Hinamori,
If you are reading this letter, it means I was unable to return, and am likely dead. I've caused you much grief. There are no words to express my gratitude to you, not only for your diligent service over the years, but for reviving the heart I had thought lost with my late wife. I never spoke to you about my concerns, but that was only because I did not want to get you involved. I hope you will forgive me for involving you now.
To you, the one I trust most, I confide the truth of what I have discovered.
Sometime during the 20th Century
When Momo learned she'd been accepted into the Fifth Division, she'd been so happy that she burst into tears on the spot. Aizen Sousuke, the captain she admired the most, had accepted her application! She'd dreamed about this ever since Aizen-taicho had saved her and her classmates from a Hollow attack: studying under him, training under him, learning all she could from him…and now it was to be reality!
Actually being in the Fifth Division was even better than she'd imagined. She hadn't expected him to interact directly with new recruits; most captains were too busy to do so. But he did, taking a personal interest in all of his subordinates - just another thing for her to admire about him as a leader. He found each person's strengths while never making anyone feel lesser for their weaknesses. He was always available to offer advice and counseling, never taking his position for granted or using it as a reason to place himself above others.
Yet for all that, there was something mysterious about him that drew Momo in, a sense of loneliness behind his jovial smile and friendly tone of voice. As she went about her daily life, she found herself wondering: What would Aizen-taicho say about this, or think about that? She wanted to know more about his past, his interests, his thoughts - and more than that, she wanted to be able to offer something to him in return for all he'd given her.
If there was one flaw in her peerless captain, it was in his choice of lieutenant, Ichimaru Gin. It wasn't that Gin wasn't a capable Shinigami - on the contrary, he was actually rather intimidating for all his teasing grins. There was something decidedly unsettling about him that just made Momo uncomfortable. He also didn't seem fond of the more mundane duties of his position, which made her wonder all the more why Aizen-taicho regarded him so highly.
The silver-haired lieutenant surprised her one day when she was in the training yard, nearly making her blast a Kido spell through a wall instead of at the intended target.
"Ah, Hinamori-kun, right?"
Momo stood up straight and did her best to ignore the creeping feeling traveling up her spine. "Yes, Ichimaru-fukutaicho!"
Gin's ever-present, serpentine grin seemed to widen. "That's right, you were one o' the kiddos Taicho took an interest in. How're you findin' our little Division?"
Momo's stomach knotted with uncertainty. "It's an honor to be here, sir."
"Mah, no need for the 'sir' stuff," Gin dismissed with a wave. "Just 'cause I'm the second-in-command don't mean we can't be friends, right?"
It took her a second to realize he was waiting for her to answer. "Um - I guess…? I-is there something you need, fukutaicho?"
Gin placed a long, spindly finger under his chin. "Actually, now that you mention it, there is somethin' I could use some help with. See, Taicho's been wantin' to clean out the storage space in his office, but he's way too busy, an' I'm no good at that sorta thing. I didn't wanna just ask anyone, 'cause it's Taicho's personal things an' all, but-"
"I'll take care of it!" Momo's cheeks warmed over how quickly she answered. She straightened her spine, hoping she didn't sound over-eager. "That is…I'm good at organizing things, so if I can do anything to help-"
"Perfect!" Gin patted her on the head, and Momo tried not to flinch away. "Knew I could count on you, Hinamori-kun."
So it was that she found herself in Aizen-taicho's office, going through a long-neglected storage area - and it was there that she found the paintings.
Aizen, she'd come to learn, was a man of many talents: aside from being a well-rounded Shinigami, he was also accomplished at calligraphy, even teaching a class every other semester at the Academy. She'd signed up for it twice, not minding that she had to sit out in the hallway because the room had quickly overcrowded. Calligraphy, he liked to say, was analogous to swordsmanship in many ways, requiring a balance of precision and fluidity that one could spend lifetimes honing.
These weren't calligraphy pieces, nor did they resemble anything she could imagine Aizen creating himself. These paintings were vibrant in their colors, at times exacting in their lines while at others wild and unpredictable. A few depicted aspects of nature, like a fiery maple tree set over a rushing creek, but many seemed to be of the night sky. Rather than a spattering of distant stars, they showed colorful nebulae, or the birth or death of stars in such a way that she felt she was witnessing the event in real time.
They were breathtakingly beautiful.
"What are you doing?"
Momo nearly jumped out of her skin at her captain's voice. "A-Aizen-taicho! Sorry, I was just…just…"
She trailed off when she saw his expression. It was so foreign, so contrary to how she'd come to see her precious captain, that for a second, she thought he was a different person. His eyes, usually so mild and warm behind his glasses, were shadowed and sharp, and his usual welcoming smile was nowhere to be found. The very air inside the room became heavy and oppressive; his entire demeanor was just…cold, and she found herself shivering and paralyzed from it.
Momo gulped, her throat suddenly dry as a desert. When she tried to speak again, her voice came out in a squeak. "I-I was just…Ichimaru-fukutaicho said you needed help organizing, so I…"
Her captain's eyes narrowed. "Did he, now?"
Momo could feel the tears rushing to her eyes, but she willed herself not to cry. Not in front of him. "I-I'm sorry, Taicho…I didn't mean to - I'll put these back, I'm sorry…"
Only then did he seem to take full notice of her, his expression softening into something more familiar. "Ah, Hinamori-kun. Not to worry, I'm not upset with you, I just don't normally allow others into my personal belongings. Gin, I'm afraid, rather enjoys playing pranks on new recruits, and it seems you were the latest target. It's all right, you did nothing wrong."
