Chapter whatever: the plot, it thickens.

Thanks again to Q for the beta 3


"Why have you brought such garbage to this table, Grimmjow."

It was more of a statement than a question, told in the dispassionate voice of Ulquiorra as he stared at Ichigo, as though he was a detestable insect to be squashed at the earliest convenience. They both sat at a long table with high chairs surrounding it. Ichigo knew this was some sort of meeting place, where Aizen would address his followers.

Ichigo scowled in return for Ulquiorra's empty eyed gaze.

"Che, I got my reasons. What's it matter to you?" Grimmjow snapped. He was seated beside Ichigo—or rather, Ichigo was seated beside him. Ichigo knew he didn't belong here, and felt decidedly out of place. Grimmjow had dragged him along as a trophy, or a spoil of war—most likely to show him off to the others. It made Ichigo feel sick.

Ulquiorra's eyes dropped, in exasperation. "I should expect no better. Already you assume my previous position and all you can do is boast of your power. How very small."

"You're only jealous because you let your little girly escape," Grimmjow sneered, showing his canines.

Ichigo was stuck on the way Ulquiorra had phrased things—previous position? Ichigo was sure he would've noticed such an increase in Grimmjow's power, had he been promoted. He wasn't about to ask if such a thing had happened, at any rate.

Grimmjow's narrow eyes were still locked in a glare on Ulquiorra. "You just don't like him sitting at this table, after he nearly kicked your ass."

Ulquiorra's helmeted spire tipped to the side, along with his face. "As opposed to being soundly defeated. And then protected; how does that feel, Grimmjow? I certainly hope to never imagine."

"Feels like I got him back good, on both counts," Grimmjow said, tossing Ichigo a toothy, wolfish smile. "Gonna learn the hard way why you don't leave an enemy alive."

Ichigo's eyes narrowed. "Isn't that what you're doing, asshole?"

"You're not my enemy, now. You're my pet, brat." Grimmjow's arm shot out, his fingers digging into Ichigo's jaw as his blue eyes roamed over him possessively. Ichigo bat the hand away, jerking from Grimmjow's grasp, but the arrancar didn't seem to care, chuckling in amusement instead.

Nel was playing footsie with Ichigo from across the table, where she sat next to Ulquiorra. Her face was scrunched into a genuine smile while she watched the two of them, and the red stripe across her face crinkled along with her nose, "Are you feeling any better?"

"Er. I guess." Ichigo wasn't sure what she was specifically referring to. Most likely his physical wounds—Nel didn't seem to realize that being Grimmjow's captive was far worse. His injuries healed rapidly, thanks to Nel's saliva—Ichigo shivered involuntarily when he put it in those terms. Both Grimmjow and Ulquiorra had wounded him greatly in their fights; it was disturbing to be seated so closely to both of them, after that.

Nel didn't seem to care. "You just let me know if he's being mean to you," she said. "I know Grimmjow's positively incapable of thinking of other people's feelings, and it makes me worry since you're stuck with him."

Not sad enough to do something about it, Ichigo thought. But he knew Nel meant well, and he wasn't about to criticize the only person in this place who gave a damn about him.

"Eh, mind your own business why dontcha?" Grimmjow glared at Nel, but she paid him no attention.

Ulquiorra added his disdain, "It is disgusting as it is disrespectful for you to parade your creature before us, Grimmjow."

"If y'all got such a goddamn problem about it, you better make something of it!"

Ichigo felt increasingly embarrassed to be sitting beside someone so clearly unstable.

Grimmjow crossed his arms over his chest, as though the matter was decided. "I can do whatever the fuck I want, not like there ain't enough seats here that he can't stay."

Nel tapped Ichigo's foot twice, beneath the table. A hidden, affectionate code between them. "He's just showing off because he's so proud to have caught you. That's how much you mean to him!"

"Wow, I should feel so fortunate," Ichigo said, half-turning to glare at the blue-haired arrancar.

"Che, you should, punk." Grimmjow leered in Ichigo's face, "Fortunate you ain't dead, that is."

"Will you pleeeease keep your voices down?" The muffled voice came from beside the head of the table; Ichigo realized it was a place of power, seated directly beside Aizen's chair. He knew this Espada was ranked first, even if they had never fought each other directly. "I haven't been able to get nearly enough sleep for days. My head hurts."

"Now, now, Stark-san," Ichimaru moved amongst them subtly, pouring cups of tea at each place at Aizen's table. "If it's botherin' ya that bad, I'm sure Sosuke'll have somethin' for it."

"Mmmn."

