Shinji came back to the mansion at late evening.
When he entered the living hall, where everyone sat and talked about the days events, six pairs of eyes turned to him and silence spread in the room like a heavy blanket.
It was Grimmjow who said what everyone had been thinking, as they saw the unusual look of seriousness and the pale color on their blonde comrades face.
"Shinji! Where the hell have you been? And what happened, you look like shit."
Shinji showed them his piano grin then, replying.
"Ah, shut up. I'm dead tired and hungry. You could actually get your ass in gear and do me a favor. Go get me some fast-food, will ya?"

Everyone would have guessed that the blunette would start an argument about Shinji ordering him around, but to their surprise the older Vampire just rose from his seat and walked out of the room, past Shinji.
When Grimmjow was out of the room, Shinji headed over to the now vacant armchair and dropped down on it, leaning against one arm with his back and throwing his legs over the other arm.
"So, how's it been for all of you? Any news I should know of?"
Shinji asked almost casually and he got updated on the days events immediately.
Starrk was the last one to tell his achievements.
As he told Shinji of the truce between the slayers and their group and the promise for help, the blonde listened very carefully.

About the time Starrk was finished, Grimmjow came back with two bags from Shinjis storage.
"Here."
"Thanks buddy. You're a lifesaver."
He emptied the bags eagerly, then sat silently in his seat, with a frown on his face.
"So, you know what happened on our sides. What about yours. Have you found out anything?"
Shiro eventually asked, worried about the pensive behavior of the normally so hyped up Vampire.

"Well. No. And yes."
"What does that mean?"
Ulquiorra broached the subject again, keeping his face straight as always.
"No, I haven't found out anything about the occurrences in the flats. And yes, I have found out something else and you won't like it."
"Come on Shinji, stop dragging this out and tell us already."
Grimmjow growled at the blonde, who was wearing his patience down at a very fast rate.

"In seven days from today, the curtain to this childish play shall fall and Lucifer's children shall rise like phoenix from the ash. That's the message I got from him for Shiro."

Ichigo, who sat next to Shiro had followed the conversation silently until now since it had been unnecessary for him to say anything because Shiro had already told everything, but that statement made him raise his voice.
"What's that supposed to mean? And do you care to explain who that him is?"
Shiro rested a hand on Ichigos thigh, silencing him effectively.
"I really don't like that. I should have known that he was up to no good when he appeared in front of me weeks ago."
The albino turned to Ichigo, looking as stern as never before at him.
"I will explain it. Get in contact with the slayers, they need to know as well."
Ichigo nodded and stood, he picked his mobile and told Shiro.
"I'll call them then."
Then he left the room, to stay away for three minutes, when he came back he had a deep scowl on his face.
"Kisuke said they won't come over that late, but we could hold a video conference if it was this urgent."

Shiro sighed.
"Thick headed as always. Whatever. Ulquiorra?"
"I get it done immediately."
Not five minutes later Kisuke and his group could be seen on a wide screen display, that had been hidden in one of the walls.
"Good evening everyone. So, what's so important to disturb us a second time this day?"
Kisuke asked, with a high tone, obviously being very amused that he held some kind of power over the Vampires, now that they were supposed to work together.
"Don't give me that shit, Urahara. You aren't doing anything anyway since I payed you a visit."
Ichigo muttered sourly.
"Well, well. Let's not argue over that now, right?"
The orangette crossed his arms and glared at the screen showing the blonde slayer.

"Urahara, the reason I asked to talk with all of you is very grave."
Shiro said and everyone, on both sides listened up.
"I received a message, the exact wording isn't important, but the meaning is clear. War has been declared."
Behind Urahara one of the slayers jumped from his seat, it was Shuuhei.
"Who declared it and on whom?"
Shiro closed his eyes and crossed his arms.
"The message was send to me, but I'm sure that he knew that I was more or less working with you. So he intents to crush our united fronts; and drag the world into chaos with it."
"He? As in a single person? What exactly does he want to do?"
Renji asked disbelievingly.
"I don't know but when he wins that war, the world will drown in blood, I'm sure of it."
"He must be really strong if he plans to take on all of us alone. Who is he?"
Urahara questions the albino, all of his amused tone having left his voice.
Shiro opened his eyes again and fixed the blonde slayer with them.
"It's a Vampire of 400 years of age. He's a mixed-blood and his abilities are unique, both in nature and strength. And he's the youngest cousin I have."
Quietness spread in both quarters, all eyes cast on the albino, he grit his teeth idly staring at the ground.