Just like that, the heavy coldness in the air dissipated, and her beloved captain was back with his gentle smile and kind eyes. Momo nearly collapsed with relief. He wasn't mad at her, she hadn't done anything wrong.
All the same, she couldn't stop apologizing. "I'm sorry, Taicho, I didn't know, I just…I'll get these put away-"
"It's quite all right," her captain assured her. He lowered himself to the floor next to her, his broad frame and the faint scent of ink and parchment filling her senses. Momo's face heated, her head suddenly light as a paper lantern. He was so close that his haori brushed against the leg of her shihakusho, and it was almost like they were actually touching.
He took one of the canvases, holding it delicately in his long-fingered hands. "These…I haven't looked at these in years. I suppose it's still a sensitive topic for me - you see, these were made by my wife."
It took Momo a second to register his words, so caught up was she in his proximity and the way his deep baritone reverberated in the air between them. When she did comprehend what he'd said, her heart skipped a beat.
Wife?
Aizen-taicho was married?
It was like she was being crushed all over again. The sudden rush of despair took her completely by surprise; sure, she admired her captain, but to hear that he was married…that his heart had already been claimed…
Her hands balled into fists in her lap as she tried to contain herself. This wasn't about her; her captain had just told her something deeply personal. "I-I didn't know you were married…"
"It was some time ago," he said, his eyes sweeping over the canvas. "And her death…it still weighs heavily on me."
Momo hated that she felt a little bit of relief upon hearing that she'd died. How horrible could she be?! Taicho had lost someone he loved, how dare she be so selfish!
"How did she-" Momo cut herself off, mentally kicking herself for asking such a thing. She had no right to pry! "I'm sorry, I didn't-"
"No, it's all right," her captain assured her with a small, almost sad smile. "I haven't spoken of her to anyone in years. She was a brave, selfless Shinigami, and the fact that I couldn't protect her in the end or even avenge her death…it's one of my biggest regrets."
"Avenge?" Momo repeated. "You mean she was…"
"Killed," he confirmed, a faraway look in his eyes. "She'd discovered a heinous crime and sought to stop the perpetrator from hurting more people. But when she confronted that person…"
He gently set the canvas down as he spoke. "If it weren't for a note she'd left in our home, I might not have even known what she'd found out - but by the time I discovered it…she was already gone."
Momo's heart broke for him, even as a small part of her envied this woman who'd captured her captain's heart so long ago. "Was that person ever caught?"
He bowed his head, taking a moment to collect himself. "Not to this day. The worst part of it all was that it was someone she trusted very much, someone who should have had both her and Soul Society's best interests at heart: her own captain."
Momo could hardly believe what she was hearing. A captain had done that, and to their own subordinate?
"I'm so sorry," Momo whispered. "I can't even imagine…that sort of betrayal…it must have been so hard…"
"It was a long time ago," Aizen said simply. "She was a brave, compassionate soul, a strong Shinigami…the truest match I ever had. I suppose that in a way, everything I do now is in honor of her memory."
Momo gazed up at him with renewed awe. "Taicho…"
He smiled down at her and laid a hand atop her head. "Thank you, Hinamori-kun. I haven't spoken of this to anyone in…I honestly cannot recall how long. I apologize for burdening you."
"It's not a burden," Momo assured him quickly. "Really! If there's anything I can do…well…" She looked away, her cheeks warming again. "I just want to be of use however I can be, so…if you ever want to talk more…about her, or about anything..."
"Then I know who to turn to," Aizen said with a grateful nod. "Thank you, Hinamori-kun."
It is my greatest regret that I was unable to prevent my wife's murder, and my second greatest that I could not avenge her. I refuse to add to that regret by not acting now as she would have, even if it means my own death.
But if I die, Hinamori, please carry on for me and avenge me. That is my last wish. I ask this of you, not as captain of the 5th Division, but as a man.
Present Day
"I created the Hogyoku."
Hitsugaya was no stranger to the cold. His power, the very center of his soul, was rooted in ice, and he'd trained relentlessly to master it as much as he had. He barely felt the bite of frost anymore.
But when he heard this woman's - Kaede's - confession, he felt every bit of the bitter, unforgiving chill seep into his veins. "You?"
"I don't understand," Rukia spoke up, glancing between Kaede and Urahara. "I thought Urahara-san-"
"Strictly speaking," Urahara interjected, "I didn't create it; I cultivated it from a mass of transformed reishi."
"Which he only got ahold of because of me," Kaede murmured.
"Wait, wait, wait," Renji interrupted, stepping in front of Rukia like a shield. "I'm still stuck on the whole 'she's Aizen's wife' thing. Aizen was married? I was in the guy's division for a while! How did none of us know about that?"
"Momo knew," Hitsugaya growled, trying to keep his temper in check. "It wasn't widely known, because his wife was supposedly killed over a hundred years ago."
He remembered all too well the day he'd found Momo crying in a closet, trying to come to terms with her own feelings for her captain. She'd told him about finding some paintings in Aizen's office, how her captain had told her about his late wife…she'd been such a bundle of conflicting emotions over it that Hitsugaya hadn't the faintest clue of what to say to her about it. She'd sworn him to secrecy, of course - Aizen had told her those things in confidence, and she didn't want to betray that.
Ironic.
