Disclaimer: I don't own Bleach.
Chapter Thirty-Four
Karakura Town
All of the blood drained from Ichigo's face. His heart pounded in his chest while he felt the seething stares of the four captains and lieutenants as Aizen stood in front of him with his daughter in his arms and a bleeding Halibel at his feet.
Byakuya's eyes narrowed. He didn't want to jump to the wrong conclusion but Ichigo's expression was damning. "Ichigo, is this true?" he demanded.
For a moment Ichigo didn't know what to say. Finally he swallowed the lump in his throat and slowly nodded. "He…" Ichigo turned back to Aizen and balled his hands into fists. "He showed up right after you guys threatened me. He said he wanted me to join him. But I said no!" he quickly added when he saw Byakuya's scathing glare, hoping that the captains wouldn't believe he'd jump over to Aizen's side.
"Now, Ichigo," chided Aizen like a schoolteacher to a student caught in a fib. "If I were to teach you anything, it would be how to lie. Because you aren't very good at it." He gave the boy a knowing smile. "If memory serves me correctly, you didn't give me an answer. In fact, judging by the look on your face that day, I'd say you were weighing your options."
Ichigo's blood ran cold. Yet he still answered back, "I still didn't come to you before Halibel gave birth like you asked."
"True. I was disappointed that you didn't come to me. I was being honest when I said that Hueco Mundo is your only safe haven. But then again, you saw that everything I said was the truth." He cast his eyes downside to Halibel before turning his gaze back to the captains. "The captains attempted to murder the both of you when Halibel went into labor, didn't they?"
The boy remained silent, trying his best to calm his breathing as he looked down at his daughter. If he could just find a way to pry Asahi from him…
"Aizen…" Toshiro interrupted. He had one hand on his sword hilt while he glared at his enemy. "Put the baby down. Now."
Aizen raised an eyebrow. "I think not. She is safer in my hands than she is in yours."
Unohana stepped forward. "What do you intend to do with the child?" Her eyes went from the baby to her parents and she started to put the pieces together. "And how long have you been planning to take the baby from Ichigo?"
"Forget all of that!" Ichigo shouted, getting angry. He took a step forward and gripped his zanpakuto tightly. "Give me back Asahi."
"Ichigo, you'll find that my intentions for your daughter are far more benevolent than theirs," Aizen replied, gesturing to the captains. "And to answer your question, Captain Unohana, I've had plans for Ichigo, Halibel and their baby since the beginning."
Ichigo and Halibel both blinked in confusion. "Since…the beginning?" Ichigo repeated.
"Lord Aizen…what are you talking about?" Halibel asked, confused by her master's words.
"You mean you knew from the beginning that Ichigo and Halibel entered a partnership?" Byakuya asked.
Aizen shook his head. "No, Captain Kuchiki. I've been aware of Ichigo since the day he was born."
If Ichigo's blood got colder he'd turn into an ice statue. "What?! What the hell do you mean by that?!"
"Exactly as I said. I've been aware of you since you were born so I merely decided to assist in your development. And to see the results of that development has been fascinating." Aizen turned to his attention to the ruined desolation where Ichigo fought Barragan. "I knew sacrificing Barragan was the right decision to further your Hollowfication."
"Just what the hell do you-" Ichigo froze when his eyes turned to Soi-Fon and he remembered what she said when the captains confronted him about Halibel.
"What kind of fools do you take us for? Like Mayuri said, Rukia Kuchiki just shows up on your doorstep and a Hollow just out of the blue attacks you, despite you claiming you've never seen a Hollow before."
"You!" Ichigo gasped in horror. "You're the one who sent that Hollow to attack Rukia! You…you're the one who sent the Menos Grande when Uryu used his bait."
Aizen nodded. "Good boy. You catch on quick. That is correct." He reached out and opened his hand. "You see, Ichigo? You might think that you aren't on my side, but I've been your shadow this entire time. Everything you've done has been for my benefit. Halibel was not your only secret trainer. I've been there the entire time, helping you grow." He saw the looks of disbeliefs on the captains and lieutenants and decided to elaborate further. "Tell me, did Rukia or Captain Ukitake tell you that I was the one who stationed her in Karakura Town?"
"What?" Renji gasped, realizing what that meant. "Then…all along you meant for Ichigo to take Rukia's powers!"
"I knew that Rukia still felt guilty for the murder of Kaien Shiba. And since Ichigo resembles him, she would subconsciously give him all of her spirit energy as a way to absolve herself of the guilt. Tell me, Ichigo, are you aware of all the facts?" Aizen asked the stunned teenager. "Did Renji tell you it was me who gave him the equipment to locate Rukia? Or that I was the one who gave him your location during the captains meeting?"
