Disclaimer: I don't own Bleach or Star Wars, they belong to their respective creators and/or copyright owners. I make no money from this story. It is not for sale or rent.

Chapter 2

=DA=

Part 1

=DA=

Fourth Division Barracks

Soul Society

Retsu Unohana spent about an hour or so prodding, pocking and casting various Kaido spells on me with unholy glee. I spent that time giving non answers to her probing questions about my reincarnation and getting up to speed with Kyoka. Needless to say, currently my memories were quite jumbled after something or someone smashed them repeatedly together, which wasn't really a bad thing. My current condition certainly helped me convince myself that everything I said during the short inquisition was more or less the truth as I knew it.

The good thing about the Kido Yamamoto and company used on me, no matter how useful, was that it couldn't discover the objective truth. What it could to and did in my case was to ensure that the soul couldn't lie. Everything I said had to be the truth as I knew it… or as I believed it to be beyond a shadow of a doubt… I nearly smiled at that thought. A long time ago, I found out that the truth, it was not an objective fact. It was a malleable thing, one crafted by preconceptions, morality, by what you believed in.

It was easy to tell the truth when I knew I wasn't Aizen, when I believed that his crimes, looked from where I stood were at worst to the general benefit of Soul Society and it was only my previous self's megalomania and the government's idiocy that cost this place multiple Captains and Lieutenants, who had the potential to become stronger than almost any other Shinigami thanks to Aizen's efforts. And if Kyoka succeeded with my newest scheme, all of that would be covered with a veneer of legality or so people should believe. Failing that, I would be forced to follow Aizen's original plan to some extent, a plan I still couldn't wrap my head around. Why the hell did he intend to openly show his colours and give Gotei 13 months if not a year or more to prepare for confrontation with his forces?

I knew that my past self, lets go with that, had been a megalomaniac who could give many a Sith I knew run for their money in that department, but this? It was sheer idiocy in military terms. Was he so sure of victory? Did he need the acknowledgment of breaking Gotei 13 in the field after giving them time to prepare so he could prove his superiority? It was sheer idiocy.

"Are you all right, Captain Aizen?" Unohana asked when she felt my Reiatsu fluctuating.

"Just bad memories. I'm still getting to grips with remembering my past life." I spoke quietly. It even wasn't complete like. There were flashes of memories going in front of my eyes almost constantly, though they were relatively simple to ignore.

"What can disturb someone like you this much?" She asked lightly.

"Someone like me?" I raised an eyebrow at her.

"You know what I mean." Unohana declared and raised a hand glowing with Kaido to my forehead. The sensation of her Spiritual Power washing over me was actually quite pleasant, something I was struggling to disregard for the time being.

"That might have been the case earlier today, it might be again once I straighten up the memories jumbled up in my head. However, right now, I'm certain I don't know what you're talking about."

"As far as I know, there are very few things that can make you show any trace of distress…" Unohana said in an odd tone.

"I keenly remember my death." I admitted with a sigh. "When I died, someone dear to me died as well."

Why lie, when the truth could be more effective than most lies?

"Someone close? A wife, or a lover perhaps?"

"While injured, my wife was safe and sound as far as I knew. My Apprentice died right beside me, long before I could see her realize her great potential."

"And you still owe me for that, Master."

"And this time around, I'll be making it up to you… and perhaps find another worthy Apprentice as well, one that hopefully I won't fail this time around."

"And now she is gone, perhaps reincarnated in the mortal world, or in the outer areas of Soul Society waiting for her turn…" Unohana muttered. Did she sound fascinated?

From I could clearly recall, that wasn't necessary a good thing. Then again, it has been very long time since I've been interested in any woman who could be considered "normal".

"I remember her keenly. Unless she's a regular Shinigami I haven't properly met, she isn't in Soul Society." She had no place here. Hell, I didn't belong here neither did Aria, Kyoka or whatever she wanted to call herself these days.