Over the years, Aizen had told her bits and pieces about the woman who'd held his heart, and Momo had come to almost idolize her, or at least the idea of her. When Aizen faked his death and left that note for Momo, asking her to avenge him, he'd invoked his wife again - a fact that made Hitsugaya see red now, realizing that Aizen knew exactly how Momo would react to that.
After Aizen's betrayal was known, Hitsugaya hadn't thought much about the mysterious wife, whether she was real, whether anything Aizen had told Momo about her was true…there'd been far more pressing matters to deal with. But now that woman stood in front of him, very much real, very much alive.
And by her own admission, she'd helped her husband get where he was today.
"Why?" Hitsugaya demanded, barely able to speak for the rage flowing through his veins. "Why did you make that thing? Why were you helping him?!"
"Maybe he tricked her, too," Rangiku offered, trying to diffuse the situation. "He tricked all of us-"
"No," Sorano Kaede cut her off. "He didn't have to trick me. I made that Hogyoku on purpose."
Rangiku blinked her crystal-blue eyes at her. "Why?"
She took in a deep breath before answering. "To give us an advantage if - when we went to war against Soul Society."
In a split second, almost every Shinigami in the room moved to draw their Zanpakuto; only the fact that Urahara remained between them and the burgundy-haired woman kept them at bay.
"She has no intention of acting against Soul Society now," Urahara interjected loudly, slowly meeting each Shinigami's eyes. "Though I'll admit, she could be doing a slightly better job of making that clear."
"Well, I thought the plan was to keep certain things secret in the first place," Kaede retorted with a pointed nod toward Hitsugaya.
"And it still is - from Aizen." Urahara straightened. "Aizen doesn't know that Kaede is alive, let alone on our side. The fewer people who know that right now, the better, and that includes anyone else in Soul Society. I know I don't have the authority to issue a gag order, but I highly recommend you consider this as such."
It took every ounce of willpower Hitsugaya had to keep his temper in check. Despite Urahara's assurances, he couldn't help that when he looked at this woman, he saw Momo's bloody form crumpled on the floor of the Central 46 chambers. He heard Momo's voice, hysterical and desperate, begging him to "save" Aizen, so sure that he must have been framed or misled somehow. He looked at Sorano Kaede, and all he could see was the man she was connected to - the man who'd so thoroughly broken his best friend's body, mind, and spirit.
Aizen was out of his reach for now - but this woman…
Sorano Kaede, came a calm, soothing voice in his mind, created the most dangerous substance in existence, and we just saw a bit of what she can do in combat.
It was a voice he'd know anywhere, one he'd heard calling to him since he was a child in the Rukongai. Hyorinmaru didn't often speak to him out of turn, but whenever he did, his voice gave Hitsugaya a sense of grounding.
I know, Hitsugaya mentally answered his Zanpakuto spirit. He couldn't lose his cool again; he was a captain, damnit, he was supposed to set an example to the others! "So you were his co-conspirator, like Ichimaru and Tousen."
"I was with him before either of them," she replied unflinchingly. "I helped to recruit Tousen Kaname. I also helped him get much of the Stealth Corps under Kanzen Saimin, and helped him gain access to areas in the Seireitei that are normally off-limits to all but Central 46 or the nobility."
Hitsugaya's eyes widened a bit. The damage this woman had done… "You know you'll be executed for this. If you're hoping for a deal of some sort, Soul Society won't consider it."
"Why do you think I stayed away this long?" Kaede retorted. "But I'm here because he needs to be stopped. In no way am I saying I'm proud of anything I've done. Quite the opposite. But know this: While I offer my assistance in taking him down, I will resist any attempts to arrest, execute, or in any other way force me back to Soul Society." She held his gaze steadily, her unsettlingly pale gold eyes piercing into his. "And please believe me when I say that I was holding back downstairs."
As was I, Hitsugaya wanted to retort - but he held his tongue. A part of him still doubted that she was as powerful as she and Urahara implied, and even more of him screamed against trusting anyone who'd once followed Aizen. Even Urahara's word wasn't enough to silence that voice; while he'd been cleared of most of the charges that got him exiled in the first place, the former captain was still hard to pin down. As with anyone who'd been associated with Aizen, Hitsugaya found he couldn't simply accept what was on the surface.
"I don't trust you," he told Sorano Kaede.
"You don't have to," she replied. "To be fair, I don't trust Soul Society, which is why I'm not seeking a deal. Nor do I ever plan on bowing to its authority again. I just want to be left alone. I'm not interested in causing unnecessary death and suffering, no matter the goal." Her eyes lowered a bit. "The living have enough to worry about without getting caught up in the conflicts of spirits."
"Very true," Urahara agreed, reaching up to adjust his hat. "I understand your doubts, Hitsugaya-taicho. After all, a person in her position would be expected to try for a deal that benefits her, should everything go smoothly; the fact that she is not interested in deals makes her a bit of a wild card, as she has no obligation to remain on our side. So let me make a deal on her behalf." He peered out from the shadow of his hat to meet Hitsugaya's eyes directly. "I will stake my own life and freedom on this. If Sorano Kaede backs down, double-crosses, or compromises the safety of this town or Soul Society, I will surrender myself to Soul Society on her behalf."
A collective gasp went up in the room, and all eyes turned to Urahara. Hitsugaya himself was astonished - he was willing to go this far for this woman? The young captain didn't know much about the self-appointed shopkeep, but he hardly seemed the type to stake his own life and freedom on someone else's actions. Even Kaede was looking at the man with some visible astonishment.