The three lieutenants froze, remembering that meeting and how Renji had so suddenly taken off on his own. Soi-Fon's eyes stared at Ichigo with murderous intent as the truth was revealed.
"But I wanted to see you grow further. Left on your own, you would go far but I felt your development would be too slow. To that end…" his eyes returned to the horrified Halibel. "I sent Halibel your way."
"YOU LIE!" Halibel screamed. "I came to Ichigo of my own volition! I was driven by my own desires, not yours! You had nothing to do with my training him!"
"You did," Aizen acknowledge. "But tell me…" He stared down at the woman with knowing eyes. "Did you think I found you in the desert of Hueco Mundo by happenstance?" Halibel fell silent, the blood draining from her face. "I sought to give Ichigo a companion who shared his values and could help further facilitate his growth. Don't worry," he reassured her, "I did nothing to alter your mind. You simply acted as I knew you would. You desired a companion of your own and when none could be found in Hueco Mundo, you went to the World of the Living and came upon the one person who could make you Human again. However…" he gestured to the baby in his arms. "Did it not strike you as unnatural that you were able to conceive a child when your Hollow hole is located in your womb?"
Halibel remained silent as she processed his words. "Then…then you…" Her mind turned back to when Aizen transformed her into an Arrancar. "You used the Hogyoku…to give me the ability to give birth."
"The Hogyoku allows Soul Reapers and Hollows to transcend their own limitations. So I allowed you to overcome the limitation of the placement of your Hollow hole.. And the results of your union was better than I anticipated." Aizen gently rocked the baby in his arms. "Now then, we can discuss this more in Hueco Mundo, Ichigo. But first…" his smile grew as he looked over at the captains. "Why don't you deal with the captains?"
"I am not your slave!" Ichigo shouted, "I won't listen to you!"
"I'm not ordering you to do anything. I'm simply making a suggestion. Tell me, did Captain Hitsugaya not tell you about Head-Captain Yamamoto's order?"
Ichigo turned to Toshiro and could tell from the sudden look of distress that it wasn't anything good. "What order?" The looks on Renji and Isane's faces were also telling.
"Yamamoto has decided…" admitted Toshiro, knowing he had to admit the truth, "that after the traitor, Sosuke Aizen has been dealt with…you, Halibel, Asahi, Halibel's subordinates and Chad are to be executed." He looked away when he saw Ichigo's shocked look of betrayal. "And to kill Asahi to prevent her from manifesting either Soul Reaper or Hollow powers."
"Toshiro…why?" Ichigo asked. After letting Toshiro and Rangiku come into his home, Ichigo felt the sting of betrayal stab deep.
"You see, Ichigo?" Aizen knew he didn't need to push the boy further. The captains were doing that themselves. "They fear you so much that they conspire behind their back to murder you. As I said, Asahi is far safer in my hands than in theirs. If you wish to see Asahi again," a black Garganta opened up behind him. "come to Hueco Mundo. You will be Barragan's successor as the Number Two Espada. But first…deal with the captains for me."
"Wait!"
But it was no use. Aizen walked through the Garganta while taking little baby Asahi with them. Ichigo and Halibel were helpless as their daughter was taken away. But as the portal shut behind Aizen, Ichigo realized that he had more pressing matters to attend to at the moment.
The captains and lieutenants stared at Ichigo and for a tense moment all was quiet. Finally, Unohana made a deep sigh and drew her sword. "Ichigo Kurosaki. We warned you that if it looked like you were in league with Aizen then our course of action would be clear. Now there is no doubt of your loyalties, whether intentional or not. You have one of two options.
Ichigo's heart froze with fear as the other captains and lieutenants drew their swords. Even Toshiro reluctantly drew his blade.
"You can fight us and die with your sword in hand and maintain your dignity. Or you can surrender peacefully and be executed at the Soul Society in the most painful of manner reserved for traitors. Your choice."
Meanwhile…
Hueco Mundo; Las Noches
"Oh! Captain Aizen, you're back!" Gin greeted as Aizen entered the throne room with a baby in tow. "Oho? Is that little Asahi?"
"Yes. Everything worked out better than I expected. Barragan's little insurrection has been dealt with. Ichigo and the Soul Society are now at odds. I expect we should be seeing him and Halibel soon." He handed the baby over to Gin. "Put her in the north tower."
"Aww!" the silver-haired rogue fawned as he looked at Halibel's daughter. "She looks just like her mama!" However, after a minute Gin's nose rankled. "Uh…Captain Aizen?"
"What?"
"When you took Asahi, you didn't happen to grab a diaper bag, did you? Captain Aizen?" Gin turned around and found Aizen gone, leaving him alone with the baby.
"Captain Aizen! That's not fair!"
To be continued
