A young boy stared in awe and wonder at the world around him. Walls of glass. Walls of mirrors. Walls of polished steel that shone as clear as moonlight on still water. The walls stretched on and on for ever, twisting and turning and winding.

"Hello? Where am I?" He asked the silence tentatively. His voiced echoed eerily through the labyrinth. No response came. He began to walk slowly, head turning slowly from side to side all the while. He could see nothing, but he could feel in his bones that he was not alone.

It felt like miles. The terrain never seemed to change, and he never caught it repeating itself either. For all he knew, it was fluid and changing anytime he was not looking. He stopped and closed his eyes, forcing himself to breath.

As his heart calmed and his breathing became slow and deep, he felt a change. He opened his eyes and found himself facing a beautiful woman of indeterminable age.

"Who are you?" He asked. "Where am I? What is this place?"

"What is it that you desire?" The woman ignored his questions and dropped to one knee to look him evenly in the eyes. "What does your heart want more than anything else? What do you seek with every breath?"

"I... I don't know... I've never thought about it..." The boy looked away. Her eyes were hypnotic. When he looked into them, he found himself forgetting to breathe.

"That is the beauty of the heart's true desire. You need not think about it. It is simply there. A fundamental part of you that can not be denied, lest you deny your potential." The woman's voice was as powerful as her eyes and it drew him back to face her. "Think on this, Sosuke. What is it you desire?"

He wanted to protest. He wanted to demand she answer his questions. He wanted to continue staring into those eyes. In a heartbeat, his eyes opened and he found himself in his bed. He sighed and rolled over, unable to drive the dream from his mind. What did it mean?

What do I want more than anything else? He thought about his life. His parents had died not many years back, but he barely knew them. He missed them, but the pain had certainly been survivable for him. As a member of a lesser noble clan in service of the Shiba clan, he was taken in and allowed to work for them until he was of age to enter the Shinigami Academy.

In his time with the Shiba clan, he had seen the other great nobles. The old men who clung to their status and tradition as if it really mattered. He had to admit, the Shiba clan was at least more practical. They valued their family not because of their noble status but because they loved each other and it was a part of their personal code to put family first. He wished all the nobles would follow that ideology.

The nobles... Many were fools... Many were cruel, arrogant, greedy, pathetic... He hated so many of them. They were the rulers, really. They stood in the chambers of the Central 46 and commanded the Shinigami of the Gotei 13 as they pleased. And atop them all sat the Spirit King.

No one knew what he looked like. No one knew his name. They simply knew that he existed. They knew he was largely insignificant in the broader workings of the universe, but they knew he was truly vital to the continued existence of the world as they knew it. He was the keystone. He was the linchpin of their world. The Shinigami kept balance, but it was the Spirit King who made it possible.

What do I want most in the world? He thought back on the stories he had heard from some of the nobles. Things about Hollows and Quincy and Humans. He knew there was more to their world than just Shinigami, but such things were not considered important to teach to an orphan child of a lesser noble family.

I don't know what I want... A knock on the door interrupted his thoughts.

"Wake up! I need to clean the room and you need to get to work!" The woman sounded irritated. Then again, she always sounded irritated. "Be quick about it!"

The boy rose and stretched, then hurried to get dressed before opening the door and stepping out under the glare of the housekeeper for the wing of the mansion he lived in.

"About time! Lord Shiba is expecting you in the main hall. I don't know what it is about, but it is important, so don't keep him waiting!" The woman swept past him and into the room, pulling a cart of cleaning supplies behind her. His eyes widened. He had never been summoned by the head of the family before...

He took care not to run into anyone as he sprinted toward his destination. If only he knew the Shinigami art of Shunpo, he would be there twice over already. However, lacking the knowledge and training, he continued to run. He arrived at the imposing door out of breathe and took a moment to breath. He heard voices inside.

"Do you intend to take the position from me, Brother?" That was Lord Shiba's voice. Feeling guilty before he even began to move, he leaned closer to the door, straining to hear more.