"Of course," Urahara continued, his mouth turning up in a sly smile, "when we defeat Aizen and all this is over, in return for her invaluable assistance, Soul Society will grant Sorano Kaede the one courtesy she is requesting: that she be left alone. No arrests, no warrants for such, no sentences for her past actions. In fact, let's throw in a full pardon for that past for good measure. Deal?"
He held out his hand toward Hitsugaya.
"No offense, Urahara-san," Hitsugaya said, drawing back a bit, "but is your life really that important to this woman?"
"Yes, it is," Kaede answered adamantly, a fire in her eyes that Hitsugaya hadn't yet seen. "To the point that 'this woman' objects to this deal being made."
"Well, then it's a good thing you're not the one making it," Urahara replied without breaking eye contact with Hitsugaya.
Hitsugaya tried to think rationally and consider Urahara's words. Aizen himself didn't know that Kaede, his wife, was alive and helping them. She'd created the Hogyoku, the very substance Aizen had gone to such lengths to obtain, the substance that allowed him to create frighteningly powerful Arrancar, and she'd apparently helped him establish his web of influence in Soul Society even before he became a captain. One of the greatest disadvantages Soul Society had since Aizen's betrayal was that they had to piece together his intentions and plans from the few traces he'd left behind. Sure, they now knew that he was planning to march against the Soul King himself, but it had taken months of detective work to figure even that much out.
Having this woman on their side…not only was she clearly powerful, she had knowledge they sorely needed. He had to focus on her as an asset.
"I don't have the authority to make such a deal," he said. "However…when the time comes - when Sorano-san's presence and assistance is made known - I will advocate for this deal to those with the authority. Let everyone in this room be a witness to this, and if for any reason I am unable to carry out that role as advocate, anyone here can and should do so in my place."
Urahara withdrew his hand, still smiling. "Good enough for me."
"However," Hitsugaya emphasized. "I still have questions, and as part of Sorano-san's cooperation, I expect honest answers."
Kaede closed her eyes and breathed a deep, resigned sigh. "All right. Ask away."
"How do we know for certain that Aizen thinks you're dead?" he asked.
She hesitated before answering; Hitsugaya saw a muscle in her cheek twitch, and she wouldn't meet anyone's eyes. "He'd have come after me otherwise."
That, Hitsugaya could believe; someone with her knowledge and power would be a significant liability. "But why does he think-"
"It's a long, boring story," Urahara interrupted again, waving his fan dismissively. "But suffice to say, he'd never have simply let Kaede go. That's all you need to know right now."
"But shouldn't Soul Society be informed?" Rangiku asked. "Or at least the other captains? They'll want to know what she knows."
Urahara shook his head. "Not yet. We don't know for certain how vast Aizen's network was in Soul Society, or if it's completely dismantled now that he's gone. For all we know, he could still have people inside the Seireitei reporting to him, willingly or otherwise, so it's imperative that Kaede's existence is only known to the people in this room."
"What about the Head Captain?"
"Even from him," Urahara emphasized. "The Head Captain is more beholden to his oaths than any other Shinigami. If he knew about Kaede, he'd be obligated to inform the higher-ups, which would draw attention to her existence - the very thing we don't want right now."
"Ano…" From the far end of the room, Orihime, who'd been tucked next to Chad the whole time, shyly raised her hand. "Shouldn't someone tell Kurosaki-kun, though? It's just…he's met her already, so…" Chad nodded his agreement.
Renji, keeping his narrow gaze on Kaede and his large frame between her and Rukia, perked up. "Yeah, where is that guy, anyway?"
"Ah, I'm sure Kurosaki-kun will find out when he needs to know," Urahara said with a dismissive wave of his fan. "Not to worry!"
That doesn't answer Renji's question, Hitsugaya noted - but he wasn't overly concerned with Kurosaki Ichigo's whereabouts. Urahara seemed to know where he was and what he was up to, and Yamamoto trusted Urahara. That was enough for him.
His teal eyes fell on Kaede again, his next question already formed. "How long were you two plotting against Soul Society?"
"Long enough," she answered. "I'm not sure I could give an exact timeline, but we were talking about Soul Society's flaws and hypocrisy for years before we began making concrete plans."
"Why were you plotting with him?"
Kaede went quiet for a moment, her eyes lowering. "It's…complicated. I didn't always distrust Soul Society; if anything, I was desperate to prove my loyalty and value. For context…I was the so-called 'Child of the Catastrophe.'"
That garnered some raised brows from the Shinigami, at least the ones who'd attended the Academy. Ikkaku, who'd never set foot inside a classroom, scratched his head. "The what, now?"
"The Catastrophe was a disaster that happened centuries ago," Hitsugaya explained shortly. "It destroyed three whole Rukon districts and killed thousands of people. Supposedly, it was caused by a child." His eyes narrowed on Kaede. "You're saying that you were that child?"
"I am," she confirmed flatly. "I never meant for it to happen. I still don't know how it happened in the first place. But if it weren't for certain people advocating for my life-" Her eyes flicked toward Urahara. "-I would've been executed back then."
The more Hitsugaya learned about her, the more out of his depth he felt. Not that he could show that to anyone present. At least now he had context for why Urahara believed in her; from the sound of it, he'd saved her life.
"Instead of being killed," she continued, "I was isolated, tested, and eventually sealed. I lived with the threat of execution hanging over me every day, constantly reminded that I was only alive because the higher-ups allowed it - and that they could revoke that privilege at any time, for any reason. But I still did whatever they asked, because I wanted to be…useful."