Grimmjow was completely undistracted, and his glare didn't waver from the owl-eyed Espada seated across from him. "You're letting that new rank a'yours go to your head, Ulquiorra. Think you're a match for me? Don't make me laugh."

"And you are as simple-minded as always," Ulquiorra responded, with as little interest as possible.

"Try not t'be starting a brawl at the table, y'all know we ain't got many rooms without holes in 'em left." Ichimaru said it like a patient school teacher, leaving his teapot in the center of the table, before retreating to one of the walls surrounding them. He leaned, elegant and invisible, clearly waiting. Ichigo wondered why the former captain didn't take a seat himself, but not a moment later Aizen entered and all of the Espada's attention focused towards him—as though Aizen were the sun they all were compelled to revolve around.

He smiled mildly. "Oh please, do not feel the need to rise."

Aizen took his place at the head of the table, and Ichigo suddenly felt very insignificant, seating amongst creatures of such power. Without Zangetsu, he wasn't even a match for the least of them. It brought a sense of loss and longing rising in his chest: he wished for his own self, the identity he'd left behind when he'd agreed to be a prisoner. He ached for the power he'd once held, the power Grimmjow had stolen from him.

"I'm so grateful that all of you could to join us," Aizen murmured, glancing across those assembled as if taking stock. His head tilted to the side, and one eyebrow rose questioningly, "Goodness, are there really so few of you left?"

There were only five Espada, if Ichigo counted right. He wasn't sure what Aizen was expecting, but the shinigami traitor sighed in a despairing manner, regarding his tea thoughtfully before he continued.

"I had certainly hoped fewer of you would fall against the shinigami. Let us all drink in remembrance of those who sacrificed themselves, in order that we are here now."

He raised his tea, and Ichigo did the same automatically, all of them did—Ichigo dropped his cup abruptly; he didn't want it to appear as though he belonged amongst these things.

"That being said, it is of great importance that we recognize those we still have among us," Aizen was saying. "As you may have already realized, due to the recent disruption of our ranks, several have been promoted and we take in again, Neliel Tu Oderschvank—the lost trecera Espada. She will assume her earlier position, given its vacancy."

Aizen nodded kindly towards Nel and she beamed back; Ichigo felt embarrassed to witness again her naked admiration. He felt like kicking her under the table, but knew it wouldn't go unnoticed.

"As for the remaining openings, I have seen fit to promote two others based on their dedication and devotion to our cause. Ulquiorra—due to both his outstanding service and inestimable powers is now our second, and Grimmjow has taken his formerly-held rank."

Ichigo felt his stomach sink to his knees; Ulquiorra had been more than a challenge for him when he'd had fought the quatra. They'd battled to a stand-still and Ichigo only managed to escape with his life. He didn't know if the promotion in rank meant an equally formidably increase in strength; Ichigo desperately hoped that wasn't the case.

Either way, he wasn't able to sense a difference in Ulquiorra's reiatsu, but knew that meant little, with his poor ability to sense such things. Ichigo couldn't recognize a change in Grimmjow's spiritual energy either, even now that he was named number four. Promoted two ranks, instantaneously. It seemed unfair to Ichigo; the arrancar didn't have to work to gain their new status or titles. Aizen simply bestowed it upon them, even if a change in number didn't mean new power; Ichigo knew it would simply come back to him in Grimmjow's taunting cackle, one more thing for the Espada to lord over him.

His thoughts had to rest as Aizen continued, "I trust all of you will respect this new appreciation of strength."

"Why don't I get a bump up?" It was Yammy that said it, from far the end of the table. Ichigo had almost forgotten he existed.

"Hmm," Aizen smiled. He took a sip of tea before responding to the question, "I see it only fitting to reward those willing to advance our goals when the situation demands it, Yammy. Initiative is a valuable trait. Perhaps I would reward you as well, if you would display it?"

"Hunh." The large Espada seemed annoyed, lounging his head on one fist, and not meeting Aizen's mild look. It appeared to Ichigo that Yammy found it more work than it was worth to prove himself.

Aizen was not deterred, "These things all being said, I welcome you to the new order that we will bring to the world. Our first advance—which cost our numbers so many, much to my regret—was only the initial assault upon Soul Society. If nothing else, I am encouraged to find you all eager as I am to resume the offensive."

Ichigo knew this was what they were assembled for: Aizen would lay out his new plans, and Ichigo would be waiting for them; they all assumed he was but a plaything for Grimmjow, but he was determined to do his damndest to undermine whatever Aizen had in store. He simply would have to wait and listen.

"Soul Society sees us beaten, but I look forward to proving them wrong. We are lesser in numbers, but I know you all realize what a meager measure of strength that is."

