The underground laboratory was not something Aizen would call ideal, but for now it was all he had to work with. Having been found out by Tamotsu, he thought the agitation would accelerate his understanding of the Reincarnates with the unknowing assistance of Mayuri Kurotsuchi. But when he had been revealed in front of everyone he had to abandon that hope.

Touching the area on his face where Tamotsu had cut him, Aizen thought back. The plan had been a clever one, using deception to fool someone who was known for using it himself. The cut had healed, but the memory of it was still there. He had been so close to losing everything. But it was in that moment that Tamotsu's past reiatsu manifest itself and overwhelmed him.

I can't go back to Seireitei while Tamotsu is still close by, Aizen thought to himself. So much left undone but I can't risk him seeing through my illusions.

Aizen was a patient man. He had to be. Many of his experiments took years or decades. He had gotten reckless. He used the incident to accelerate, but it ended up being brought to a halt. No matter. There were other ways. And he would wait until the Soul Society was ripe for the picking. Then he would take what he wanted most and, hopefully, the secrets of the Reincarnates. The only obstacle now was Tamotsu.

He had been dodging the attacks of the Asauchi for a long time. He didn't know how long exactly, only that at any other time he would have been worn out. As the mad zanpakuto attacked, they did so with wild strikes. But he couldn't bring himself to strike back. It wasn't their fault they were like this. They were just unable to deal with the change.

"I know it hurts," Tamotsu said, not to any of the Asauchi in particular. "You've lost your companionship and do not know where to go from here."

An Asauchi lashed out and screamed, Tamotsu dodging using Shunpo at the last moment. Twice more the Asauchi attacked, Tamotsu dodging both times. His eyes were closed. He couldn't bring himself to look into their faces. But he could feel them. All of them.

"You feel empty, don't you?" Tamotsu continued, arms to his side and only dodging when he had to. "You feel like something has been torn out." Snapping his eyes open, he felt as if he understood. "Like there is a hole in your heart."

He looked around at the mass of beings around him. They were encircling him, preparing for an all out assault. "You have lost your Masters and therefore have lost a part of yourselves. Shinigami and zanpakuto... Of one heart, mind and soul." Tears began to fill in Tamotsu's eyes. "I understand now."

An Asauchi lunged full speed and Tamotsu turned to face it. Time seemed to move slowly as the Asauchi launched itself into the air, arms spread wide, while Tamotsu stood still. He waited until the last moment, then threw his arms around the attacking Asauchi and held it close. Tears rolled down his face and onto the Asauchi's shoulder.

"I am so sorry for your loss... Please... Let me help you... I know I am not your master, but a zanpakuto does not need to be with their masters in order to be complete."

The Asauchi couldn't move. It stood with its mouth open, struggling either to retreat or advance, the emotions beginning to flood its mind. Tamotsu lifted his hand to rest it against the back of the Asauchi's head and did not hesitate when he felt long, thick hair.

It was a woman, weeping against his shoulder. Slowly he pulled away while keeping his hands on her shoulders. She had brown curly hair and dressed in simple tan robes, soft features and slender form.

"I thought..." the Asauchi said between sobs. "I thought I was lost forever. But you... You brought me back. What is your name, Shinigami?"

Tamotsu smiled. "My name is Tamotsu Toshiyuki."

"Tamotsu Toshiyuki," the Asauchi repeated. "Please. Can you help the others?"

Tamotsu gave the Asauchi's shoulder a squeeze as he smiled. "Of course."

He began walking to each of the Asauchi, all of them stopped in their tracks by the sudden transformation of their comrade. Tamotsu touched each one on the shoulder, letting his emotions touch their hearts. There were twenty-seven in all. When they all reverted to their human-like form, he stood before them all.

"Tamotsu Toshiyuki," one of the male Asauchi said as he stepped forward. "I thank you from the bottom of my heart. I do not know what I would have done. Any other Shinigami would have fought us for sure. Again, I thank you. What might we do to repay you?"

Tamotsu raised his hand. "Your thanks is all I require. All I hope for is that you find peace..."