Her voice dripped with disdain at the word. Hitsugaya had the impression that she was disgusted not with the idea itself, but that she had once ascribed to it.
"For the longest time, I thought it was only fair that I was treated this way, that it was reasonable and to be expected. After all, my power had caused the deaths of thousands, even if I didn't mean for it to happen. But when I started the Academy...he helped me see that there was nothing fair or reasonable about my situation. And over time, I began to see that it wasn't just me who was subjected to such injustices."
Her pale eyes rose to meet Hitsugaya's once more. "Tell me, captain: does the phrase 'Nest of Maggots' mean anything to you?"
Hitsugaya's frown deepened, and he felt the other Shinigami around him shift in confusion. He glanced toward Urahara, noting that the man's face had turned solemn once more. "Should it?"
"Not everyone is aware of its existence," Urahara explained. "Usually only those in the Stealth Corps or who've had direct dealings with it do. It's basically a detention facility for those considered by the higher-ups to be 'dangerous elements' - that is, people who could disrupt the peace of the Seireitei, but who may not have done so yet. Shinigami who wish to 'retire,' deserters, people with unfavorable opinions about Soul Society or the people who run it, people associated with known criminal elements, and the like. Since no crimes have been committed, they can't be tried and sentenced; instead, they're made to disappear."
"There's no way a place like that exists in Soul Society," Renji protested. "I mean…maybe centuries ago, but…" He trailed off, already looking like he doubted his own assertion.
"Why wouldn't I have heard of it?" Hitsugaya asked.
"It's a need-to-know thing," Urahara shrugged. "Thing is, the Seireitei can't be seen to have any blemishes, either in its personnel or its way of doing things. Admitting that a place like the Nest of Maggots exists, let alone is necessary, exposes blemishes of both varieties. To put it simply: if too many people knew, well…they wouldn't be thrilled about it. After all, who wants to hear that they'll be thrown into a cage and erased from existence simply for wanting to retire?"
Hitsugaya had to admit - it was a disturbing thought, if it was true. And maybe it had been true at one point in history, even if it wasn't the case anymore. He wasn't so naive to think that Soul Society was the pinnacle of goodness in all things; there were times in its history that it had done truly reprehensible things in the name of peace and order, like the infamous Quincy extermination. But even in that context, it had only done what seemed necessary at the time for the greater good, and it had made progress over the centuries.
Right?
"How do you know about it?" he asked Urahara. For now, he'd go with the assumption that this "Nest of Maggots" existed, if only to keep this conversation going. He could do his own investigation back in Soul Society.
"Because before I was a captain," Urahara replied, "I was in charge of monitoring, apprehending, and detaining those 'dangerous elements.' As for Kaede here…well, for all intents and purposes, she was a 'dangerous element.'"
Urahara's shadowed eyes grew distant. "Kaede's reiatsu is…unique. Think of it as being 'radioactive:' in small amounts, it's fairly benign, but it can be highly destructive in larger amounts. She was a child at the time of the Catastrophe, unable to control her reiatsu output, and it caused a lot of damage. It was either detain her and find ways to restrict her power, or have her executed - and I, for one, figured she'd be more useful alive. She was held in the Central Underground Prison in near-isolation for almost a century before being transferred to the Nest."
"Why the Nest?"
It was Kaede who answered, and she didn't try to hide the bitterness in her voice. "To see if I could handle being around other people without accidentally maiming or killing them. After all, what would it matter if I hurt the inmates there? They weren't supposed to exist anymore, anyway."
"It was a calculated risk," Urahara interjected. "One that was necessary to convince the higher-ups that she could be released - which, obviously, she eventually was. In fact, she was the first person to ever be released from the Nest and integrated into Gotei. Thanks to her, we were able to do the same for some others whose lives would be better spent serving the Seireitei than rotting underground."
"It didn't need to exist," Kaede argued, eyes fixed on the ground. "If the Seireitei wasn't so paranoid and insecure about anyone openly disagreeing with them-"
"We're not here to discuss how Soul Society does things," Hitsugaya interrupted - though he had to admit, he was at least starting to understand where this woman was coming from. It didn't excuse her from associating with someone like Aizen, let alone any of the things she did for him, but it did give context. "Aizen. What did you think you two were going to accomplish?"
Kaede sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose. "It sounds naive, but…I just wanted to change Soul Society. Make it more fair, more just, not only in the Seireitei, but for the people in the Rukongai as well. I never understood why there was so much inequity, why the nobles had such luxury while the Rukongai was left largely on its own. I just wanted to make things better."
That…was surprisingly relatable. Just about every Shinigami in this room came from the outer Rukongai; they were intimately aware of how hard things could be out there. Hitsugaya had grown up in one of the arguably "wealthier" districts, but even so, there was a stark difference between conditions there and inside the Seireitei.
But there was a difference in wanting to make things "better" and trying to take down the entire system. "So you plotted to overthrow the Soul King himself?"
"Not at first," she insisted. "Maybe that was his intention all along, but as far as I knew, it was just one possible outcome that we needed to prepare for. That's why I ended up creating the Hogyoku. We knew that even if we did gain allies along the way, we'd never be able to match the numbers of the Gotei 13 - so, we needed to match or surpass it in strength. The Hogyoku was…an experiment. We didn't know exactly what we were making at the time, but we hoped it would…enhance our abilities and the abilities of our allies. It was never completely stable, though. We, um, 'fed' it souls, but it was always unpredictable."
"What do you mean, you 'fed' it souls?"