"It is not my intention to deprive you of your birth right! The Kuchiki clan has been making demands that you take a wife or that I step in as head of the family. I have children to carry on the family name. You know what they are like! Maintaining their nobility is all they care about." The second voice... He had heard it a time or two before during family gatherings.

"A wife... I assume they wish for me to choose one of them as a wife? They have no shame... My wife is dead, and all they care about is furthering their own status! You know there is only one answer I can give... I will publicly abdicate my position to you tonight. They will be your problem to deal with." He couldn't believe what he was hearing... Lord Shiba was going to give up his position as head of the family? What would happen to him? What if the new head decided he was not worth a bed and three meals a day? Would he be thrown out into the Rukongai?

"You know I will have to lean on you... I wasn't ever meant for this position. Our parents spared me the torture of learning the proper way of handling nobles once you found a wife..."

"You know I'll always be there for you, Brother. Do one favor for me, though. One of the lower nobles in service of our family was orphaned a few years back and I have allowed him to stay here and work until he is of age to attend the Shinigami Academy. If he does not show any aptitude and is not admitted when that time comes, take him in. Your children would not mind another sibling."

"Of course. I would have taken him in when it happened if you had asked."

"I considered it... But it didn't seem like the right decision at the time." Lord Shiba said.

Deciding he had waited long enough and heard far more than he should have, he knocked lightly on the door.

"Enter."

He pushed the heavy door open slowly and stepped in, looking at the familiar face of Lord Shiba and the similar visage of his brother.

"Sosuke, perfect timing. You will be of age to enter the Shinigami Academy in less than one year's time. I've kept an eye on you since we took you in, and I see a lot of potential in you. I also know you have an insatiable appetite for knowledge. The Shihoin clan owes me a favor, and I've requested that they allow you access to their library. I hope you will take this opportunity to prepare yourself for the Academy."

"Y-Yes my lord!" Sosuke bowed, overwhelmed by the great gift.

"Good. I doubt anyone has seen fit to introduce you to my brother, Reikotei Shiba. You will be... Seeing a lot more of him in the future." Lord Shiba smiled sadly at the boy. "I will no longer be acting as the head of the family as of this evening."

"Why?" He was careful. He did not want to give away that he had been listening at the door.

"Politics and the whims of old men who have grown too distant from the world they were meant to protect. It is of little consequence, really. My brother will be taking my place, and I will be free to teach you personally for the months between now and your entrance exam."

"I... What have I done to deserve such an honor?" It was unheard of for a great noble to teach someone as insignificant as him. He held no political potential... Then again, the Shiba clan cared little for such things.

"The few others I have taught would call my training a punishment, not an honor. What does the grass do to deserve the rain that makes it grow? It is simply my place to teach those able and willing to learn. Why do you think I became a teacher rather than a soldier? And I can not send you to the Academy not even knowing what a Hollow looks like!"

- Line -

The months had passed slowly. Lord Shiba had become Master Shiba, and his training had been brutal. There were few days when he lay his head on his pillow and had the energy to even pull up a blanket. In the little free time he found, he buried himself in the archives of the Shihoin clan, learning all he could of the history of Soul Society.

It was the night before his exam when he revisited the world of reflections. The woman was waiting for him.

"What is it that you desire?" She asked once again. He had given it much thought, and as he read about the history of Soul Society, a desire had began to grow in him.

"I want to change everything... Instead of balancing the world, I want to unify it. Shinigami, Hollows, Quincy, Humans... We're all the same, really. We are all just souls in a cycle. I think the Shinigami are wrong. I don't think they are any better than the others. I think the only way to be better would be to exist as all of them. That's the kind of Spirit King that the world needs." Sousuke held the woman's gaze, and was relieved to see her smile radiantly at him. Like his mother would have.

"What you seek is no easy task. The world will fight you every step of the way. You will have to be clever, powerful, and willing to do terrible things to accomplish something so great..." The woman's voice was intoxicating.