The Captain of the Fourth simply hummed in answer and ended the Kaido. "Under normal circumstances, I would recommend at least a few days of rest, plus a lot of food. You need to recover and stabilize your Reiatsu and your control over it. Given the circumstances and the Captain-General's orders…" She pressed the palm of her right hand above my heart and cast the Kaido to transfer and restore Spiritual Power.

"You have my thanks, Captain Unohana."

"In private it's Retsu, Captain Aizen."

"Then it's Sosuke to you."

"Master, you just can't help yourself and have to play with fire, don't you?" Kyoka exclaimed.

"What gave you such a ridiculous idea, Apprentice?"

I felt her waving in Unohana's general direction. "Did you replace megalomania with a death wish or something? Where did I go wrong?!"

"You know, going by Aizen, I haven't gotten laid in over a hundred years, going by myself, for longer than my past self existed in this reality…"

"What's your point?"

"What's not to like?" I asked, pointedly looking at Retsu.

"You're going to get us both killed, again, won't you?" Kyoka grumbled.

"Don't be like that. Unless we manage to pull off my very rough plan, we'll be fleeing Soul Society long before anything could happen between me and Retsu here."

"Then you'll get her after your head for a better reason than just treason. Didn't you learn anything from that debacle with Shaak-Ti?"

"You actually have a point Apprentice. Options on avoiding Soul Society going after us in the foreseeable future, and if that's inevitable, minimizing the fallout?"

"Divide and conquer?"

"Good start. Local assets?"

"Tosen and Ichimaru, though the latter is no longer your asset I recon."

"One of them does have a weak spot. Once you're free to act, ensure we have legal backing as well as a trail implicating Tosen. I don't believe he has anyone in Soul Society who could be properly used to keep him in check. Aizen's other accomplice on the other hand? He has Matsumoto who he wants to protect and I do have something precious of hers in my little jewel. Frame Tosen, put a few traces of Gin at Central 46, enough to make him nervous and put him into suspicion, nothing enough to actually damn him."

"Is that all?"

"As far as you're concerned for the time being that's all indeed. Once I'm out of here, I'll be doing my best to subvert a few interesting mortals and plant dissent among my new comrades. We can't have them all coming after us with unshaken conviction, can we?"

"You've already chosen your new Apprentice, haven't you?"

"I wouldn't say chosen per se, however, Aizen's pet project sounds fascinating. If my past self was right about him, that boy has boundless potential and I want him either on my side or neutral to point against future mutual enemies."

"Uh-huh. And what would he say when you go after his home?"

"Now, Kyoka, you know me. Why would I want to depose the Soul King? Who do you take me for? Do you think I care about the well-being of the majority of people in this reality to bother? He can keep his job and all the work that comes with it for as long as he and his don't interfere in our business."

"Then what are we going to do?"

"Survive, enjoy our new lease of life and ensure we're more than powerful enough that no one and nothing would dare oppose us and if they did, we could and would crush them."

"I can actually get behind these goals." Kyoka sounded happy as a peach.

=DA=

Part 2

=DA=

Fifth Division Barracks

Soul Society

While not the Force, Reiatsu could act as a pretty good substitute if you were skilled enough. And while currently my control was shot all to hell and slowly recovering, I was fortunate enough to inherit all of my past self's skills. That came in useful from the very beginning. For example, as good as the members of the Stealth Force were, I could still sense them shadowing me, Captain Soi-Fon included.

While not really surprising, that made things both harder and more interesting. I Flash-Stepped relatively slowly into the courtyard of my division and smiled kindly at the Seated Officers and regular members. They were all for now loyal to me, had an extremely high opinion of me as well. In a nutshell, they were a valuable asset, one Aizen discarded without a second thought, simply because as far as he had been concerned, they were of no real combat value with the obvious exception of Hinamori, and even she was more useful as a tool to break Hitsugaya than anything else.

It was such a damned waste that for a moment I was left speechless wondering the fuck did my previous self think! Then it dawned on me, it wasn't simple megalomania, the conflict Aizen had envisioned against Soul Society was never meant to be a real war. It was supposed to be both a pissing contest and a distraction until my past self could evolve through the Hogyoku enough that no one and nothing could face him.