Kaede licked her lips, her gaze shifting a bit. "When I was in the Stealth Corps, anytime I had a mission that involved killing another Shinigami or Soul, or sometimes even Hollows, I'd take that soul back to give to the Hogyoku. I didn't go out killing people or shaving their souls just for that purpose." Her jaw tightened. "He did, though. He was…impatient. I didn't know until later on, but he'd been secretly feeding the Hogyoku the souls of Shinigami who hadn't been slated to die, as well as the souls of Rukongai citizens - both of which we'd previously agreed were off limits."
"Is that why you turned against him?"
Again, she wouldn't meet his eyes. "It's one of the reasons."
Hitsugaya wanted to press the issue and find out exactly why she had turned against Aizen while Gin and Tousen remained loyal - but right now, there were other things he needed to know about her involvement. "What about the Hollowfication experiments and the Arrancar?"
"I was involved in trying to create Arrancar from early on," she admitted quietly. "It was…easier to experiment on Hollows, because at the time, I didn't really see Hollows as anything more than beasts." She swallowed. "We never succeeded, though. At least, I was never involved in successful experiments of that nature. And I was against experimenting on Souls or Shinigami for a variety of reasons, not least of which being that I just didn't like the idea. Even with the Hogyoku, I was against it; it was too unstable and unpredictable, and I don't like using people as test subjects - especially when they are given no say in the matter."
Considering that she'd been used as both a lab rat and a catalyst herself, it made sense that she'd have issues with using other people like that. "But you knew Aizen wasn't concerned with moral implications like that."
"I did."
"And yet you still chose to follow a monster like him. Why?"
A wry, humorless smile twitched across her lips. "I suppose…because unlike the people who held my life in their hands, he, at least, could admit that he was a monster. I appreciated the honesty."
Hitsugaya's teeth ground together. "Aizen is the last person I'd ever call 'honest.'"
"Maybe," she conceded, "but I heard more truth from him than I'd ever heard from Central 46."
"Then I guess," he sneered, "you'll be glad to hear that Aizen murdered all of Central 46."
"Believe it or not, I don't celebrate massacres," she shot back. "And it won't change much. He killed all of Central 46, but it'll just be replaced. You might argue that now isn't the time for changing things, because the Seireitei is still recovering from his betrayal - but once things stabilize, nothing will change. The nobles will seek to preserve their own power at any cost, Central will cater to their whims once more, and everyone else will just go along with it because it's familiar and comfortable and sanctioned by the highest power they know of. It will be the same broken, corrupt, restrictive system that would rather pretend its problems don't exist than actually address them."
Oddly enough, Hitsugaya found that he wasn't offended by what she said. He felt like he should be - after all, she was verbally attacking the very institution he'd pledged his existence to - but…she had a point. No one had openly questioned Rukia's execution, not at first. They'd all accepted the ruling because it came from Central 46; that was all they needed to know. It was only after the ryoka invasion and Aizen's apparent murder that Hitsugaya himself began wondering if there was something more going on…and even then, he realized with no small amount of disgust, it was only because of the breadcrumbs Aizen himself had dropped.
"You may be right," he conceded. "The Seireitei…Soul Society as a whole isn't perfect, and there are many flaws in the system. Maybe it is about time we examined things more closely, but Aizen is threatening our very existence. That needs to be dealt with first."
Kaede's expression relaxed a bit, and sincerity was embedded in everything from her eyes to her voice as she responded. "I'm here to help with that. And please believe me when I say that I hope you will prove me wrong about Soul Society, Taicho."
Hitsugaya felt a bit of tension release from his body. He was resolved to not trust this woman, no matter what Urahara said, but…there was something genuine about her. Of course, he used to think the same about Aizen, so he wasn't sure how much he could trust his own instincts. But for now, he decided he could accept her help.
He sheathed Hyorinmaru, a silent signal to the other Shinigami to stand down with him - which they did. "So. How exactly do you plan to assist us?"
Kaede exchanged a glance with Urahara. "We're working on that."
Yumichika, who'd been observing quietly the whole time, lifted a hand. "If I may, there seems to be an obvious opportunity that no one has brought up. We have the creator of the Hogyoku here; why not have her create another that we can use-"
"NO."
Kaede's reaction was immediate, the one word carrying more force than any of her blows from that morning. Even Urahara shook his head with a quieter, "Not gonna happen."
"Creating the Hogyoku took an enormous sacrifice," Urahara went on to explain. As he spoke, Kaede turned away from the crowd, as though unable to face the question itself. "It would be rather hypocritical for us to attempt another one when we're trying to prevent Aizen from sacrificing a whole town."
"What about destroying it?" It was Renji who posed the question. "Back on Sokyoku Hill…I remember Aizen saying that you tried to destroy the Hogyoku once, but you couldn't. What about her?" He turned his gaze on Kaede. "You made the damn things, could you destroy them?"
Kaede opened her mouth to answer, but Urahara cut her off. "It's an option we're considering. So!" He clapped his hands together. "Are we all on the same page, then? Kaede is an ally, here to help us with her knowledge and skills, and no one is going to tell anyone outside this room about that? Yes? Good. Then let's all cool off for now and reconvene tomorrow."
He shooed the Shinigami and two humans out of the shop. Once outside, Hitsugaya waited until they were a short distance from the shop and turned to his lieutenant.
"Keep an eye on her," he ordered in a low voice. "We'll all take shifts tailing her. I don't want her out of sight for even a minute."
"Hai, Taicho."
