AN: Hey all! Sorry for being gone for so long - between work and life in general, there was a lot going on this past month and a half. Plus, this chapter has a pretty big event that I was obsessing over. As always, HUGE hug and thank-you to Angela for being my beta and, at times, basically my co-writer!

Things to add to the list of "Stuff I researched for a freakin' fanfic:"

*astrophysics (including black holes, neutron stars, strange matter, dark matter, other types of "strange stars")

*quantum physics and string theory

*the samsara cycle

For the first two, HUGE thanks to YouTube channels Kurzgesagt and SEA.

…now on with the show!

23. Creation

The years passed, and little changed. Shinigami continued to steadily - though unreliably - send Plus Souls and purified Hollows to the Rukongai. Central 46 continued to issue its untouchable decrees, though there was little for them to comment on. The balance of the worlds was maintained with little actual effort, and Soul Society itself remained a stable, intransigent presence.

Within that static frame, Kaede relished every bit of growth and decay she came across. The captains were growing steadily more complacent and lazy, while she and Sousuke continued to evolve.

Today, under the dappled sun, Kaede oversaw another person's evolution. She stood atop a thick limb of a tall tree, unconsciously blending in with her surroundings. It was a habit now after years of Stealth Corps training, though today she really only needed to blend her reiatsu; after all, it wasn't like her target could see her.

Below her stood Tousen Kaname, clad in the white and navy blue ensemble that all male Academy students wore. He was breathing heavily, sweat trickling down his brow. He held his inherited Zanpakuto, Suzumushi, in front of him, his body tense with anticipation. He was waiting for her next move.

Kaede drew her own sword from its scabbard and silently flash-stepped towards him. At the last possible instant, Kaname moved, blocking her strike with a resounding clang. Kaede grinned; his sensing skills, already quite remarkable, had vastly improved over the last few years. He went for the counterattack, and Kaede responded with a block of her own, pivoting to confound his perception of where she was. He met her blow for blow, keeping up with her quick movements. At one point, their blades locked together, creating a momentary pause. Kaname lifted one finger from the hilt of his sword.

"Hado 4," he intoned. "Byakurai!"

Kaede felt the energy swiftly gathering at his fingertip and flash-stepped out of the way, avoiding the lightning bolt that came next. Another grin played on her face. Byakurai…a fairly low-level Kido spell, but Kaname had just used it without a full incantation! She couldn't help a small swell of pride. The Academy may have taught him many of these skills, but she got to see his real progress in these sessions. Kaname had proved a quick study, even a bit of a genius; at Sousuke's suggestion, he'd started holding himself back in front of the instructors. It would be useful for Kaname to be a little underestimated by the rest of the Gotei, at least for now.

Even so, he still had a ways to go. The Byakurai had been weak; even if it had hit her, it wouldn't have done much more than knock her back a few steps.

Then she heard Kaname's near-breathless voice utter the incantation: "Suzumushi Nishiki: Benihiko!"

He swung his sword in a wide arc around himself, and in the blink of an eye, dozens of short, thin blades appeared from nowhere in the space his Zanpakuto had passed through. With another swing of his sword, Kaname sent those blades hurtling in Kaede's direction.

So the Byakurai had just been a distraction, a tactic to put some distance between them so he could do this. Kaede's satisfaction grew tenfold at the sight: just over a year ago, Kaname had struggled to create even a dozen of these blades, and he'd had virtually no control over their speed or direction. Shunpo was her ally once again as she dodged as many blades as she could and blocked the ones she couldn't. She jumped, avoiding three blades that would have converged on her at once.

While in midair, she felt the telltale flicker of Kaname's reiatsu as he flash-stepped closer to her, blade poised to strike directly. He'd expect her to counter or block his strike, or simply dodge it altogether. Instead, Kaede lowered her sword and made no other move, staring impassively at Kaname's unseeing eyes as he came at her.

Kaname's sword stopped a centimeter from her liver.

Kaede sighed. Just as she'd thought.

She could have blocked or dodged with ease, just as she could have ended this battle at any moment before this. But the purpose of these sessions wasn't for her to simply beat Kaname down; they were a test of both his abilities and - more importantly - his will.

Kaname moved to continue his assault, but it was too late; with a movement so quick it didn't seem to exist, Kaede knocked the sword from his grip completely. With a final strike combination he was on his hands and knees, her blade at his throat.

Kaede considered Kaname's exhausted form and slid her sword back into its sheath. "That's enough for today."

Kaname jerked his head up at the sound of her voice. "I can keep going!"

But his body shook subtly as he rose, his breath came in heavy pants, and when he reached for his sword, his grip was tenuous. Kaede wasn't surprised that he would try to continue; she suspected that he would have kept going until he was on the brink of death if she would have allowed it. She knew better than to point out the evidence of his exhaustion though, as it would only make him more determined to keep going.

"You'll be performing in the Captain's Visit in a few days," Kaede reminded him instead. "You shouldn't exhaust yourself so much if you want to make a good impression with Hirako-taicho. You have to let yourself recover. Besides-" She grinned, drawing herself up with a bit of pride. "I made us lunch!"

She produced two cloth-wrapped boxes, each with a pair of chopsticks tied into the knots. Handing one to Kaname, she dropped down onto the grass beside him.

"I tried to recreate that chicken recipe you showed me a while back," she told him. "So be honest with me here. I made some pickles too, but I know you don't like them, so I left them out of yours."

Kaname took the bento with some hesitation. "Thank you, Kaede-sama, but this really isn't necessary. You're already being generous with your time."

"Call it a trade," she replied, inwardly cringing a bit at being called "-sama." She'd tried to get him to address her less formally, but even getting him to use her given name had been a chore. "You're teaching me to cook, I'm helping you with your Hakuda and Zanjutsu - and I can say with confidence that Sousuke is pleased with the results of both," she added.