"I'm going to the Academy tomorrow... I'll become strong enough..."

"You will, but not through the Academy. I will give you strength. You already have the cleverness. What you must find is the will to do whatever it takes to achieve your desire. You must be able to lie, cheat, steal, and kill. If you are willing, I will stand by your side, and I will give you the power to unify a world divided."

"I... I am willing. But who are you?"

"I am you. I am your soul. I am your strength. My name is-"

The pounding on the door jolted him from his dream state with a lurch. He panted and looked around.

"Sosuke! Get up! You don't want to be late on your first day or they won't let you have a second day!" Master Shiba's voice was outside his door. He rubbed the sleep from his eyes and stood, opening the door and yawning at his teacher. He was expecting the kick, but with the dream still clinging to his mind, he was too slow and took the blow directly, landing heavily on the floor. "I know you've got more than that! Ten minutes! You're getting a warm up before I let you take the exam!"

Great. A Shiba warm up was enough to be the end of a Gillian on a good day. He decided he could dwell on the woman later. Right now, he needed his head on his shoulders if he expected to live to take the exam.

Thirty minutes and twelve nearly broken bones later, Sosuke was standing in front of the impressive Academy where his master had once been a teacher. He closed his eyes, cleared his mind, and took a deep breath. This was it. His first step.

The exam was a piece of cake. He knew immediately that Master Shiba had intentionally over trained him, but he couldn't bring himself to be mad. He was now officially a student and a Shinigami in training. He was no longer just a servant of the Shiba clan. He was on his own, and he would make his own path.

If he were honest with himself, he knew he was always more than just a servant. Tsukiba Shiba had been almost like a father to him the last few months, but Sosuke would not allow himself to think like that. He would have to destroy the nobles if he meant to unite the world. He would not be able to destroy them if he loved them, so he would not allow himself to care more than skin deep. He had already become adept at wearing his mask.

Sosuke Aizen was the star pupil of his class. His calm demeanor, his sharp mind, his elegant skill with a blade and control and precision with Kido. Girls flocked after him, always hoping to catch a glimpse of his heartwarming smile. He was always willing to lend his skills to a student in need, helping them along as if he found no greater pleasure. Teachers and students alike adored him.

He heard rumors that Master Shiba has met a woman a year after he left and that he had a son now. His brother had a third child at almost the same time. The four Shiba children were growing slowly, which spoke of incredible spiritual pressure, even at their young ages. He was glad he had not grown to care for them. He imagined destroying siblings would be even more painful than destroying a father figure.

It had taken next to no time for him to realize the woman was the spirit of his Zanpakuto. Within weeks, he could enter his inner world at will. She taught him to master her powers for over a year before allowing him access to the initial release. He was still the first in his class to reach Shikai.

It was in his fourth year that he felt his first twinge of doubt. A blonde haired boy two years his senior, who laughed easily and was always surrounded by friends. Not once did he cast a glance at Sosuke, but even so, he knew the man was more than he seemed. He knew in his bones that this man would be trouble for him. A mind to call his equal. The truly terrifying thing was that no one saw how brilliant he was. He was not admired. He was not respected. He was treated like everyone else. A lesser noble in service of the Shihoin clan.

He consulted Kyoka Suigetsu about the man and she shared his concern. The man acted like a bit of a fool, but one look into his eyes and at the precision in his clumsiness and it was clear it was an act. Why hide such skill unless you were up to something? He would know. He was an expert in hiding just what he was capable of. Everyone thought he had a water type Zanpakuto, after all.

Another two years and the blonde man had graduated and joined the Gotei 13. Sosuke would not allow himself to forget such a potential threat, but he had more important things to worry about. He needed to choose a squad to join. The captains came for recruitment one every three months. He kept a close eye on them.