As soon as the Shinigami left the shop, Kaede whirled on Kisuke. "What the hell was that about?! Why did you do that?!"
"You may need to be more specific…"
"That 'deal!' Did you really think I'm going to back out of this?"
"Never thought you were. The deal was more to smooth things over so they'd be willing to work with you."
Kaede's throat constricted. Part of her almost wished he had been acting out of distrust. "I didn't ask for your help."
"You didn't have to."
Kaede looked away, ashamed that, yet again, her first instinct was to doubt everything he did for her, to question his intentions and assume the worst. She was the one who left without a word. She was the one who'd put this distance between them.
"It's not your fault, you know." Kisuke's voice was uncharacteristically gentle. "I know you blame yourself, but you're not responsible for Aizen's actions - you weren't back then, and you aren't now."
Her entire body went tense, to the point that even her lungs stopped working for a second. "I'm responsible for my own, though."
"True," he conceded, leaning on his cane. "I'm responsible for mine, too, and I definitely have my fair share of regrets. But one thing I will never regret is keeping you alive."
Kaede's chest tightened with more emotions than she wanted to deal with. The reminder that Kisuke saw value in her existence, that he'd gone out of his way so many times to preserve it, was even willing to stake his own life on that value…it terrified her. "I don't know if I can live up to that."
"You don't have to," he repeated. "Not to me, anyway. That said…could you do it? Destroy the Hogyoku?"
"I don't know," she answered honestly. "It's something that defies the laws of existence. I'm honestly not sure how I managed to make it in the first place…though I think this had something to do with it."
She tapped the hilt of her Zanpakuto.
"Hmm…" Urahara contemplated that for a moment. "You created the conditions for the first Hogyoku before you had any control over your power, and you made the second one before you completed your Shikai…Well, then I think we know exactly what to do next."
Kaede could see where he was going, and it made her stomach drop like a lead weight. "I haven't spoken to Mono no Aware in a century, and you don't know how long it took just to draw out the full Shikai. And I'm out of shape, there's no way I could-"
"Excuses, excuses." Kisuke waved his fan dismissively. "Tell ya what: Two weeks. We'll train for two weeks to get you back to old form. After that…" He grinned from beneath the shadow of his hat. "It's all about the Bankai."
Rather than wait for her answer, Kisuke turned to the sliding door that led to the living quarters behind the shop. "Get some rest. We start tomorrow."
He lifted a hand in a farewell gesture and slid the door shut behind him.
Kaede stared at the closed door, her stomach tying itself in knots already. She'd held herself together pretty well while the Shinigami were there, but now…she could feel herself beginning to unravel.
Suck it up, Kaede scolded herself. You knew what you were getting into when you decided to come here.
She'd known that the truth would come out eventually. She knew there would be questions, and that many of the answers to those questions would dredge up memories and feelings that she'd long tried to move past. But even on her best days over the last century, even when she'd told herself she was over it - over him - and felt like she truly meant it, she'd known deep down that it was a lie.
Now it was truly sinking in: she was in the middle of this now, and there would be no turning back. She would aid the Shinigami in protecting this town and its inhabitants, and in the process, she would come face to face with that man once again. And in spite of the poker face she'd shown the Shinigami just minutes ago, she had no idea what she would do when that moment came.
How could she face him when she couldn't even face her own inner world?
The question is not whether you can do it. The voice that sounded in Kaede's mind was not her own, both achingly familiar and devastatingly alien. But will you?
I'm here, aren't I? Kaede shot back heatedly. She mentally flinched at her own tone. It had been a hundred years since she'd even attempted to speak with her Zanpakuto; she was honestly a little surprised that Mono no Aware had answered her call for that spar.
I am here, the gentle, terrible voice reminded her. Always.
There was an invitation in the spirit's tone, a sense of an open door that Kaede only needed to walk through.
Not yet, she thought, almost pleading. She couldn't go there yet; she wasn't sure she'd ever be ready.
The knot in her stomach kept tightening. She needed open air, needed to move, to do anything else. As she left Urahara's shop, she felt one of the Shinigami follow from a distance. Matsumoto Rangiku, if she wasn't mistaken…not surprising. She was, once again, a "dangerous element" in Soul Society's eyes; it was only natural that they'd want to keep tabs on her.
Well, at least she wouldn't have to be alone with her own thoughts for long.
Rangiku hated having to stick to the trees - they were so dirty, covered in gross bugs and sometimes even rodents. But her captain had ordered her to tail Sorano Kaede, so she did just that, following the woman from Urahara's shop to the nearby park.
Rangiku understood why her captain felt it was necessary that the woman be kept under watch; it would be obvious to even the densest of creatures that Sorano Kaede had potential to be either a great asset or a severe liability in the upcoming war. Of course, Rangiku got the feeling that if the woman did choose to run away or rejoin Aizen's side or whatever she might do, there would be little that any of them could do to stop her. She also had the feeling that her captain was already aware of that, and that pointing it out would have just worsened his mood. And he'd already been in a far fouler one than was normal for him.
Considering what had happened to Momo…she could understand that, too. She'd given Hitsugaya privacy to talk with his old friend the other day, but she didn't need to eavesdrop to know that Momo wasn't doing well. Taicho's attitude afterward had been enough to tell her that.
It was a crisp and sunny afternoon, and the local park was fairly populated. Kaede, however, stuck to one of the more sparsely traversed paths, finding a small bench in the shadow of a cluster of cedar trees. After making herself comfortable, she took out a small notebook - the one she'd had during their spar, Rangiku recognized - and began scribbling in it. Rangiku craned her neck, but couldn't see the page from her angle.