As predicted, the mention of her husband's approval seemed to put Kaname at ease. He took a tentative bite of chicken. "The seasoning is good, if a little salty. Try some citrus juice next time instead of more salt; it will brighten the flavor."

"Hai, sensei."

Kaname smiled tentatively; getting him used to her sense of humor had also been an uphill battle, and she wasn't sure he'd ever be comfortable enough to joke with her in turn.

"You've made remarkable progress over the past six years," Kaede said. "If you weren't keeping the extent of your abilities secret, you'd have your pick of Divisions. With enough battle experience, you'll have no trouble claiming a high ranking seat in the future."

"I am glad to hear you say so," Kaname replied humbly. "It's been my goal to become the strongest, most capable version of myself, so that I might aid Aizen-sama and yourself as much as I possibly can."

"But," Kaede interjected, "there are some habits you'll need to overcome before you get there. The foremost of those habits is your hesitation. Your strikes are precise, but your hesitation slows you down or stops you entirely beforehand and the power of your attack is greatly diminished."

Kaede had seen it in each and every one of her sessions with Kaname over the years. He'd become proficient in most of the Hakuda and Zanjutsu forms she'd taught him, but whenever he'd get an opportunity to strike her, he would hesitate - a habit which would get him killed instantly in a real fight. This hadn't been the first time she'd deliberately refused to defend herself against him just to see if he'd actually hit her.

She knew he was capable of more. He'd slain quite a few Hollows between his Academy field trips and the times he'd spent in Hueco Mundo with her and Sousuke. But while Kaname was aware of both Kaede's astonishing healing rate and the fact that he was nowhere near powerful enough to pose a real threat to her, he was always reluctant to actually try and harm her.

Kaname hung his head, and when he spoke again, his tone was colored with shame. "Forgive me, Kaede-sama."

"There's nothing to forgive," she insisted. "Just know that I'm more durable than I seem. You don't have to hold back around me, and you shouldn't."

"Then may I ask why you do hold back? You never release your Zanpakuto when we're training."

Her brows rose; it was rare to hear him be so direct with her. "Simple: If I did, you'd never hit me, but I'd always hit you. There'd be no real 'training' happening. Besides, it's not me you'll be up against eventually, but other people with other abilities."

"Does that bother you?" he asked. "That you'll have to fight and kill other Shinigami?"

"I've already had to do that," Kaede answered quietly. "And you will too, sooner than you think."

"I'm prepared-"

"But you haven't killed anyone yet," Kaede pointed out, her appetite waning. "I won't sugar-coat this: You will need to hurt and kill other people, be it as a Shinigami, or for our cause. It's never easy, but you can't afford to hesitate when it needs to be done."

How many lives had she taken already? Most were on Soul Society's own orders, and in those cases, she knew she had to do it to maintain appearances. Only a few times did she have to kill directly for their cause. She didn't like it, but it was imperative for them to maintain a certain image and reputation so they could pursue their goals with as few eyes on them as possible. So when someone who worked for them - knowingly or otherwise - began behaving in ways that could harm that image, they had to be eliminated. Sometimes Sousuke could orchestrate their deaths to be "in the line of duty" or to seem accidental, but other times, more direct action was necessary.

Kaname bowed his head. "I understand, and I'm prepared to do whatever it takes to protect our cause."

Kaede sighed and set down her half-eaten lunch. "I don't relish the idea of fighting people I've lived with, worked with, even like, but it's going to happen, and it won't always feel 'just' or 'fair.' There are some that I think deserve to be taken out, like Tokinada, but honestly, I think most people are either unaware of how things really work, or simply too complacent to do anything about it. It's easy to look the other way when you're comfortable enough, and harder to admit when things need to change."

Her heart felt heavy as she remembered how painful it had been to realize that Soul Society, as it was now, would never accept her. She now knew that it was better to have her eyes open to the truth, but she'd grieved the loss of that innocence that used to give her hope. She had a different source of hope now though, one determined by her actions and decisions rather than anyone else's decrees.

"That's why," she continued, "I hope that we can open people's eyes - not just to reality, but to the possibility that it doesn't have to be this way. But those in power right now will do everything to keep people's eyes closed; we can't just rely on turning people's hearts and minds."

"So we must be ready to fight," Kaname said, a bit of sadness in his voice.

"It's inevitable," Kaede confirmed softly. "People believe whatever the Nobles and Central say because they were granted authority by the highest being in existence - the Soul King. For many, that's reason enough to keep their eyes closed, even when presented with alternatives. But if it's the Soul King's will to allow such corruption and self-interest to govern the worlds, then I question how legitimate the Soul King himself is as a ruler. It's very likely that we will need to battle him one day, and for that, it won't be enough to simply be strong. We need to go higher than the highest being in existence to do that."

She sighed. "Or at least, that's what Sousuke says. I do still think there's value in turning hearts and minds, a little at a time, and in gaining allies like you." Her lips turned up at the corners. "You know, I've actually been reading some of the more recent material from the Human World. Quite a few of their nations seem to be coming to the same conclusion: that power isn't something granted by the divine, but by the people. It may be that we can learn something from their efforts, even though we exist on a much larger time scale."

"I didn't realize you and Aizen-sama took inspiration from humans."

Kaede almost corrected him - Sousuke, though well-read, tended to see the works of the living more as a form of mild entertainment than something to be learned from. His interests were more in the historical and scientific fields anyway, particularly in the occasional overlap between the Human and Shinigami worlds.

"It's…something of a hobby," she settled on. "I think in some ways, humans learn certain lessons faster because they have such comparatively limited time to work within. We're all mortal, but as Souls and Shinigami, I think we take for granted how 'stable' and 'eternal' the world is. I mean…if you really look into Soul Society's history, not much has changed since the Quincy War eight hundred years ago. Yet if you look at the same span of time in the Human World, entire societies and dynasties have risen and fallen. Wars have changed the way maps are drawn and the languages people speak several times over. Technology has been advancing faster than ever, and it's already affecting how people live. Heck, even their belief systems have changed monumentally in that time."