The sheer bloody stupid arrogance and superiority complex… no wonder Kyoka had been ready to fuck him over at the first convenient opportunity.

"You know, you're part of my soul now, my very being. I'm not going to discard you, Apprentice."

"I certainly hope so, Master." Kyoka said with a pulse of hope that filled me with warmth. It was nice, and not only because it was something I've seldom felt in the past.

"My precious subordinates, as you can see, I'm reasonably well and most importantly very much alive." I addressed my soldiers who wasted no time gathering around me once they sensed my arrival. "Considering the security mishap we suffered tonight, not to mention the invasion happening as we speak, I want security of our barracks increased. Seated officers, that's your primary concern right now. Further, as ordered by the Captain-General, I'll be handling the invaders personally. If and of you run into our uninvited guests before I can have words with them, please offer them an invitation to meet me and avoid conflict unless they're in the process of attacking one of our people." I paused for a moment to give my words time to sink in. "Lieutenant Hinamori, please come with me, we have things to discuss. The rest of you, you have your orders. Those who aren't on duty tonight, do get some rest."

I calmly walked through the crowd, receiving well-wished and giving reassurances.

If at all practical, Fifth Division wasn't an asset I was going to casually abandon, much less discard.

Momo preened at my attention and fell back a step behind me with a beaming smile. I've rarely witnessed such devotion, yet my previous self had the gall to waste her potential. Why? Because she was generally a nice and gentle girl, it was the same foolishness a stereotypical Sith would do, something that I loathed back in the day. To think that I've been acting as one without the Dark Side fucking with my mind… That was something that I wasn't sure I would live down anytime soon if ever…

Kyoka giggling at me didn't help. She wasn't going to let me forget the stunts, not to mention the sheer arrogant stupidity I've been up to as Aizen.

Soon we got to the barracks' entrance and my division dispersed with Seated Officers shouting orders. Ah the joy of having competent subordinates, loyal too. Fuck Aizen for throwing them away without second thought… well, fuck me as well for being a bloody imbecile.

"Sush you!" I snapped at Kyoka without real heat as she began laughing her ass off at my predicament.

We got back to my office and I took a moment to reacquaint myself with it. The damn place was rather small and with all the books cramped on shelves and in various cabinets, it was quite cramped… and that was without any trace of the usual paperwork that came in with being a Captain, this was just my personal library. Well, my past self had a few redeeming feature after all, I had to give the bastard that much.

"No, Kyoka, I'm not admitting that I was Sosuke Aizen, megalomaniacal cunt extraordinaire!"

"That's a good start, he almost never cursed, even in his mind." I got the impression of Kyoka nodding sagely. "You on the other hand…"

"I've spent a lot of time with the grunts, both in the trenches and during training as you very well know. It was one of the things that kept me going all stereotypical Sith or turning like my past self did…"

"Well, Aizen did train his subordinates a lot as well…"

"We both know he never saw himself as one of them no matter the role he played in front of them. Me on the other hand? Before I had any powers, I began my journey as a soldier and a pilot, as one of the grunts. That never really got away and kept me relatively sane-ish as long as I had at least a few close people to help me hold to myself."

"People you currently lack, Master. Once we get you into properly mastering our Bankai, I won't be of too much help in that regard… and even at the best of times, Retsu Unohana won't be suitable either. We both know what she is, the odds are you'll both draw the worst in each other." Kyoka sighed. "Worthy opponents, my Master."

I winced at that. I knew very well what she was talking about.

"Captain Aizen, are you all right?" Hinamori's worried voice brought my attention to what I was supposed to be doing.

"There's nothing to worry about, I just had an enlightening conversation with my Zanpakuto." I offered with a smile. "Do take a seat. Do you want something to eat? I'm up to midnight snack, Captain Unohana's orders."

With those words, I went to one of the cupboards containing food preserved with Bakudo. Shinigami did need food to in order to help restore their Reiatsu, the more powerful they were, the more sustenance they required, especially when active. In contrast, the ordinary souls stuck in Soul Society awaiting reincarnation would rarely need anything to eat with the weakest of them unlikely to ever get hungry.