The first division... That would be a good strategic move, but it would put a great deal of suspicion on any actions he took. He had no intention of making a mistake, but he could not be certain at this point. The second division was led by a noble. That was out. The third division had changed hands recently and the captain offered no benefit and no obstacle to his goals. The fourth... He would sooner challenge Captain Commander Yamamoto than Captain Unohana. The fifth division's captain was another like the blonde man. He hid his true potential. It would be best to keep an eye on him as well. Maybe from inside his division.

The sixth division was led by yet another noble. The Kuchiki clan, no less. The seventh had also changed hands recently. The captain was unexceptional. The eighth was led by one of the first graduates of the Academy and a deceptively perceptive man. Sosuke knew his limits. He was not ready to engage that man in mental combat just yet. Better to keep his distance until he knew more. The ninth was led by a loud and hot headed man. His sense of righteousness would get in his way. The tenth was led by Lord Shiba. That was too close to home for his comfort.

There was no way he would be able to achieve his goals under the command of the Kenpachi of the eleventh division. The twelfth and thirteenth were both led by powerful captains he was not ready to face. He considered his options. Third, Fifth, Seventh, Ninth. It would be best to take one for himself and then station his loyal subordinate in another. Kaname Tousen would fit in well with Captain Muguruma in the ninth.

It is Captain Hirako I need to keep an eye on. I will join his division. With a decision made, he stepped into his inner world to consult his Zanpakuto. They would spend hours working through the steps and senarios and details and possibilities. It had become second nature to him, to analyze a situation and plan ten steps ahead. But she was something else entirely. She had a plan laid out for over a century. A plan where he united the world and stood as a transcendent being.

- Line -

He had made it. It had been easier than he had imagined to manipulate the captain of the fifth. All it had taken was a simple evaluation of the man's motivation and a change of tactics. A little suspicion was enough to make the man determined to keep him close. Perfect.

On the other hand, his experiments in the Rukongai had drawn upon him the wrath of a man who could one day grow dangerous. He had a plan laid out for him already. It was a minor concern, but if it were not handle carefully, it could become a disaster.

Recruitment was the best option. He could see at a glance the boy would do anything to achieve his goals. They were more similar than either would ever like to admit. The boy would kill on command if he believed it was leading to his vengeance. All he had to do was play ignorant and feed him just enough information dangerous to himself to keep him hooked.

Kaname Tousen continued to work for him within the ninth division, and was slowly working on an outcast of the seventh division. Captain Commander Yamamoto had taken him in and placed him, and yet no one had seen his face. That was a level of self doubt Sosuke could use to his advantage.

And the vengeful boy from the Rukongai... He would need to keep him close for a while, but eventually, he would do his bidding in the third division. Everything was coming together nicely in that aspect of the plan.

First, gain a foothold in Soul Society. Spies in the divisions and in the Rukongai. Next, a foothold in Hueco Mundo. He had accomplished that not long ago. It had taken him the better part of his last year at the Academy to build the garganta, but now he had an unlimited supply of Hollows. The plan has two results. I will become a perfect transcended being, and I will unite the world. Before I can unify myself or the world, I must first unify the components. A Hollow and a Shinigami is a good place to start.

His experiments finally yielded results, and in the same stroke he was able to get the erksome blonde man out of his hair and ascend to the rank of captain.

Next, Hollow and Quincy. The truly problematic step in the plan.

The experiment had not turned out as he had hoped, but they had not been worthless. Rather than a fusion of Quincy and Hollow, he would have access to a human child with the blood of Quincy, Shinigami, and Hollow. As close to a transcended being as the world had yet to see. He had felt only a moment of unease about what he did to his master's son. This was why he had kept his distance. One doubt nagged him, though.

Was this my doing, or Urahara's?

The blonde man had found yet another way to be under his feet. They were both pulling the strings of fate. It was like a game of chess, now. Two unmatched minds carefully moving pieces on a board that encompassed the world. They were the only unknowns to each other.