Oetsu walked out of one of the several small buildings in his city and stretched, moving his head side to side. He was greeted by many of the Asauchi he created as he exited and smiled.

"Master Nimaiya," one of them said in a respectful tone, contrary to the fanfare the rest of the Asauchi seemed to display. "I think you should check in on Tamotsu Toshiyuki."

"Check in on him?" Oetsu asked, scratching his head in an exaggerated gesture. "Its only been a few hours. I would have expected him to be fighting for days."

Leaving the Asauchi behind he headed toward the small shack at the edge of the cliff that housed the mad Asauchi he had placed Tamotsu in. As he approached it seemed disturbingly quiet. Had Tamotsu lost so much power that he was defeated so quickly? Opening the doorway, he looked down as sunlight flooded the floor below.

Tamotsu was sitting on the floor, several other spirits surrounding him. He was conversing with them, laughing with them, and in all respects it seemed more like a social gathering.

"Hey, Oetsu!" Tamotsu said, waving his hand. "I fixed them all up for you. Hope you don't mind."

Oetsu stared as the Asauchi all turned and looked at him. His initial response was surprise. Had he really been able to tame all of the Asauchi? Had he been able to calm the wild nature and bring them back to themselves? It didn't seem possible, but Oetsu couldn't deny the evidence before him.

Closing his eyes behind his sunglasses, Oetsu smiled. "Well done, Tamotsu," he said. "Well done."

Forming a sheet of reishi below him, Tamotsu lifted himself into the air and rose to the doorway. The Asauchi from the pit followed him one by one until they were all standing outside.

"I would have expected you to beat them down as you would a normal zanpakuto spirit when you desired to know its secrets," Oetsu said. "But I never expected this."

"I only did what I had to," Tamotsu answered. "There was no need to beat them down."

"I have a hard time believing that you would be able to teach something to me about my own Asauchi. I was going to wait, but I believe you deserve this."

Oetsu stepped aside, revealing a young woman with red hair behind him. She wore tan robes with red tabards over the shoulders, a diamond pattern moving down them.

"Hinohebi?"

The woman looked at Tamotsu and smiled. "Hello, Tamotsu."

The two rushed to each other and embraced tightly, tears of joy rolling down Tamotsu's face. "I thought I had lost you forever. Why didn't you tell me about your other master?"

Hinohebi cried in return, resting her head on Tamotsu's shoulder. "I thought if you knew the truth that you would reject me. I had been alone for fifty years. Your own Asauchi didn't bond with you. Maybe it was vanity on my own part, but I would do it all over again."

"We may not have been forged together as other zanpakuto, but we are still a part of each others' soul."

Oetsu smiled. "Very touching," he said. "Its true that a Shinigami can take possession of a zanpakuto even if they did not bond through Asauchi. Zaraki Kenpachi is one such Shinigami. The difference is that he relies on his own power and you put your entire trust into Hinohebi."

"So she's all better?" Tamotsu asked.

"I'm good as new," Hinohebi answered.

"You have proven something to me, Tamotsu Toshiyuki," Oetsu said. "That even though you did not bond through Asauchi, you can still love them. And the love of a zanpakuto should go deeper than anything else. Congratulations. If you will take her, Hinohebi is yours. You deserve it."

Tamotsu and Hinohebi looked each other in the eyes. "If she will accept me as her master, then I will take her. But I give the choice to her. An Asauchi should choose their own master."

Hinohebi smiled. "I choose you as my master."

Placing her hand over Tamotsu's heart, Hinohebi began to glow bright red. She seemed to dissolve into pieces of red light as the whip began to form over Tamotsu's shoulder. The glow faded and Tamotsu touched the whip. Feeling its embrace, he felt whole once again.

"I thank you, Tamotsu Toshiyuki," Oetsu said.

"No, Oetsu," Tamotsu responded. "Thank you."

"For repairing Hinohebi for you? You deserve it."

"Yes, and for something else."

"Oh?"

"Thanks to your test, I believe I have found the answer to something I have been seeking for a long time..."

