Book II, Part II: Outbreak - Convergence
Chapter IV: Loyalty
[Nether Plane, Chateau du Suzerain]
Aizen Sosuke had never been one to lead by compassion and understanding. He ruled through fear, asserting his mighty will over the lesser beings in his plane and shaping them to his liking. Be that the lowliest Daiesthai or the mightiest Espada under his command, every being in the Nether Plane knew Aizen Sosuke's power. His was an unquenchable inferno of power that was just as likely to light their way to glory as consume them in its spread, and through that he commanded loyalty.
Respect, however, was another matter. He had no need for such trivialities - so long as those he ruled obeyed his command, their level of respect towards him was irrelevant, a mere trifle on his road to conquest. He often looked at his fellow planar leaders and wondered why they strove so hard to inspire fealty not through power, but through respect and mutual understanding. It was a recipe for disaster in his mind. If one thought they could challenge you, then they inevitably would.
Such as the one who currently graced his presence.
Aizen was skeptical of the idea that a mere Erudite would be able to pull off such a grandiose plan, but the one in front of him was as confident as anyone he'd ever seen despite the odds. It was only natural that she'd come to enlist the aid of a planar leader, though. The woman may have been a Planeswalker, but she simply didn't have the power required to fulfill her task. She had seemed impatient at first to get the plan underway, but Aizen had quickly reined her desires in - there was no sense in rushing things. He had forces to mobilize, and with the Lord Sovereign in tentative agreement they now had the power to move forward as soon as he was ready. The Daiesthai in the Nether Plane were numerous, more so than any of the other two planes, and it would take some time to amass the force he would need.
Once it was done, however, there would be nothing to stand in his way - especially with the addition of the Order of Grim Angels.
"So, Lord Sosuke, you believe your forces will be ready in a week's time?" Mai asked, sitting at a table along with the Overlord. She sipped slowly on a cup of tea as Aizen smiled, offering a slight nod to the Planeswalker.
"Correct. Several of my Espada are gathering my forces even now," he replied. The inherent nature of Daiesthai meant that they did not act for a common interest - the Espada would have to use their overwhelming power to compel the lesser beings to obey. Such an act took time and great amounts of energy, enough so that even the Espada would need a short time to recover before they departed. He had entrusted his top six Espada with the task, as they would be least affected by the fatigue that would inevitably set in when gathering thousands of Daiesthai. The task would have been trivial for himself, he knew, but he would need to be at his strongest to ensure victory. Any expenditure until it became necessary, despite his confidence in victory, was a risk he was unwilling to take.
"And the Lord Sovereign's forces?"
"They will join us as soon as we depart," Aizen said. "He has agreed to send his Captains and Vice-Captains, but only them."
"Only twelve?" Mai asked, a slight frown gracing her face. "Is this some kind of insult?"
"To the contrary," Aizen replied, "he believes that is all we will need to ensure victory." Mai was silent for a few seconds as she mulled Aizen's words over, considering them carefully before speaking again.
"He places great trust in them," the Planeswalker said, setting her cup back onto the table. She was unsure of how powerful the Lord Sovereign's strongest were, but she remembered the former Order of Grim Angels from centuries past. If they were equally formidable, then perhaps the Lord Sovereign's assessment was correct.
"As well he should," Aizen said with a smile. "Though my Espada are superior, I can respect the dedication of the Lord Sovereign's warriors."
Mai smiled at Aizen's casual declaration - nothing less than she expected from the Overlord. "Of course, Lord Sosuke. I will trust that the Lord Sovereign's warriors will not disappoint us."
"If I may, Lady Kuroki," Aizen began. "Why choose now to attempt this?" Aizen had, uncharacteristically, been unable to discern the reason behind the Erudite's sudden plan and desires. It had gnawed at him since their first meeting, and knowing what she was after did little to aid him in understanding the why of it all. She had little capability to hold on to what she desired even if she achieved her goal, and it would leave her with nothing at the end of it all.
"It is simple, Lord Sosuke," she remarked, taking another slow sip of her tea before returning her gaze to her host. "It is all in accordance with His will."
Everything suddenly became crystal clear to the Overlord. This was not done for herself - indeed, she knew she would come away with nothing. But by serving Erasmus, she would come away with everything. Any lingering concerns vanished from Aizen's mind in an instant. By assisting Mai, he would in turn be assisting Erasmus, and any chance to curry favor with their realm's creator was an opportunity that could not be passed up.
"I understand," he said, keeping the cool smile that he always wore in place. "If it is His will, then I shall be glad to assist in this endeavor."