"And yet Soul Society stays the same," Kaname muttered bitterly. "They even go so far as to limit or forbid real growth and evolution. You are a living example of that." He flinched then, as though realizing he'd overstepped his bounds by saying so. "I apologize-"

"No," Kaede dismissed. "You're right. I used to think they put so many restrictions on me because they were afraid of another Catastrophe happening, and maybe that was a real part of it. But over the years, it's become clear to me that they're more afraid of what I would be capable of if they stopped restricting me. They feared that I would become powerful enough to threaten everything they stand for. Ironic, really." A shadow fell over her heart. "When you treat someone like a beast or a monster or a traitor, you can't be surprised when that's exactly what they become."

"You aren't a monster or a beast," Kaname said. "And though Soul Society may call us all traitors, it's a label I intend to wear with honor."

"Cheers to that," Kaede replied, lifting a piece of chicken like she was giving a toast. "I'm glad you're with us, Kaname. It gives me hope that there will be others who feel the same as we do - who want to make things better. The more people we can get like you, the less life will need to be lost in the long run."

Kaname bowed his head. "I'm the one who should be thanking you and Aizen-sama. If you hadn't intervened when…" He trailed off, his brow pinching. "You have both given me purpose and hope. I only hope that I can live up to your expectations of me."

Kaede smiled. "Right now, you can rest up for the Captains' Visit. Besides, we're going to need you on another Hueco Mundo trip soon after that."

That made Kaname perk up. He'd been on a few expeditions with them now, his eagerness to be of use overriding any fear he still had over facing Hollows. "When do we go?"

"Not for another month or so," she told him. "Sousuke will need to oversee orientation for the new recruits - including you. Part of the fun of being Lieutenant now: he gets to do all the legwork for the division," she added, voice dripping with sarcasm.

Kaname was quiet for a moment, his chopsticks resting lightly against half-eaten rice. "Kaede-sama…do you think Aizen-sama would be interested in another ally?"

Her brows rose. She had a feeling she knew who he'd be suggesting; a while back, he'd mentioned a friend he'd made at the Academy, another outcast. Komamura, if she recalled correctly.

"Depends on the person," she answered honestly. "We have to be careful with who we include."

"Of course," Kaname quickly agreed. "I haven't said a word about either of you to him - I wouldn't, not without your say-so."

She trusted that about him. Kaname was an earnest soul; the last thing he'd wish to do was put any of them in jeopardy. "Tell Sousuke about him, if you think he might be an ally. Maybe ask your friend to join Division Five with you - that way Sousuke can vet him."

"Thank you, Kaede-sama," Kaname said. "I'll do that."

She knew why he was asking, of course. He probably did think that his friend could be of use to them in their endeavors, but he also knew that anyone who wasn't on their side could eventually become their enemy. Kaname had no found-family in Soul Society now that Kakyo was gone; it was only natural that he didn't want to lose yet another person close to him.

And if this friend of his wasn't on their side when the time finally came for them to show their hand, it was very likely that would happen.

The grounds of Division Five weren't exceptional in any particular sense. They were about the same size as most other divisions, landscaped in the same generic style as much of the Seireitei, with nearly identical buildings. Unlike the Second and Fourth Divisions, the Fifth didn't have a particular focus or discipline, and it seemed that Shinji didn't intend to change that about it. Even its atmosphere was unremarkable. The 13th had a welcoming, nurturing feel about it; the 11th was notoriously raucous and rough; the 1st was permeated with the gravitas of its leader and its history.

The only part of the Fifth Division that stood out to Kaede was the inside of its captain's office.

She never knew what to expect when walking into it. Shinji had…eclectic tastes that seemed to change every time she visited. Even knowing this, she wasn't prepared to see the majority of his office taken up by a three-legged wooden structure with black and white keys.

Kaede stopped in her tracks and stared. "Is that…a pianoforte?"

Shinji's blonde head popped up from behind the instrument with his usual blase expression. "Oh hey, look who it is! Yeah, she's a real beauty, ain't she? Nothing compared to present company, o' course, but a man's gotta have something. Can't all be married to gorgeous goddesses. Ya wanna try her out?"

"How did you even-"

"I got a guy," Shinji waved her off, sitting on the cushioned bench with a flourish of his captain's haori. He cracked his spindly fingers and played a long, rolling chord, followed by a series of quick-moving notes that settled into a gentler melody. "Ya know, I sometimes think I was a musician in another life."

"Well, you're a captain in this one, taicho," came Sousuke's voice, interrupting the performance. He squeezed into the room with his arms full of paperwork, maneuvering around the instrument with little effort. "In case you've forgotten."

"He this disrespectful to you, too?" Shinji asked Kaede, still playing the piano. Then, to Sousuke: "Hey, the mark of a great leader is delegation. Besides, what's the point o' havin' underlings if ya can't rely on them?"

Sousuke dropped the papers on Shinji's desk with a pointed thunk. "He's been working on that piece for the past three weeks instead of seeing to his captain duties."

"Consider it an opportunity to gain some unofficial Captain experience, Sousuke," Shinji countered. "Maybe in a few hundred years, you could have a haori just like this and you'll be grateful you got in all this practice beforehand. Besides, things have been slow lately. It ain't like that mountain of tree pulp's gonna decide the fate o' the worlds."

He turned back to Kaede, making a show of playing the keys without looking at them. "So what brings ya to our neck o' the woods, beautiful? You finally ready to ditch that boring husband o' yours and hitch yourself to a real star?"

Kaede smiled indulgently. "Oh, Hirako-taicho, I assure you that you'll be the first to know when the Head Captain and I run away together."