Grimmjow shifted beside Ichigo; he knew the Espada was unswayed by Aizen's words. Grimmjow wanted nothing more than a fight, and he would only follow Aizen so long as the shinigami promised him that.

Aizen continued, "I had hoped to draw Soul Society's attention to our realm, but I never anticipated how successfully we were able to divide their forces. It forced them into hasty action, and as a result, we now have a considerable advantage over them. It will be now that we show our true face.

"Soul Society has relegated Karakura to a shadow dimension, a place away from all other forces, where it is kept captive and contained. During our confrontation, we were able to disrupt its containment through the breaking of all four restraining reishi pillars. These barriers formed the field that limited the real Karakura from becoming involved in the war; with the kekkai destroyed, humans, for the first time, know the presence of forces beyond their imagining."

Ichigo shifted in his chair, suddenly attentive. To him, it seemed as though all the arrancar surrounding him already knew this—what exactly was Aizen hiding from him, from Soul Society?

"Even though the Gotei Thirteen were able to reinforce Karakura, its city became aware of what occurred. All one-hundred-thousand souls instantly knew of Soul Society." Aizen paused for a moment, consideringly, and Ichigo felt his stomach sink even further.

"Soul Society will do anything to prevent such an awakening from happening. They have subdued the city into a sleeping state, and will destroy it before its inhabitants are able to act again. Above all things, they are bound in limiting the spread of such knowledge, and will go to any lengths to preserve their secrecy.

"There lies their dilemma, and where we will exploit them: Yamamoto Genriusai will demolish the city and all within, before humans know of such matters."

"Are you saying that Soul Society will destroy Karakura?" Ichigo was unable to stop himself from demanding an answer.

In return, he found Grimmjow's hand pressed against the back of his skull a moment before it was slammed into the table.

"My apologies, Aizen-sama!" Grimmjow said, with Ichigo's forehead smashed harshly against the polished marble.

Ichigo struggled; his head ached from the impact, but he fought even more against Grimmjow's hold. He wouldn't bend against any of them, especially Grimmjow, and slapped the hands holding him away.

"No, no," Aizen was saying, "I realize your grasp on him is tenuous, at best—"

"Fuck you!" Ichigo snarled at Grimmjow.

Grimmjow's fingers were still knotted in his hair, and he snagged Ichigo's head, dragging it towards him. "Shut the fuck up."

"That's quite enough." Ichigo could see Aizen waving a dismissive hand at them. "Now, now. We can't have too much of that, unless you truly have such little control, Grimmjow—"

"I will see he realizes his place—"

"That is quite unnecessary."

Ichigo could feel the former-captain's reiatsu pushing down upon them both, like invisible hands on his shoulders, holding him against his chair. Ichigo's lips and teeth clenched, matching Grimmjow's grimacing expression, but he knew they were equally subservient.

"As you can see, we have a shinigami amongst us. One which Grimmjow has captured—as a testament to his strength, is that not so, Grimmjow?"

"Please, Aizen-sama, let me show him what it means to belong—"

"I require no such acts," Aizen said, still looking bemused. Ichigo wasn't about to let Grimmjow shove him around in such company; being the arrancar's pet was horrible enough, especially when he was displayed as such in public.

Aizen proceeded, as if caring very little for their on-going struggle. "The greatest fear of Soul Society is that the entire human world will know of their existence, and destroying the city is their most immediate resolution. When they do so, we will acquire the one-hundred-thousand souls needed for the ouken."

The statement was very final, and Ichigo's attention shifted from Grimmjow to the traitor shinigami before them. Aizen would use Soul Society to obtain his own ultimate goals.

Ichigo had only been peripherally aware of the ouken and its abilities when he, Chad, and Ishida invaded Hueco Mundo—they had simply wanted to rescue Inoue; Ichigo didn't give a shit about the politics involved. That was for Rukia and Renji to care about—Ichigo hadn't known the details, only that Aizen had to be stopped.

He finally realized why. He'd know the exiled shinigami saw himself as a god—why else would he create creatures from hollows to worship him? Ichigo didn't care for any of that when he'd first come here, unless it helped him save Inoue. Ichigo wanted rescuing her to be enough, but he realized it wasn't.

He simply couldn't believe Soul Society would see the easiest course of action in destroying Karakura. He jerked away from Grimmjow, who still held him in a light grip, and glared at Aizen. "What?"

That earned him another punch, but Ichigo took it, snapping back to snarl in Grimmjow's face.