Tamotsu stepped through the light of the portal to find himself on another of the floating islands of the Royal City. He was greeted by a rather large woman with long purple hair and tattoos under her eyes.

"Greetings, Tamotsu Toshiyuki," the woman said. My name is Kirio Hikifune."

"Hello, Kirio," Tamotsu said, offering a bow. "It is an honor to meet you."

"The honor is all mine. We don't get many visitors up here. You may be wondering why you were asked to visit my city. Well, look around."

Tamotsu looked and saw a large table with all manner of food. Stepping closer he saw that it ranged from all different types of cultures and was prepared in the manner of a master chef.

"Please, be seated," Kirio said. "Help yourself. All of this is for you. I've still got a few things to do, but I'll check on you in a moment." With a smile, Kirio stepped behind some curtains and left Tamotsu before the feast.

He was a little unsure of what to think. All of this feast was for him? He approached one corner of the table and picked up a small pastry with a strawberry in the center. He took a small bite and the flavor overtook him. It had to be the most delicious pastry he had ever tasted in his life! Eating two more he moved on. Dishes lay before him, each one seemingly more desirous than the last.

Within moments Tamotsu found himself gorging on the food. He moved slowly from one end of the table to the other eating as he went. So desirous was the feast before him that he consumed every crumb. What was more, he found that each piece of food had a high concentration of reishi. Not only did it taste good, but it also seemed to raise his reiatsu level.

The curtains parted to reveal a rather thin woman, but the purple hair and eye tattoos identified her as Kirio. Even if he hadn't recognized this, her reiatsu signature would have. He found that since he had awoken from his comatose state that he was able to become more keen on identifying reiatsu signatures.

"Well, you certainly seemed to have helped yourself plenty," Kirio commented as she looked at the table, now filled with empty dishes. "I didn't expect you to eat quite so fast."

"You prepare wonderful food," Tamotsu said. "I see why you are on the Royal Guard."

Kirio sat on a chair next to Tamotsu. "Actually, cooking is only a hobby of mine. I use up almost all my reiatsu on a feast like this so when I'm done it seems as if I've lost a lot of weight. No, the reason I am on the Royal Guard is because I devised the concept of an artificial soul."

"Artificial soul? Oh, you mean like Lucky?"

"Excuse me?"

"Lucky. He was originally the Pupples type of replacement soul but I put him into a stuffed owl. Hinohebi decided to start calling him Lucky."

"I see. You grant him freedom then?"

"He may have been developed in a lab, but he is still a soul and deserves the same rights as the rest of us."

Kirio smiled and turned away slightly. "I never thought of it that way before. Anyway, you must have noticed that the food I prepared was designed to increase your reiatsu significantly."

"I feel refreshed, thank you, but I'm afraid I don't notice too much of a change otherwise. But why all this?"

"It was to prepare you. You have been summoned by the Soul King once you have finished here."

Tamotsu stood and and took Kirio's hand. "I thank you, Kirio. I suppose I should go now. Have you ever worked with preparing a shrimp meal before?"

"I have a few recipes."

"Then I should like to try them some time. Farewell for now." Tamotsu released Kirio's hand and walked forward a few steps, only to disappear into a glowing white orb. The orb vanished, taking Tamotsu with it.

Kirio looked at her hand. She was confused. With as much energy as she had placed in that meal Tamotsu should have been brimming with excess reiatsu. Yet when he touched her hand she seemed to sense his energy field even less than when he first arrived. Also, though it may have just been her imagination, his Shinigami robes seemed to have grown a few shades lighter in color.

"I wonder," Kirio said, more to herself than anyone in particular. "What is it about you? You seem so unique, but why does the Soul King desire to see you?"

...

The orb of light appeared in front of a grand carpet just below a throne. Tamotsu emerged and a figure sat before him. His presence was grand and he shone with a brightness of his own. Before him sat the Soul King. Sitting on the left armrest of the throne was the Tengokucho.

Tamotsu bowed before the King. "It is an honor to be in your presence," he said.