"Oh, so you got an old man fetish! No wonder you married this stick-in-the-mud."

"You're older than I am, taicho."

Shinji leaned back dramatically, his eyes rolling up toward his bangs. "You're still here? Can ya get the hell out already so I can keep stealin' your wife from you?"

Kaede held back an amused grin. Watching these two together was always fun, even though she knew Sousuke was just pretending. The persona he used with Shinji was crafted to be a perfect foil to the blond's lazy, apathetic demeanor; watching them was like seeing a comedic play acted out before her. Part of her almost wished that this was their reality, that they really were these characters they each played.

It wouldn't always be like this. This wasn't even real. Kaede just hoped that one day, after she and Sousuke finished rebuilding the world the way they intended, she could still experience moments like these.

For now, she had her own role to play. "Actually, I think I'm the one who's supposed to be stealing my husband back from you," she said.

"Eh?" Shinji blinked owlishly between her and his lieutenant. "What for?"

Sousuke sighed, not bothering to look up from his task of sorting through forms. "I put in the request for time off several months ago, taicho. You approved it. That's why I'm trying to get all of this paperwork organized, so you can manage without me for a couple of weeks. Maybe even spend some time with the new recruits yourself."

"Oh," intoned the captain. "That's happenin' now?"

"I reminded you last week."

"Shoulda reminded me again."

"I did. Three times."

"Is it still okay for him to leave?" Kaede asked, brow pinching with worry. "I'm sorry, I thought it was already settled…"

Shinji sighed heavily and slumped over the piano keys, making them ring out discordantly. "Ugh…fine. I guess I can't deny such a beautiful woman anything…"

"Thank you, taicho," Kaede said with a little feigned relief in her voice. It was just as planned: Shinji had a habit of "forgetting" when Sousuke requested extra time off, rare though the occasions were, but he was always more amenable when Kaede was around.

She then held out a cloth-wrapped box with both hands, offering it to him. "By the way - I wanted to bring this to you sooner, but Yoruichi-taicho has been keeping me busy too, and it took me a while to finish it. It isn't much, but I know it's customary for families to do this sort of thing when a member is promoted. I hope you like it."

"You kiddin'?" Shinji took the gift and held it to his chest. "I'll treasure it. First gift from my first love an' all." He then scowled blandly over his shoulder. "Hey, don't think I can't hear ya rollin' your eyes back there, lieutenant."

"My apologies, taicho, I'll be sure to roll them more quietly next time."

"See that ya do," Shinji grumbled, balancing the gift on his lap and gingerly undoing the wrapping with his fingertips. The cloth fell away, revealing a laquered box; inside, nestled safely in silk padding, was a small tea set.

"I painted each piece myself," Kaede told him, suddenly a little self-conscious. Maybe she was getting caught up in her role, but she actually did hope he liked it. "Lily of the valley - the symbol of Division Five."

Shinji's expression didn't change as he lifted the tea pot to examine the delicately painted white flowers, but he spoke without a hint of sarcasm for once. "Ya outdid yourself, Kaede-san. Seriously, Sousuke, what did ya do to deserve this talented lady?"

"If I'm being honest," Sousuke said softly, coming to stand beside her, "I often wonder the same thing myself."

Kaede's cheeks warmed, even though she knew it was an act. The way Sousuke looked at her in moments like these, the gentleness in his eyes…she sometimes caught herself wishing it wasn't just a facade. Oh, she knew she mattered to him on some level, and she'd rather have him without his masks, but…

She pushed the thought away. She knew the real Sousuke, and that was a privilege few could claim.

"Y'know," Shinji spoke up, his eyes drifting between the two, "seeing as I've got this pretty new tea set, it would be a shame not to break it in - and it would be an even bigger shame if the lovely lady who gifted it to me didn't join me! Whaddya say, Kaede-san, feel like a cup o' tea?"

"I suppose we have some time," she said with a glance to Sousuke.

"Great. Sousuke, go make us a pot, will ya?"

Sousuke put on a sardonic smile that, for once, was in no way meant to fool anyone. "Of course, Hirako-taicho." He took the boxed tea set and left.

"I'll bet he complains about me to no end at home," Shinji mused, watching him leave.

"Not really," Kaede replied. It was true, though not because there was nothing to complain about. Sousuke just didn't care enough about anything Shinji said or did to be truly bothered by it. "He actually has a lot of good things to say."

"Now that's a bald-faced lie if I ever heard one," Shinji drawled. He looked around his office. "Huh…guess there's no real good place to sit in here…I gotta find a better place for that thing…"

Kaede followed him outside to a patio overlooking a small, neatly landscaped courtyard.

"So," Shinji ventured after they sat down. "Ya seen Hiyori at all lately?"

Kaede felt her face fall a bit. "Not recently. Our schedules haven't really lined up. You?"

"Yeah, from time t'time. She's been grumpier than usual lately, so I figured it's been a while since you two talked."

Kaede hummed in acknowledgment but wasn't sure how to respond to that. The truth was, she didn't like thinking about Hiyori. She missed her terribly - she missed sparring with her, she missed her prickly and blunt disposition, she missed the first and truest friend she'd ever had. But she had no choice but to keep Hiyori at arms length these days; Hiyori couldn't know about what she and Sousuke were doing behind closed doors, not yet.

There were times that Kaede wondered if Hiyori would even still see her as a friend. She was hardly the same person from their Academy days; would Hiyori be able to tell how different she'd become? Would the blonde want anything to do with her if she did? Everything Kaede did when it came to working with other Shinigami was scripted, an act; she wasn't being her truest self with these people, because she couldn't afford to be. Hiyori, on the other hand, had nothing to hide. What kind of friend would Kaede be if she dragged Hiyori into a life where she would have to calculate her every move before she made it, instead of being able to live freely?