A deep knock suddenly came from the doors to Aizen's throne room, and he turned his gaze over towards the sound. "Enter," he called, watching as the door slowly swung open enough to allow his aide entry into the room.
"My lord, the Novena has returned," she said, bowing deeply to Aizen as she spoke.
"Excellent," Aizen replied, watching as Mai slowly got up from the table and offered a bow in his direction.
"I shall take my leave now, Lord Sosuke," she said with a warm smile. "You seem to have other matters that demand your attention, and I believe we are in agreement as it stands."
"Very well, Lady Kuroki. I will send word when I am prepared," he replied, watching as the Planeswalker walked briskly from the room and disappeared down the hall beyond before turning his attention back to his aide. "Send her in, please."
"Of course, my lord," the Arrancar replied, stepping out of the room again. Only a few seconds later, Xeria stepped into the room with Yuki's still form carried over one shoulder, the heavy door swinging shut with a dull thump that almost sounded like a death knell.
"Your new chosen, my lord," Xeria said, the usual edge of contempt to the honorific as she slowly set Yuki's form down on the pristine tile floor of the room. A faint frown drew across Aizen's face as Xeria felt his reiatsu pulse over her for a brief instant, a clear sign of displeasure before it calmed once again.
"I would have preferred the girl unharmed, my lovely Novena," he said, the earlier mirth in his voice now gone and replaced by a dangerously tight tone and steely gaze.
"The girl agreed to be tested, and I obliged," Xeria replied, waving the statement off with a lazy toss of her hand. "She would not be here if you were incorrect in your judgment, would she? Would it be best for the Nether Plane for your charges to be soft?"
There was a pause for a few moments, and the smile slowly returned to Aizen's face - something which frightened Xeria more than if he had continued to appear angry. "Perhaps you are correct," he said, offering a faint nod. "Since you took such initiative in testing my newest chosen, perhaps you could give me an evaluation of her capabilities."
The statement was an order rather than a request, Xeria knew. "For such a young girl, she is...skilled," Xeria began, gazing down briefly at Yuki. "She wields magic with a fluidity that is unusual in one so young, and she possesses a respectable amount of power. In the right hands, she will be a formidable Planeswalker."
"Is her magical prowess also the reason why I can feel your reiatsu suffusing her body?"
The question seemed innocent enough, but Xeria knew it was anything but. Aizen's gaze across her body as he spoke, taking in her tattered clothing and mild injuries, seemed to be almost mocking in a way. He'd sent an Espada to collect a Hume, and said Hume had clearly given the Espada in question a much tougher fight than they had expected...he was relishing in her weakness, she knew. Her temper threatened to flare again at the idea of his mockery, but she forced it back down with great strength of will and kept her response simple.
"It is," she said, the words stiff and tight as they escaped her lips.
Aizen seemed to wait for her to elaborate further, but decided after a few seconds to let the matter drop - whatever had happened seemed to be a sore point for the Espada, and it was likely that he would find out the particulars for himself soon enough. The wounded pride of one of his Espada would only serve to remind her that complacency breeds weakness, something which was not tolerated in the Nether Plane.
"I believe that will be all, then," he said, standing from his chair at the table and beginning to head towards his throne again. He heard Xeria's feet tapping on the floor as she also made to leave, and he stopped just short of reaching his throne before calling out to Xeria again.
"However..."
The word made the Novena Espada stop, and she turned just enough to see Aizen looking back over a shoulder at her before she felt the overwhelming force of his reiatsu upon her, forcing the air from her lungs with a grasp of surprise as she fell roughly to her knees under the strain.
"Dare to step outside the boundaries of my orders again, and it shall be the last order you disobey."
He turned back towards his throne, stepping up and taking his seat upon it again as he watched his Espada shakily rise and exit the room. Ordinarily, he would have simply killed her for disobeying such as she had, but circumstances demanded that he use his pawns to the fullest. She was insubordinate, but she would still be useful to him...and if she happened to meet her end in the process?
Well, it would be a shame, but there was no shortage of eager Arrancar to take her place.
He reclined on his throne as he waited for his newest chosen to awaken, lazily resting his head on one hand while he watched. All of his pieces were nearly in place now, and he would soon enough stand in the heavens as he had long sought to do.