With the child born, there was a modification to the plan. Something so vital could not be left to chance. Isshin Shiba's power was bound to keep the woman alive. The woman was strong and deadly, but easy to fool with his power. In an afternoon, he had guaranteed himself power over the child when he needed it. And what was more, no one would suspect that the boy was under his control as much as the rest of them.

Now, I need to finish my army. He focused his efforts on his Arrancar. They were powerful, but only a stepping stone. In the end, they would be disposable. It should have sickened him how easily he could disregard a life now. Instead, they were nothing more than pawns with which he would win this game.

The boy grew and Sosuke put pawn after pawn in his way to craft his strength as he desired. One step at a time, he made the boy strong, and for once it seemed the blonde man was helping. Good. He didn't need to know he was training his own downfall.

The war came and went, and Sosuke sat bound in his cell. When the lights went out and the voices drew away, he grinned and plunged into his inner world.

"Kyoka Suigetsu. The plan is progressing as expected. Now we must wait for the Quincy to make their move. We should use this time wisely. I must be here to ensure that Soul Society survives the war. Ichigo has the strength to win now, but not the strength to bring everyone with him, as expected."

"Then it shall begin the next step of the plan. Do not forget. If you let your mind stagnate you will be useless when the time comes. I have left you puzzles. I will return when it is time for you to leave this place." The woman vanished. As he left his inner world, he felt her hand on his shoulder. He grinned wider. The fools believed he had fused with the Hogyoku. They believed it had destroyed his Zanpakuto then abandoned him. No... The Hogyoku was never within him to begin with.

The manifestation set off, leaving her master alone for the first time since he was a child. His power was weaker without her, but not insignificant. He would have more than enough to do his part. A minute here, an inch there. The small shifts in perception would go unnoticed, but they would change the course of the war. He needed Shinigami and Quincy or there would be no world to unite.

The Thousand Year Blood War came to a close, but not with the whimper he had meant to snuff it into, but with a roar of defiance from Ichigo. He had more than a shadow of doubt now. The boy had exceeded his expectations many times over, but he had overlooked a single detail, and it kept coming up. Never enough to disrupt his plans, but always enough to make him uneasy.

The infinite potential of a living human that he had used to his advantage. But he had neglected to take into account exactly what that meant when he carried the blood of a Hollow. A Hollow, with the instinctive ability to draw out its full potential. With no small amount of luck, the boy would not become too much stronger or even his hypnosis would not be enough to keep him in check.

As expected, he became a captain, and in time his family followed. The Shiba clan had come home. He doubted anyone alive knew or cared that he had once been considered a member of the Shiba clan as well. It was of little consequence.

The Delta Division was a stroke of luck. A step toward the unity he intended to build. A division of delegates from every race for the purpose of peace. To spread understanding and prevent another war. It took so much bloodshed to finally prompt an action that should have been taken thousands of years ago. There was still work to be done.

He realized, too late, that he and Urahara had never been at odds. They had both wanted the same thing. They had both taken the same steps. Now it was clear that there was only one difference in their plans. Sosuke had cast away his morality for the greater good. Urahara had chosen to rise above his obstacles through other means. Imagination and luck had been his allies. They were strong allies indeed, if unreliable.

His plan was ready to come to a close. His final experiment had proven successful. A Hollow and Quincy hybrid. It was strong. It had broken him free and fled, as it was always intended to do. Now was the final step. Now was when everything would come together or come crashing to the ground.

He knew now that Urahara would finish the plan once he was gone. He needed to draw out the Spirit King and strike him down. The the throne would be free.

Free for Ichigo to take, even though he did not want it.

Sosuke smiled and thought back to his master. A Shiba as the Spirit King. That was what the world needed. The Delta Division uniting the world. One more war and there could be lasting peace. What would lure the Spirit King out? What could he not stand for? A being that stood higher than nobility. A being that could defy his will.

Ichigo had come close, and it was the only wrench that could be thrown into the gears at this point. Sosuke had to make the Spirit King the enemy before Ichigo showed his true power, or it would have all been for nothing.