"Look," Shinji continued when Kaede didn't offer anything more, "I've heard about how stiff the Stealth Corps can be. I know they're not keen on their members being too friendly with people outside their division, but since you're already married to someone on the outside, having a friend shouldn't make that big a difference."

"I know," Kaede replied, mentally sighing in relief that he'd misinterpreted the reason for her silence. "Being able to have relationships outside of the Corps is part of the reason Sousuke and I got married to begin with. But Yoruichi-taicho really does keep me busy, so it's rare that I have off days at all, let alone ones that match with hers."

This was at least partially true, especially since she'd revealed her Shikai. Now that she was Yoruichi's direct subordinate, much of her time was spent either on assignment or with Yoruichi as she pretended to hone and refine her Zanpakuto's abilities.

"I get that," Shinji conceded with a nod. "But it seems like anytime you got time off, you spend it all with Sousuke. I get that he's your husband an' all that, but surely he can let you out to see an old friend now an' then. It ain't like he owns you."

"It's not like that," she protested, looking down at her hands. "He's not keeping me from anything. I just don't want to drop in on Hiyori unannounced, not when she's working so hard to rise in the ranks."

"So ya do keep tabs on her, then," Shinji surmised. "Not to put you on the spot or anything, but maybe you could try and pay Hiyori a visit before you've got to head back in. Hikifune's pretty laid back when it comes to visitors, and it might give me a longer reprieve between visits of her foot to my face."

Kaede couldn't help but chuckle at that, though the pit in her stomach only grew when she answered with a noncommittal, "We'll see."

If Hiyori was being more aggressive towards Shinji than usual, it probably was because she missed Kaede, too. But she and Sousuke had requested those two weeks off for a reason. They had a good lead on where to find a large enough group of Gillians for their next experiment, but there was no telling how long it would take them to actually track them down, let alone to create…whatever it was that might come from their experiment. Nor were they sure if they would be able to return to Soul Society immediately after creating it. She didn't want to make a promise that she might not be able to keep.

Shinji's expression remained as flat as ever, but his head tilted in a way that seemed like concern. Before he could voice anything more on the subject, the door that led back into Shinji's office slid open. Sousuke stepped outside and placed the tea tray between them.

"Don't you have any manners?" Shinji grumbled. "It's impolite to barge in on a private conversation, 'specially when there's a lady around."

"It's also considered impolite to continually harass and flirt with married women, but you seem to have no qualms with that," Sousuke quipped in return as he poured their tea.

"I'm not harassing Kaede-san, I'm just doing the gentlemanly thing and offering her an escape from you."

Kaede did her best to smile and laugh. She still had a role to play, and later on she would have a job to do; there was plenty of time to think about Hiyori and the growing bog of guilt and sadness surrounding her later, when their work was done.

The sands of Hueco Mundo stretched out in a never-ending landscape of white against the pitch-black sky, every angle a subtle variation of rippling dunes that did nothing to give Kaede a sense of direction. For all that she'd become comfortable in Hueco Mundo's dense atmosphere over the years, she'd never been able to navigate the desert all that well. Sure, if there was a Hollow she could lock onto, she could follow it for miles, but that didn't mean she had any real idea of where she was. She used to try mapping the place, but any landmarks she found seemed to change and shift with every visit.

Kaname didn't have that problem. Perhaps it was his blindness that led to him developing an uncannily precise sense of direction, perhaps it was just a gift, but since he'd started coming with them on these trips, they'd never had trouble navigating the vast, empty desert. Now she and Sousuke didn't have to limit themselves to one particular spot when they came here; between her senses and Kaname's guidance, they were able to use their limited time more efficiently.

"That way," Kaede said, touching Kaname on the arm to turn him in the direction she wanted. "About a half a spirit mile ahead. Do you feel them?"

It took Kaname a moment, but he nodded, his brow pinching. "I do."

His fingers twitched instinctively toward his blade, a bit of just-visible tension rippling through his body - a small sign of fear. Kaede couldn't blame him. Had she been anything less than what she was - had she been a "normal" Shinigami, let alone one fresh out of the Academy like Kaname - their target would have paralyzed her with terror.

"They're underground," Kaname told her after concentrating for another moment. Tiny beads of sweat dotted his forehead. "There are so many…"

"At least three dozen," Kaede confirmed, turning an hopeful smile to Sousuke behind them.

Sousuke nodded. "Just what we've been looking for."

Kaede turned back around, alight with nervous excitement. It had taken years to get to this point; their opportunities to come here for more than a few hours at a time were few and far between, slowing their progress considerably. She'd gotten in some practice on the occasional rogue Gillian, breaking down their bodies and the souls within them, but it was never enough to recreate the volume of the Catastrophe. All they'd gotten from those experiments were a few grain-like particles that became inert shortly afterwards.

Then they'd learned of a part of Hueco Mundo where dozens of Gillians tended to converge - a veritable forest of them, if word was to be believed. With Kaname's navigation help, they'd finally found it. A nest of over three dozen Gillians meant she'd be working with the equivalent of around thirty-thousand souls, give or take - more than enough for the results they hoped for.

"We couldn't have done this without you, Kaname," she said, giving the young man's arm a grateful squeeze. "You should go back now - we'll be fine from here."

"Are you sure I can't be of any use here?" Kaname questioned, his brow furrowing. "It feels wrong for me to run back to safety while you take such risks."

Kaede spoke carefully, trying to find the best way to phrase it without putting Kaname down. "You aren't 'running back' to anything. You've grown incredibly since I've known you, Kaname, but if you were here when it's time for me to begin…I'd hold back out of fear of hurting you. The whole point is that I need to unleash my full power without any restraint."

"Kaede is right, Kaname," Sousuke said softly. "You have done very well, but we each have our role to play. Yours is now back in Soul Society."