The Soul King stood and walked forward. "There is no need for formalities, Tamotsu Toshiyuki," he said. "You are here not as a subject, but as my personal guest."

Tamotsu stood and looked at the King, who was looking Tamotsu up and down, his light gray robes almost seemed to glow on their own.

"Oh, how you have changed," the Soul King said. "The things you have accomplished. I have been watching you for some time now."

"May I ask for how long?"

The Soul King smiled. "Long enough to know just how special you are, Tamotsu. You may be wondering why I have summoned you here?"

"It's crossed my mind."

"The Royal Guard, or Zero Division as some call it, is composed of individuals who I have personally selected. Each of them has presented something to which I believe is of great benefit to the Soul Society. And I believe that what you have discovered will be of great use to all."

Tamotsu cocked his head. "What I have discovered?"

"Yes, Tamotsu. The key to all souls. For you have found that which a Hollow lacks."

"What? But- How do you know?"

"Trust in me. I know."

"I don't even know for sure. I have theories and guesses but..."

"Do not doubt yourself, Tamotsu. I believe in you, so should you believe in yourself."

Tamotsu turned away to gather his thoughts, then turned back to face the Soul King. "What you're asking- Me? A part of the Royal Guard?"

The Soul King nodded slowly. "Here you will be able to rule over your own city. You will be among the greatest of all Shinigami. You will serve under me personally."

Tamotsu's words got caught in his throat. What could he say? This was a once in a lifetime opportunity and yet- Was he worthy of such an honor? Would he even be able to turn it down? Very few ever got to see the Soul King, much less speak with him.

"Tengokucho," Tamotsu said, looking at the white butterfly on the throne. "What do you say?"

You ask my opinion on something that is clearly your own choice? the Tengokucho asked. I am only here to bear witness. The decision is yours alone to make.

"I shall not rush your decision, Tamotsu," the King said. "I understand the weight of this, for it will impact the rest of your existence."

Tamotsu lowered his head and closed his eyes. He breathed slow and deep, then spoke. "I'm sorry, but I must decline."

The expression on the Soul King's face did not alter. "I see. May I ask why?"

"It is good to serve the Soul Society, and I know you are aware of my past sacrifices. Many times I have given my life in the protection of those I serve. But I feel I can do more good by serving among them rather than above them."

The Soul King stepped forward and smiled, placing his hands on Tamotsu's shoulders. "You are as strong as you are wise, Tamotsu. I understand and respect your decision. Should you ever alter your mind the offer remains. You may come and visit me at any time you desire. With your experience and wisdom I believe that you will go far. And as a token of my sincerity I offer to you a title that I have not shared with anyone."

"A title?" Tamotsu wondered what it could mean. Surely a title, especially one from the King of the Souls would be great, but what could it be?

"With your experiences I believe you will understand. And the title I share with you- is Brother."

Tamotsu stood silent a moment, then slowly smiled. Brother... He let the title sink in. Long ago during his battle with the other Reincarnates he had declared them to be his brothers and sisters. If not by blood, then in spirit. He thought the name of the title once more in his head. Brother.

"You have much to do, and I believe you will bring about great things. Until we meet again, Tamotsu Toshiyuki."

Tamotsu nodded and stepped back, the white glow surrounding him, then fading when the unseen portal closed.

The Soul King stood silent for a long moment. "He is a great man, Tengokucho," he said. "He will change all we know."

You are disappointed by his decision? Tengokucho asked.

"Saddened, but not disappointed. He is doing what he believes is best and I can ask nothing less of him." The Soul King walked out to a balcony and placed his hands on the railing, the Tengokucho joining him. "There are some things even I cannot see, but this is clear enough to me. Whatever he chooses, he will serve our Master well."

NOTES FROM THE AUTHOR

I know its been a set of slow chapters lately, but in reality the story is wrapping up quickly. As I'm sure you've noticed, these chapters are more of the internal changes for Tamotsu, but Aizen will be making his move soon. I'd like to thank all of my readers and look forward to your reviews.