[July 16, 2152 | Trabia Garden, Third Floor, Operations Center | 11:30 AM]
Katanas' operations center was a flurry of activity, organized and efficient despite the multitude of reports and collected data being exchanged. They were getting reports of two injured SeeD in one of the outer quadrants of Garden's perimeter, and had been trying to get camera feeds and radar activity from that area for the last few minutes. A team had already been dispatched to the area to recover the wounded SeeD, and they were being actively tracked via GLD as they headed towards the area. Katanas pulled up the personnel files of the two SeeD involved - Aidan Haynes and Eren Carr - as he watched the screen in front of him, also beginning to pull their assignments for the day to see why they had been deployed.
"Commander, the recovery team has reached the site," one SeeD said, causing Katanas to nod. "They're securing the area now."
"Good," Katanas replied. "Have them evac the wounded and recon the area to make sure it's secure. Get a recording of the area for analysis and return to Garden ASAP."
The woman he'd addressed nodded, and he turned to another SeeD in the room. "Comms, what's the status on that video feed?"
"It's no good, sir," the communications officer replied. "I still can't get a live feed through. Cameras and radar in that area have been offline for a few hours now - we stepped up patrols in that area to maintain surveillance, but we've been blind in that sector except for field ops since around 0750."
Katanas sighed softly, but said nothing immediately. Their techs had been working overtime to repair damage to their fleet and mechanized forces from the conflict with Sin. A relatively small area's camera and radar feed had been deemed a lower priority than that, coupled with an increase in patrols to try and countermand the temporary flaw.
"Do we know the cause?"
"Seems to be a hardware failure, sir," the officer replied. "A request was routed to engineering for assessment and repairs at 0800 when we determined it wasn't a software or connection issue."
"Find and rank that request top priority," Katanas said. "A slight delay in repairs to our force is acceptable when compared against our operational security."
"Yes, sir," the officer said, turning back to his console as he began to track down the task. Katanas returned his gaze to the duty schedules he'd pulled, scanning over them briefly before pausing again. There was a third member in that duty group - Yuki Kurabasa. Initial reports had only mentioned two SeeD, he realized. His fingers brushed quickly over his panel, pulling up her duty schedule as well and confirming that she had also not reported back in from patrol.
"This is Commander DeValle," he said, opening a comm channel to the recovery team. "Lieutenant Yuki Kurabasa was supposed to be with that patrol as well - is there any sign of her?" The line was silent for a few seconds before Katanas heard back from the SeeD on the other end.
"No, sir. We have recovered Ensigns Haynes and Carr and are giving them medical care now, but there is no sign of any other SeeD in the vicinity."
Katanas frowned. He wasn't particularly well acquainted with the girl, but every report he had heard from the magical instructors had listed her as an exceptional and dedicated student. He couldn't be sure, but he had a gut feeling that he could rule out desertion given what he had heard from instructors. If she hadn't fled, then something else had happened, and Katanas was sure that it was nothing good.
"Captain, scan the sector for any sign of Lieutenant Kurabasa and report back. I suspect that she may still be in danger, wherever she is." If the girl was as skilled as he'd heard, then the monsters roaming the plains would've been nothing but mere annoyances barring a rare encounter with a Behemoth or similar fiend, especially with two other SeeD alongside her.
"Security," Katanas said, prompting a SeeD near the door to step over to him, rank pips identifying them as a major in the combat division.
"Yes, Commander?"
"Please issue an alert to all security personnel for Lieutenant Yuki Kurabasa, last seen roughly four miles from Garden's campus. She is to be assisted if in trouble and detained for questioning following any potential conflict."
"Right away, sir," the major replied, pulling out his GLD as he headed off to meet with the head of security for Garden. While Katanas didn't take her for a deserter, protocol dictated that the operational security of Garden came before any kind of personal feelings. The security force would handle things in an acceptable manner; Garden forces wouldn't be mistreated regardless of the circumstances.
Katanas' GLD suddenly notified him of an incoming transmission, causing him to check the device for the source. When he saw who the sender was, a look of curiosity flashed across his face briefly as he pressed a button to hold the transmission before turning to his team again.
"I've another matter to attend to - please keep me updated on the status of the recovery team and any leads on Lieutenant Kurabasa," he said, receiving a chorus of affirmative responses from the gathered SeeD in the operations center before he turned to leave.
His office was only a short walk from the operations center, and he nodded politely to Ein as he passed before stepping inside and locking the door behind him for privacy. He quickly stepped over to the desk and connected the GLD to his terminal before accepting the call, watching as the face of Commander Tanaka appeared on his viewscreen.
"This is Commander DeValle - how may I help you, Commander Tanaka?"
"Commander," the woman said, greeting Katanas with a slight nod. "I wanted to let you know that we have completed our debriefing of Lindsey Geneave following the shutdown of Vector's main campus."