I offered Momo a slice of watermelon, while picking up a plate of rice with chicken for myself. A creative application of a Hado spell got my food warm and everything went according to plan until I sat behind my desk and got to the utensils… which were chopsticks of all things. It was a very good thing that my fingers remembered how to use them, because before my sting as Aizen, I had never ever touched something like that. Not to mention that forgetting how to use chopsticks would have been not only embarrassing but might give my minders another reason to suspect that something was wrong; precisely what I didn't need at this point. And I was rambling in my head. Joy.

"First things first, are you all right, Momo? It must have been a grave shock to see the body of that infiltrator with my face." I spoke as kindly as I could and put a liberal dose of genuine concern in my voice.

"Uh…" Hinamori fidgeted in her seat. "It was… it was terrible, Captain Aizen!" She exclaimed with tear in her eyes.

"Shh… I'm all right and if I can help it, I won't be going anywhere." I offered her a kind enough smile it could be weaponized and rot someones teeth. "I know you need some time to get over the shock, everyone in our Division needs it in fact, unfortunately, right now time is a luxury we don't have. What do you know about the invasion, Momo? And I don't meant rumours, what do you know as facts?" I inquired and attacked my meal with a gusto.

Unohana was right, or perhaps it was a placebo effect, but as soon as I began eating, my Reiatsu became a bit more stable.

"Umm… I've heard all kinds of rumours, Captain Aizen but…" She hedged. "They're here about Rukia Kuchiki, aren't they?"

"That's my understanding as well." I nodded after swallowing a bite. Aizen was known for his impeccable manners, and even if I could get away with being a bit scruffy and uncivilized thanks to my recovering memories, I couldn't allow to push it too much, no matter if it was conscious or unconscious decision. If I wanted to sell a deception that might allow me to remain in Soul Society's good graces, I had to be damn careful; lucky too… So no speaking with my mouth full among other things…

Where was I? Fuck my mind, I needed it clear and focused right now, not running off to minor details at the first prompt!

I took another bite to buy myself a few moments to gather my thoughts.

"That's kind of nice, even if its against the law…" Momo muttered and finally took a bite of her watermelon.

"It's commendable really, especially in contrast with what we're currently doing to one of our own for no good reason. As far as I'm concerned, executing Rukia Kuchiki because she did what she had to in order to survive, especially when she didn't get a proper trial, is foolish in the extreme. What was she supposed to do? Let a Hollow eat her, that boy who leads her rescue attempt and perhaps even his family in order to uphold the a short-sighed law?" I shook my head in frustration, which wasn't feigned at all.

Of course, I conveniently failed to mention that it was yours truly, or at least my past version, who engineered this debacle. Then again, knowing Central 46 and their infinite wisdom, they might have done something equally idiotic without any help at all. Really, what my past self did was as much to ensure the verdict and orders he needed happened when he needed them to as to keep the government from doing something idiotic and disruptive when he was about to leave Soul Society.

"It's tragic and frustrating when you put it in such a way, Captain." Momo grumbled.

"It is, isn't it?" I let more of my frustration show. "Well, we're about to see if I'm right in my suppositions about our intruders. Once we're done eating, we're going to search for them, but first, we'll meet those already in custody, including Rukia Kuchiki. There have been more than enough hasty actions as of late."

"We, Captain?"

"We, Momo. You're a nice person and someone our guests would find it easier to connect to. You can put them at ease as well so and thus we'll have a better chance of a civil conversation once we meet them."

Because, who knew, you caught more flies, bees, and potential future minions with honey instead of acting like a condescending asshole. News at eleven… Seriously, what is with people letting power go directly to their head and acting like imbeciles, both here and back in the Corcusca galaxy? At least back home some of us had the excuse of the Dark Side whispering sweet nothings in our heads… and to think that my past self had started so well with his kind persona only to discard it for no good reason… I wanted to scream at the mere thought.

"You're a tiny bit bitter, aren't you, Master?"

"Who, me? What gave you such a preposterous idea?" I spoke in my head with as much biting sarcasm as I could manage to Kyoka's great amusement.