'I should have killed him, back then.'

Flashback

Italy 1625

Shiro had taken shelter in the home of some relatives.
Some of the few he really knew, which were his uncle and aunt, who had a son of fifteen years now.

His uncle was the brother of Shiros father and they had taken care of him once, when his parents had been killed.
Now they took care of him for a second time, when his will to live was demolished since he killed the young slayer that had been like a son for him.
Shiros cousin was an intelligent child for his age and he already could use some Vampire skills.

It was a mild evening in summer, when the albino sat outside on the balcony staring at the sinking sun without really paying attention to it, or his surroundings.
"Why do you keep thinking about that Kaien boy?"
The voice of his cousin suddenly asked in his back.
Shiro turned around, to look at him with absent eyes.
"Oh, it's you. Did your mother send you to get me?"
The boy shook his head.
"No. I came on my own. That Kaien, he was a mere human male. Why are you mourning his death?"
Shiro turns his eyes back on the setting sun.
"Because it's my fault."
"Shouldn't you rather blame those that send him against you? He didn't want to fight you, did he? But he couldn't stand up against his kind, because he was too weak. You are stronger than him, so you can do it in his stead now. Take revenge for the injustice done by them."
Slowly Shiro rose from his place, an eerie fire now burning in his eyes.
"You're right. Thanks, midget."
With that the albino disappeared.

Five years later he crossed paths with his cousin again.

Shiro long since had broken free from the spell he had been put under, and now was back to mourn over the lost.
He went back to the home of his relatives, to apologize that he disappeared so suddenly and bid his farewell.
When he entered the house, it was dead silent inside and none of his calls were answered.
Shiro came into the living room, finding a massacre there, blood splattered on the walls and two minced bodies on the ground.
The albino could only guess that the bodies belonged to his aunt and uncle.
But where was his cousin?

"I'm flattered, that you are able to worry about me in your state of mind. Really, I thought I had cured you of your weakness back then."
Shiro spun around, coming face to face with the smiling figure of his cousin.
"What happened here? Who did that?"
The young man gazed shortly at the mess, then told without turning a hair.
"I released them from their sorrow. They would have been unable to survive in a world ruled by the strong."
Shiro saw red, he lunged at his cousin, ready to rip him to shreds like he had done to his own parents.

"Yes, brother. Show me your real strength and kill me again. I know you wanted it. Come, now you have an other chance to wipe me from the world forever."
His cousin was gone and now Kaien stood in front of Shiro.
The albino barely stopped his attack, before he began to back away with shock widened eyes.
"No."
Kaien followed him, arms spread open in an offering gesture
Shiro whispered denies and refuses under his breath, again and again, and eventually he had backed away so far, that he stumbled over one of the corpses.
"No. You aren't real."
The albino says out, loud enough for Kaien to hear it.
As he tries to push himself up from the dead body his right hand bumps against something.
Shiro glances over at the cold surface his hand had touched and found a dagger stuck in the corpses back.
Kaien came closer to Shiro and now leaned down to him to touch his pale face with one hand.
"But you can see and feel me, right? If I'm not real, then what is reality?"
Shiro grabs the hilt of the dagger and slowly pulls it out of the dead flesh.
"I said, that you are not Kaien!"
He yells and stabs the dagger forward.

Kaien, dissolved again and Shiros cousin reappeared.
"Oh. I wonder. Were those words an attempt to make yourself believe that or have you really overcome my hypnosis?"
The young Vampire squeezed the wrist of Shiro, that he had caught before the tip of the dagger even touched his skin.
"If you have, then why haven't you aimed for a lethal spot?"
Shiro lost his grip on the weapon and it clatters to the ground, shock paralyzing his limbs slowly.
His cousin knelt down in front of him and whispers into his ear.
"I'll spare you, because I know you are stronger than that. The next time we meet, you better use that strength if you don't want to die like a pathetic mongrel."
After that Shiros cousin vanishes, accompanied by the irate cry of the albino.

Flashback end

After minutes of silence Shiro finally lifted his head again, gazing with renewed resolve at the other party on the screen he said.
"His name is Aizen Sousuke."

Chapter 30
End

Dun Dun Duun

There you have it.
The jig's up.

Omedetougozaimasu, minasan, you guessed right that it had been Aizen. *confetti flying everywhere*

So, until next time

See ya
Shiro Yue