"It must have been extensive, given the length of time it has taken," Katanas mused, earning a nod from Hikari.
"Miss Geneave held a wealth of information from her time at Vector, as well as her memories of the kidnapping itself. However, we discovered information in her recollections which may be...damaging...to Garden if released." She paused, noticing the look on Katanas' face darken. "I would prefer to discuss this information in person, as well as present you with a copy of the debriefing transcriptions and other data that was collected by Lindsey following her...conversion," she added.
"I've no issue with that," Katanas replied.
"I can be en route to Garden in ten minutes," Hikari said, "along with Lieutenant Commander Butler and Lieutenant Hanley. We will have electronic and hard copies of all the information disclosed to us by Miss Geneave so that you can make an educated plan of action moving forward."
"Thank you for the thoroughness and discretion, Commander," Katanas remarked, glad that the Presidential Guard was as exceptionally skilled and professional as ever. "Also, I have a question, if I may."
"Yes?"
"How is she doing?"
Hikari paused, the emotionless mask of professionalism slipping a bit as she sighed. "As well as can be expected, Commander. Physically, she is in perfect health - the cybernetic implants and modifications were a complete success, as far as our technicians and medical specialists have been able to determine. Mentally...if it weren't for SeeD training, I fear she would have been much worse off. She is holding herself together well in light of everything that has happened. I think it would be best to discuss how to handle her current situation once I arrive."
"I agree," Katanas said, nodding. "I want to thank you and your team for what you've done, and for the lengths you went to in order to keep one of our officers safe. If there is anything further we can do to help with her situation, please let us know."
"We will, Commander. I'll get my team underway immediately so that we can get this matter sorted. Tanaka out."
[Soul Society, Rukongai, 27th District]
The 27th district of Rukongai in Soul Society was, by most standards, a fairly ordinary place even amongst the surroundings of the plane it inhabited. It was one of the closer districts to Seireitei, where the Lord Sovereign and his guards resided, and as such many Quincy made their homes there in relative peace and quiet when compared to the more active central areas and districts just beyond the Seireitei walls.
Etchel Beoulve often found himself here when he wasn't off visiting the Ethereal or mortal planes, trying to hide from the stern wrath of his Vice-Captain over some form or another of paperwork or forgotten duties...though, he admitted to himself, he had much different reasons for being here at the present moment.
The calming scent of lavender and jasmine filled his nose as he walked towards a building in the distance, the only such habitat for a few miles in any direction, and he smiled at the sensation. An old friend of his had taken up residence out at the edges of the small forest that wound through the district, and he'd spent countless days wasting away the hours drinking tea at a humble flower shop that somehow felt more like a home than the Second Division barracks ever had. The building was, despite its deliberately rustic appearance, immaculately kept and finely constructed, a simple yet sturdy wooden building with glass windows that was a far cry from the polished stone and tiles of the inner districts. Fruit trees of all varieties were scattered around the area, brightly-hued flowers and fruits giving a brilliant contrast to the green and brown hues of the forest around it, and similarly vivid flowers sparkled in the light all around him as he walked down the stone-lined path leading to the entrance. Casually, he reached up and gave a few short knocks on the door, a particular pattern that he always used when he visited, and the door swung open a few seconds later.
"I didn't expect you to come by today, Etchel."
The voice belonged to a young-looking woman with dark hair that reached all the way down her back, cut into an elegant style with two long bangs that fell to either side of her face, who wore a simplistic-looking violet kimono embroidered with pink and white flower patterns in curving shapes along its length. Etchel smiled as she stepped aside to allow him entrance, glad to see that she was actually in the shop and not out on some task.
"You should know by now that I always do the unexpected, Risa-chan," Etchel said, a mischievous twinkle in his eyes. "How have you been?"
"I've been well," she replied, taking a seat at a table near the back of the shop as Etchel moved to do the same. "And you?"
"Same old, same old - making Kuchiki want to demote me, trying to dodge all the paperwork Fia-chan throws at me...you know."
Risa laughed - in all the years she'd known Etchel, he'd always been the same loafing layabout of a Captain. Except when things truly required him to be serious, of course.
"One of these days, she's simply going to take your position from you, you know," Risa said with a smile, standing again and starting to head towards what seemed to be a small kitchen separated from the main body of the flower shop. "Tea?"
"Sounds good to me," Etchel replied, nodding. "How are the kids? Still training?"
"They are doing well, and are making good progress," Risa replied, setting up a kettle of water and letting it begin to boil. "Sakura, in particular, is improving her aspects quickly. She can already maintain one almost indefinitely, and Takeru isn't far behind her in that respect."