"Our prisoner asks a very valuable question," Aizen said. He took a drink of his tea, and Ichigo regarded his own, cold and untouched in front of himself. "But it is quite obvious: we require the ouken, and Soul Society will deliver it to us. A slaughter of humans on our own would be too time-consuming; knowing this, we rely on others to perform the task for us. Seireitei will indeed fulfill our goals in this way; would you perhaps realize the answer as to why, Kurosaki?"

Ichigo ripped himself out of Grimmjow's hands, snarling at the arrancar before glaring at its master. Aizen meant to destroy Karakura, and Ichigo would align with Seireitei in an instant to prevent such a thing from happening. Aizen needed the one-hundred-thousand human souls to create an ouken, but he would put Soul Society in a position where it had to eliminate Karakura, in order to preserve itself.

Ichigo spat into the tea before him, "You're forcing Soul Society's hand by revealing its presence to the human world. It's a secret that needs to be protected. And they will, you're just taking advantage."

"Exactly," Aizen murmured, as if greatly impressed by his aptitude. "For an entire city to learn of Soul Society, well…it is simply unheard of. Humans will become chaotic; their religions and their interpretation of logic and rationality will become disrupted, and this in turn will disrupt the balance between worlds. Yamamoto will condemn all within Karakura before he allows such a deeply-laid secret from becoming common knowledge.

"And this is where we will attain our goal: the ouken will be created by our powers the moment Karakura and all its people are condemned."

"That won't happen!" Ichigo snapped. He believed in Soul Society, not because he cared about it, but because their goals and motivations were the same as his—they wanted to protect and care for the humans in his world, in his Karakura. All Ichigo could think of was his father and sisters, trapped and awaiting death: they were most likely in the state of suspended animation that Aizen has spoken of. "Soul Society would never kill so many—"

"Tell me, Kurosaki," Aizen said, regarding him with his ambiguous smile. "Has Soul Society never executed an order you disagreed with? Something that seemed so irrational, but would preserve their own selfish interests?"

Ichigo thought of Rukia—stuck in a tower and awaiting her death for carrying out her orders to the best of her ability. And Inoue, the same thing—Ichigo couldn't believe the Comander-General's orders to abandon them both. In his heart, Ichigo knew the old shinigami leader had little sympathy, only duty. He would destroy Karakura, if it were necessary.

"It may take Seireitei weeks or months to act upon such things, but I assure you, they will," Aizen said. "Its secrecy and subversion will be its undoing. They will act as readily as when they eliminated the Quincy, years ago.

"Yamamoto Genriusai is unable to accept anything but the preservation of the king's goals. And in his blind subservience, we will acquire the king's key—it will lead us to destroy Soul Society, an archaic infrastructure the new world has little need of." Aizen said it with an air of finality, as if rousing those around him, but Ichigo saw little inspiration amongst the assembled arrancar—aside from where it concerned Ulquiorra or Nel. It drew a deep sense of disgust within him, that Nel would be so intoxicated by Aizen's words. Even the first Espada was unmoved; he remained motionless, with one hand perched against a hand propped on top of the table, bored and tired.

Aizen rose, as if this were all he had to say. "Our method remains unchanged. We, reduced and decimated by those we will overcome, need only to persevere.

"My challenge to you now is to rebuild our forces: we require many to reforge our ranks. Through the power of the hougyoku, I will make them whole."

He turned, with a swooping show of his robes, away from the table and its assembled arrancar. Ichigo watched the betrayer leave, feeling deeply disturbed—either by Aizen's words and promises, or by what he feared was occurring in the real world. Soul Society simply couldn't condemn Karakura; it would go against everything Ichigo had been led to believe in.

Aizen was the trickster that deceived them all; he'd done it once in Soul Society, and now he worked his charms from Hueco Mundo. Ichigo knew the other man was lying—he had to be. But it lingered with him, the fear and doubt; Ichigo remembered the way Seireitei and the newly-formed central 46 had so easily given Inoue up for lost. As if she meant nothing. As if he and his friends were useless; they sent reinforcements eventually but that was only at Urahara's urgings, if what Ichigo had learned from Kenpachi could be believed.

He had to escape, Ichigo realized. He had to get back, if for nothing else than to warn Soul Soceity of the trap they were stepping into. They couldn't obliterate Karakura, and simply hand over the souls Aizen required—keeping them in a contained sleep was better than giving a traitor his due.

Ichigo followed after Grimmjow as the new quatra Espada swaggered off, feeling a new sense of purpose. The new title of Grimmjow's would take a long time to get accustomed to, but despite everything, Ichigo knew in his heart a strange hope; he had a reason for being here, something he could use to undermine Aizen with from the inside.

Ichigo could do some good even as a prisoner. He had to. There was nothing else to live for if Karakura was destroyed.


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