Kaname straightened sharply, uncertainty leaving his features in favor of resigned acceptance. He'd been gone from their Division for three days now, and though Sousuke had arranged for someone to take his place using Kyoka Suigetsu, he couldn't be gone for too long. "Hai, Aizen-sama."

He headed back toward the Garganta they'd used to get here, which had been left open for precisely this occasion. Once he was through, it would close; Kaede and Sousuke would create another once they were finished.

"Did you tell him?" Kaede asked as Kaname disappeared from their view. "That you expect him to eliminate his stand-in?"

"From the sound of it, you could have told him yourself."

"It wasn't hard to figure out," she said, crossing her arms. "The guy you put in his place…he's obviously resented how easily we've accepted Kaname. Before long, he'll probably try to prove himself by getting rid of Kaname. You're pitting them against each other on purpose."

"Kaname is intelligent," was Sousuke's answer. "And if he's truly ready to follow our path, he will know what needs to be done and will act accordingly. If he cannot, then the other one will eliminate him for us and subsequently be taken down as a murderer. Thus, we'd be rid of two liabilities."

Kaede frowned. "You could have just had me take care of…crap, what was his name again?"

Sousuke smirked. "It won't matter. Kaname will not fail in this; of that, I am confident."

"Still-"

"Do you feel protective of him, love?" There was a light hint of mockery in his tone, but mostly, he seemed genuinely curious. "You two do seem to have grown close."

"Unlike some people, I don't like playing mind games. Kaname's a good person. He doesn't deserve to be jerked around."

"'Good' is immaterial. What we need are effective people, and what Kaname needs is to realize his own efficacy - both to us, and to himself." He came up behind her, slipping his hands around her waist. "Don't misunderstand me, love. I'm pleased that you care about him; a queen should consider the needs of her people and want what's best for them. But sometimes, what's best isn't the most convenient or comfortable. You know that better than anyone."

She did. After all, she was as strong as she was today because he'd pushed her past her self-imposed limits. Even so, she wished she could spare Kaname some of the growing pains involved.

"He's coming along well," Sousuke assured her. "You've done good work with him."

"Thanks," Kaede said with a small sigh. "He's impatient, though. He's barely mastered his Shikai, and he already wants to move onto Bankai."

"It's understandable," Sousuke replied. "Kaname already knows on some level that he will only go so far with Shinigami training - as will any of us. That's why this project is so important."

"I know," she responded quietly. What they - what she was about to attempt…it wasn't just about testing out her power. They eventually needed to surpass any other Shinigami in existence, including the Soul King himself. Today's experiment was a stepping stone on that path.

"We'll draw them out to us," Sousuke was saying, bringing her attention back to him. "If they really are underground, it wouldn't be wise for you to use your full power there. Wouldn't want to bury ourselves alive."

"No," she agreed with a light, nervous laugh. "That would be counterproductive."

He ran his hands soothingly down her arms, speaking low into her ear. "You can do this, love. Take as many of them as you can; I will deal with the rest, and I will be here when it is over."

She nodded, leaning back into him to take brief solace in his presence.

He kissed her neck, the sensual pressure making her eyes flutter and her nerves hum pleasantly. "Time to begin."

He then reached out in front of her, holding a small pill that turned to dust when he crushed it between his fingers. Hollow bait - a bit of technology borrowed from the Quincy race, used by them to draw Hollows away from vulnerable populations so they were easier to hunt. Sousuke had modified it a bit to appeal specifically to Gillians by using some of the broken-down Hollow energy from their previous experiments.

He backed away, giving her space to let her power breathe. Kaede closed her eyes. She could feel them, even at this distance: thousands of souls, mangled, corrupted, half-digested by the corrosive entities that consumed them. They'd been individual Hollows once in their own rights, and she could feel their unending hunger for that intangible something that was forever out of their reach. They'd resisted the call of reincarnation, and this was their punishment: a damned existence, an eternal hunt with no satisfaction to be found.

As individual Hollows, these souls could have been released from this realm of the endless hunt, returned to the cycle of life, death, and rebirth. They could have had a chance at a renewed existence - or at least, that's what she'd been taught. But as Gillians, they'd lost all sense of individuality, volition, even consciousness for the most part. A few might regain those attributes with time, but by then, they were entirely different beings. All Gillians unconsciously struggled toward that goal of renewed individuality, but only a few would reach it and become Adjuchas. Even when they did, they would find no peace; they, like all other creatures, were still subject to that endless cycle of existence and struggle.

For perhaps the first time she could recall, Kaede felt something like pity for these creatures. Yes, they fed on weaker beings, but only because they were defined by their hunger. Even if they were in some way responsible for becoming Hollows in the first place, as they were now, they had little choice but to consume to survive.

And was that really any different from any other species?

"It is the very nature of existence itself." Mono no Aware's voice came into her consciousness like a breeze. "To be driven by craving and attachment, and to suffer and struggle because of it."

Kaede felt the truth of their words in her bones. Living humans, Shinigami, Hollows - they were all driven by survival and desires. Once a goal was attained, they set their eyes on the next, always seeking more, never finding true satisfaction.

But what was "true" satisfaction? Was there such a thing as a state of pure, everlasting contentment? Nothing lasted forever - that was another truth of existence, and it was what the cycle of life, death, and rebirth revolved around.

"All is void," she intoned, a reflection rather than an invocation. It wasn't a matter of "finding" meaning in the world, for that implied that there was meaning outside of herself. No, she gave her own existence meaning, through her actions, her decisions, her intentions. There was no fatalistic reason for her to have such immense, dangerous power, but she had her own reasons for using it now. This is what they'd wanted, what she always wanted: to use her power in a way that made the world better. She'd known all along that sacrifices would be necessary, and really, would these souls be that much better off if they reentered the cycle?