"Hard to believe they're coming along so fast," he remarked. "I remember when you adopted those kids - they looked like they were gonna run away from their own shadows, and now look at them."
"I'm very proud of both of them," Risa said, the warm overtones of a pleased mother filling her voice even as she changed the subject. "What brings you all the way out here today, Etchel?"
"I'm not allowed to simply come and enjoy the company of a friend?" he asked innocently. Risa simply laughed.
"Of course you are, but you came here for a reason. I could see it written all over your face the moment I opened the door for you, you know."
Etchel chuckled - Risa had always been able to read his emotions and intentions, along with those of pretty much any other member of the Order that he'd seen, with ease after getting to know them even a little. It was a gift that seemed to occasionally border on the supernatural, but he'd grown used to her strange talent over time.
"Right - forgot for a minute you're almost a mind reader," he joked. "I'll cut to the chase, then." He leaned back in the wooden chair, making himself comfortable. "I wanted to ask a favor. Might be a little troublesome, but I didn't want to just write it off without trying."
"What kind of favor?"
"So, remember that kid I told you about? The one I've been helping Kari train, Freya's new Planeswalker?"
"I do - what about him?"
"Well..." Etchel started, pausing for a moment and fidgeting a little in the seat. "I wanted to see if you'd give him some training too."
That made Risa turn her attention fully away from the water she was heating and back to Etchel, a look of mild confusion on her face as she stared at the Captain. "Why would you like me to do that? Is the instruction you are already giving him not sufficient?"
"No, it's not that...I just thought that you might be the best one to really teach him some things that we can't, given the way his fighting style seems to be developing."
The subtle play of emotion on Risa's face was fascinating to Etchel, and he could almost see the conflicting feelings warring with each other in her mind as she stared at him, partially lost in thought. "I...you know how I feel about this now, Etchel. I haven't trained anyone in centuries. I gave up that lifestyle when I died and was reborn here."
"But you still practice," Etchel said simply, the small smile returning to his face.
"I do," Risa admitted, not denying the point. "If only to keep my family safe. But I want to leave my fighting days behind me - you know that. Why would you ask me to train someone now, of all times...and a new Planeswalker, at that?"
"Like I said, I think you're the best to teach him. Kari's taught him a lot, but she can only go so far. Your style would be perfect for someone like him, if he's able to pick it up."
Risa didn't say anything for a few seconds, just looking at Etchel and weighing the thoughts in her mind before she let out a long, tired sigh. "I can't, Etchel. I'm sorry," she said simply, turning her attention back to the kettle of water.
"...He has your blade, Chieko."
The whistling of the boiling kettle cut through the sudden silence as Risa turned around at the sound of her former name, a shocked look suddenly on the face of the former Captain of the Fifth Division.
"...What did you say?"
"Kari gave it to him...she trusts him enough that she gave him a weapon she held locked away for centuries. And he can hear it."
Risa wasn't sure which statement stunned her more as she removed the boiling water from the flame, pouring it into cups to let the tea begin to steep and cool. That Inihara had given the Diviner up at all was almost an impossible thought to her; Etchel had told her stories once she had reincarnated about how reverent the former Fifth Division Captain was towards her mentor's blade. But for it to be given to a Hume, and then for that Hume to be able to hear the Diviner spirit's voice...that was equal measures impossible and fascinating all the same.
"If those words had come from anyone but you, I would dismiss it as a joke or a trick," Risa said slowly, still digesting the implications of what Etchel had just said. "But as much as you try to act the fool and layabout, you would never lie about something like that."
"You're right, I wouldn't. Kari sees a lot of you in this kid - she admitted as much to me. She wouldn't have dared trust him with this otherwise."
"Then that is the real reason you want me to train him." Risa's voice was quiet and filled with certainty, no hint of a question in her words.
"Right. We don't know what will happen from here, but...it's your blade. Who better to try?"
Both Malakh and Quincy trailed off at Etchel's unanswered question, the violet-clad woman's face as unreadable as any Etchel had ever seen. He waited for seconds that seemed to drag on into minutes, bits of time that passed agonizingly slowly as his companion contemplated his request once again. He watched silently as she retrieved the two cups of tea, removing the tiny bags of leaves from the cups before she handed one to him and took a long sip of her own.
"If he is committed to this, bring him here when you are able. I will teach him all that he is capable of learning from me."
Etchel slowly smiled, taking a sip of the hot beverage in his hands. "I think he'll surprise you, Risa-chan."