she said, awkwardly spitting the words out with force, every syllable coming out like the motions of a jammed machine. It was not a very clever or useful thing to say, but it beat that glassy-eyed stare; it beat looking like a deer caught in the headlights.
Momo's expression changed.
"Oh. O-oh… oh,," she said, and her face flushed red. "I mean, um, if-if that's what you want…"
"Alone," Erza added hastily, "with my clothes on. To sleep. Because that's what you do in a bed. Sleep. And not… not things that aren't sleeping."
A considerable part of Erza's mind was still in shock, still trying to process what was an entirely unprecedented event, but the part that wasn't, slowly emerging, was cursing at her. Momo deserved better. She shouldn't have to feel… like this. Sad. Broken down.
But, what was Erza to do? She had no idea what she would do or say. She had been reduced to fight or flight, and just like a frightened deer, she had opted for flight.
"G-good night," Erza said stiffly, her words no less forced than before. "I'll, um, I'll see you in. In the morning."
"Good… night," Momo said, looking stunned as Erza turned around and marched toward the bedroom.
Quite numb, Erza walked into the bedroom, stomping across the floor like she had a personal grudge against it, and slammed the door shut. Now alone, she leaned against the wall, sunk to the floor, burying her face in her hands. Manically, she ran a hand through her hair. What in the actual hell? What- what was this?
She did not sleep, of course. In fact, just sitting down proved to be unbearable. Her mind was aflame, and she could not bear to sit still. It was not two minutes before she had opened a window and stolen out into the night like a thief. It was a cowardly way of dealing with one's problems, but Erza was well beyond any notion of bravery, staring out at the night sky with glassy eyes and a glassier mind.
Back in the apartment, Momo buried her face in her arms and wept.
Before I have any words of my own, I'd like to have my writer leave a few words with you about what just happened.
"So... that happened. I've tried my best to foreshadow this, so hopefully it doesn't come out of nowhere. To those of you who spotted this: well done. You've been paying attention. This has been planned for a long time now, and I hope you'll stick around to see where this goes."
Truth be told, this is something that I have had planned for quite a while. Way before the soul society arc, and even before she joined Aizen, I had planned on THIS to be the pairing from almost the very beginning. Many of you have guessed other options, and while I admit I found one or two to be possible entertaining choices, this is the one I went for.
Why I chose this to be the pairing specifically will be revealed later on, but at the very least, I can atleast say one of the reasons is that, well...Hardly anyone else felt right to me. Aizen is our main villain, Kisuke isn't exactly someone I can see in a romance. (Not unless its with someone as equally as passionate as science as he is and can stand his more...Odd moments.) and various other reasons for other characters.
I know this may not be a choice some of you may like. Some of you may prefer them as just friends, or as "sisters" so to speak, and I totally understand this point of view. However, I'm confident that we can make this pairing work.
That's not to say that it will be an easy relationship with no problems. (As the last scene clearly showed.) but no interesting romance can happen without some kind of drama...Just not the soap opera variety.
Regardless, this is a very big decision on our end and we NEED to have some feedback on this choice, so please let us know what you think of this pairing in the reviews. This is very important.
Thank you for reading.