That was why she was standing here, waiting for the Gillians - why she was willing to upset the cosmic balance itself. Transforming them, defying the nature of their very reality…that had always been the point. To change the worlds, they needed to stand against the entirety of the Gotei 13, the legendary Royal Guard, and, most likely, the Soul King himself. They needed to be more than mere Shinigami, and if that meant taking an "unnatural" path, so be it.

The first Gillians appeared in the distance, heralded by a primal roar that made the very air shake. Kaede stood firm, ready.

"You have made your choice," Mono no Aware noted. As always, there was no judgment to be found in their tone, mere statement of fact. "Are you prepared for the consequences?"

"You mean what this might do to the balance of souls?" Kaede gazed ahead as the giants' masks became visible. "I know. If I destroy too many, the worlds will tip out of balance. But I can't hold back out of fear of what might happen anymore. I know I'm not purifying these creatures; if this works, they'll never return to the cycle. That means that a great many innocent souls might need to be flushed from the Rukongai in order to keep the cycle flowing…but they, at least, will have a chance at a better existence in the long run, an existence worth struggling for. Sousuke and I…we'll make sure of that."

The spirit was quiet for a moment. "And this is what you want?"

"We can't just play by the rules," Kaede reminded her Zanpakuto. "Even the natural ones. But…I don't want to mess this up; then these souls' sacrifices would be in vain. Will you lend me your strength? Help me do this?"

She felt a subtle shift in the void, and when Mono no Aware spoke again, it was from within her, filling her heart and mind with its presence. "I am with you, Kaede…always."

Kaede almost made a quip about the spirit using an absolute like "always," but all at once, she felt them coming. Her heart rate rose in anticipation as she felt them approach in a slow, lumbering march; something primal stirred within her, the instinct of a predator drawing in its prey. She let it overcome the pity she'd felt for them just a moment ago, the thrill of the hunt making the necessary sacrifice easier to bear. She was sure the Gillians had a similar instinct regarding her, and it gave her a deep satisfaction to know that their base drives would be their undoing.

Come on over, she urged silently, pulsing her reiatsu to draw them in. They stirred eagerly, a restless mass of black and pointed white masks, hungry for the slaughter.

As they got closer, a few seemed to realize something was amiss. Kaede noted with detached interest that these were not so identical as the rest, their masks sporting slight variations in features; perhaps they'd retained some intelligence, or were in the process of evolving themselves. Either way, when they opened their jaws, she knew what was coming.

Cero.

Once one Gillian began the attack, others were quick to follow suit, and soon a barrage of crimson blasts came at her.

Kaede felt Mono no Aware reach out through her, its power creating a barrier of pure void that sucked in the cero blasts. As the energy came barreling through that void, Kaede took hold of it, letting it feed her own wells to overflowing. It was just reishi after all, concentrated and potent - something she was becoming well-versed in handling.

And then, she let it all back out.

Her raw power rushed from her toward the Gillian mass, catching over a dozen in its wake. The sound of their cries never left their hollowed throats, the vibrations reduced to the same uniform nothingness as their bodies.

But the souls, that undefinable, unknowable essence that existed in all things, remained. For a split second, all was still, and Kaede could feel every single one, each having once been a nucleus for a whole, distinct being, little pockets of possibility contained in a conceptual membrane. Each soul had infinite potential, meant to be realized through an eternity of lifetimes.

All at once, those nuclei pressed outward, trying to escape, to answer the irresistible call of the reincarnation cycle. But she didn't allow them all to escape. Her power surrounded the cloud of energy, pushing it inward, more, more, more until there was no room left, and then she kept pushing. She broke the colliding souls down until they were something beyond reishi, beyond the very ideas of "matter" or "energy." She felt it all converging, merging, felt the collapse of those futures and it was excruciating. This was not how it was supposed to be, and it felt like the universe itself was pushing back at her, trying to make her fall back into convention.

Well, the universe could fuck right off.

The only absolute was that there was no absolute. The rules imposed by "nature" and "convention" weren't final, and they could be broken. That was how evolution happened.

She would break every rule, break the very wheel of existence that trapped reality in this constant, pointless cycle. Everything these souls had been and could be was now concentrated in this one point, fixed yet constantly evolving. This would be the skeleton key to every lock and chain imposed by nature, their key to surpassing what was possible and ascending into a realm beyond reason.

She poured herself into that point, felt the boundaries of her own being begin to break down as this new entity grew - and as it grew, it hungered, seeking more, its voracity drowning out everything else until it was all that existed -

Enough.

With a jolt, Kaede was aware of herself again, her sense of self dropping a wall between her existence and this thing. She almost lost her grip with the panic of realization that what she'd created had almost consumed her. In that split-second of shock, the thing tried to lash out, to break free so that it could feed and feed and feed until it devoured all of reality -

She felt a different presence surrounding her then, familiar yet alien, impossibly vast and ancient beyond belief. It took hold of the vortex, and the thing simultaneously reached for and recoiled from it. Time and space twisted around the voracious mass, containing it in a push-and-pull cycle that gave it separation from the world around it.

Yet it wouldn't be imprisoned so easily. In one last push of resistance, some of the energy escaped in a final explosion, passing through the few remaining Gillians that had escaped her power's net.

And then, all was quiet at last.

All the while, Kaede could only witness, barely able to comprehend what was happening. She only knew that from the moment this other presence had stepped in, she ceased to have anything to do with what was happening.

That presence was still here, right on the edge of recognition. She both knew it and couldn't fathom it; it was a part of her, yet it wasn't, and she was torn between wanting to embrace it and cower before it.

"Is that you?" she whispered, though whether aloud or not, she couldn't say. "Mono no Aware?"

The answer came like an instinct. I am here.

She nearly wept with relief as the spirit receded within her and became knowable once more.

"Thank you," she gasped. "I didn't…I couldn't…it was so much…"

It is done, hushed the spirit, its voice cradling her in peace and stability. Rest now, Kaede…it is done.

Her sleep - if that's what it was - was troubled. She was tumbling through worlds and memories, some that she recognized yet knew she'd never experienced before, others that should have been familiar but struck her as foreign. No boundaries existed between reality and imagination; she existed in every possible space at every possible moment, knowing all yet unable to comprehend any of it. Whenever she thought she'd grasped something, it slipped away, leaving her to spiral through a dizzying array of thoughts and sensations.

Sometimes she heard voices - or was it only one voice? Were they talking to her, or about her? Was she even a factor, or was she simply observing, perceiving? Was she the one speaking?

She was thirsty - that was the first sensation she could hold onto, the first that didn't evaporate once she named it. Her tongue, for she had one again, felt like sandpaper, her throat tried to swallow but couldn't make enough moisture to do even that. Then she became aware of her body, how leaden and foreign it felt to her. She wanted to go back to that weightless existence, if only so she wouldn't have to deal with the physicality of her body.

But this time, she didn't go back; she remained a being of spirit particles made flesh and bone, and that individuality, that separation from all else…it hurt. Or maybe "hurt" wasn't quite the right word. She felt, and she needed, and it was overwhelming.

She was faintly aware of her body being moved and repositioned, but not by her own agency; her limbs were so heavy she couldn't imagine ever moving them again. Then something was pressed to her lips, cool and hard and…wet? Oh gods, she was thirsty. Even opening her mouth to take in the refreshing liquid seemed an impossible feat, but she tried…

"Slowly," she heard a familiar, deep voice say. "Small sips."

She did as she was told, grateful to have something - someone? - else making the decisions right now. Sip by sip, the fog in her head thinned and she was able to know herself again. She was Kaede, she was waking up, and she was with…

"Sousuke?" The name left her parched lips in barely a whisper. She tried to open her eyes, only managing to crack them a bit - but she knew his scent, knew the warmth of his body against hers.

"I'm here," he told her.

For some reason, those two simple words meant more to her than any others she'd heard in her life. He was here. He was still here. She wasn't sure why that was so important, but it was, and it made her want to weep with relief.

She drifted in and out of consciousness after that, and each time she came to, he was there. Over a few days, she was able to stay awake and aware for longer, to drink and even eat on her own again. Only then did Sousuke show her the result of their experiment, encased in a small box made of reishi-neutralizing sekisekki crystal.

"It's so small," Kaede marveled when she saw it. It had felt so monumental, so impossibly vast and powerful when she'd last held it. Now, it was no bigger than a large marble. It was beautiful in a way, like a cosmic jewel; bits of light streaked and swirled inside, a small galaxy contained in a tiny sphere.

Yet there was something…wrong about it. Kaede squinted, though it wasn't her vision that seemed off; no, it was how this thing felt.

Or rather, how it didn't feel.

She couldn't sense it at all. It wasn't reishi, not in any way she could perceive; nor was it physical matter or energy or anything she recognized. Though she was staring straight at the orb, to her spiritual senses, this thing might as well have been a black hole. It wasn't that she doubted its existence; she knew with every fiber of her being that this thing was real. It was more like it was a blank spot in reality, a point of nothingness that defied nature and reason simply by existing. The longer she looked into it, the more she felt like she was falling into an abyss of pure oblivion.

"Remarkable, isn't it?"

Kaede tore her eyes away from the orb and looked at Sousuke. His eyes were fixed on it, but there was no sign in him of the existential dread or unease she'd felt; instead, his whole face shown with an inner light, his lips parted in a slight smile of pure fascination.

Something about his expression sent a chill under Kaede's skin. At the same time, she was relieved: their experiment had been, in some way, successful. She hadn't failed.

"I wanted to wait until you were awake," Sousuke said then, reaching into his pocket. He pulled out his hand and opened it to reveal the tiny, grain-like bead that had once been Tsunayashiro Tokinada. "Shall we see what happens?"

Kaede nodded, not trusting her voice to work. She watched as Sousuke opened the lid of the sekisekki cube and dropped Tokinada's soul-grain inside.

As soon as the grain tapped against the larger orb, the latter seemed to pulse dully, as though curiously probing its new companion. Then, the Tokinada-grain trembled, dissolving into dust-like particles that orbited the sphere and disappeared inside like water circling a drain. The orb briefly glowed with a sense of excitement, reminding Kaede of a child who'd just tried their first sweet treat.

"I think it's still hungry," Sousuke commented with an amused grin, watching the orb continue to pulse inside the cube.

"It will always be hungry," Kaede whispered. She wasn't sure how she knew, but it was obvious to her that this…thing would always seek and desire. It wasn't an artificial meaning imposed onto it by other beings; this was its intrinsic nature, the meaning of its existence, as antithetical as that was to the nature of reality.

"It's…wrong," she said, feeling a bit repulsed by the very thing she herself had made. "It's not supposed to exist…none of this is supposed to…"

She trailed off, not even sure of what she meant.

"If that's the case," Sousuke stated, unbothered by her vague assertion, "then it's exactly what we need." He closed the lid and set the cube aside, the orb within seeming to settle into momentary dormancy now that it wasn't in contact with another spiritual being. "We'll need to test it more, let it mature and come into its own power. For now, though…how about a name?"

Kaede's eyes remained fixed on the sphere of devouring oblivion. Just as she knew this thing's nature without even wanting to, she suddenly knew exactly what it should be called.

"Hogyoku…its name is Hogyoku."

Ending notes

In case the first scene didn't make this clear, Kaede and Aizen haven't yet learned the truth about the Soul King and all that jazz. They're close, but not quite there yet. As far as they're able to tell, the Soul King is the ruler, albeit an absent and passive one that they see as unworthy to rule. They see the Soul King as an eventual obstacle that they need to prepare for.

Next time: Kaede thought she was prepared for the consequences of creating the Hogyoku…but the cost is not what she was expecting.

Stay tuned!