"I hate to break this to you," Kaede called without looking up from her notebook, "but if you were ordered to keep an eye on me in secret, you were doomed to fail from the start. Why don't you just come sit on the bench?"
Rangiku blinked in surprise, but then she remembered that Kaede had been trained by both Urahara and Yoruichi. She chuckled and jumped out of the tree she was standing in, landing a few meters away from the woman.
"I guess I should've known better than to try and sneak up on a former Stealth Corps operative," she said. "I just wish you'd said something sooner; I could have avoided so many ants and leaves in my hair." And this way she didn't have to wait so long to ask her what she wanted to know. She plopped down on the empty spot next to Kaede. "Can I ask what you're writing?"
"Sketching," Kaede corrected. "And take a look for yourself." She turned the notebook towards her.
Rangiku couldn't help but let out a quiet gasp. The woman had sketched a surprisingly accurate and detailed depiction of her captain's Shikai spiraling through what appeared to be a snow-covered landscape. Rangiku didn't consider herself the artistic type by any means, but even she could tell that Kaede was talented in ways beyond her fighting ability.
"That's really good!" Rangiku didn't think it would hurt to express her admiration outright; it wasn't like she was exaggerating, and a little flattery wouldn't hurt in the short run. "I can't believe you memorized the details so quickly, you only saw his Shikai for a minute."
"Accurate memory is another thing they emphasize in the Stealth Corps," Kaede said. "Though I guess I've always had an eye for detail. I think I'll paint it on a canvas when I have the free time; it will be a more vibrant and accurate depiction than this."
"I'd love to see it when you finish."
"We'll see." Kaede closed her little notebook and tucked it back into her jacket pocket as she stood. "Let's do this somewhere else."
"Hm?" Rangiku cocked her head to the side. "Do what?"
Kaede looked down at her. "You have questions for me, right?"
This woman was good. Really good. Rangiku was beginning to see more and more why a man like Aizen married someone like her.
"I'm staying nearby," Kaede continued. "There's a little kitchenette in the unit, so I can make us some tea. Ask me whatever you want, but depending on the subject, know that I may not answer."
This was going even easier than Rangiku had hoped it would. Perhaps that should have made her more wary, but for whatever reason, she simply couldn't muster up the contempt that her fellow Shinigami had for this woman.
"I'd prefer plum sake over tea, if you have it," Rangiku admitted as she stood.
"Tea," Kaede insisted firmly as they started walking, though the corner of her mouth lifted. "That way I can't be accused of trying to escape by getting you blackout drunk."
Rangiku laughed. "Fair enough. And the last thing I need is another lecture from my captain." She studied the woman from the corner of her eye. "You're rather defensive, aren't you?"
"Kinda have to be," she answered with a half-shrug. "No one else will defend me."
"Urahara-san and Yoruichi-san seem to like you."
Kaede's steps slowed briefly. "…Even now, I sometimes forget that."
The "unit" Kaede was staying in was actually quite nice - a decently sized, fully furnished studio with large windows to let in natural light. There was even a small balcony outfitted with a little wrought-iron table and two chairs. Nothing extravagant, but certainly cozy.
"You live here?" she asked as Kaede filled an electric kettle with water.
"For now," was the answer. "None of this is mine; it's just a rental unit for people on long business trips. I like it, though."
Rangiku nodded as she continued her slow sweep around the apartment. Now that she had that context, it was clear that the furniture and decor was meant to be generic and coordinated, like a picture from a magazine. "You travel a lot, I take it? I already know you've been to Italy at least once."
"I try not to stay in one place for too long," Kaede replied. "This gigai doesn't age, and people eventually notice." She handed Rangiku a steaming mug. "Here - careful, that kettle runs extra hot. So what do you want to ask me?"
So much for small talk. Rangiku indulged in a deep whiff of the fragrant tea before beginning. "You said before that you'd helped recruit Tousen Kaname to Aizen's side."
"I did."
"What about Ichimaru Gin?"
Kaede shook her head. "I didn't recruit Gin."
"So Aizen did?"
Kaede tilted her head, her brow furrowed in contemplation. "More or less…"
"What do you mean?"
"He sort of just…showed up," Kaede said. "I never really got to know Gin all that well. He was the last to join our little group, and by then…I wasn't as involved as I had been. Even though he was so young, I always found him a little creepy. He was always smiling, regardless of the situation. It was kind of unsettling."
"Sounds like him," Rangiku said quietly, unable to help a small, nostalgic smile of her own. His smile had never unsettled her, though.
"Why did you want to know about Gin, specifically?"
Rangiku's heart grew heavier as the memories overtook her. She felt no need to hide her reasoning; if anything, she had a hunch that of all people, Kaede would understand. "I've known him since we were children. He saved my life, and for a time…we were inseparable. I mean, sometimes he'd disappear for a few days, but he always came back. To be honest…I think those were some of the happiest months of my life."
The memory of Gin on that snowy afternoon, blood on his cheek, draped in a shihakusho that hung off his small, spindly form, sprang to Rangiku's mind.
"I've made up my mind. I'm gonna become a Shinigami and change things. That way…you won't have to cry anymore."
She gazed down into her tea, willing herself back to the present. "Then, one day, he just announced he was going to become a Shinigami. By the time I made it to the Academy myself, he'd already graduated and was in Division 5. I thought that once I graduated, we'd go back to the way we were…but he always kept me at a distance, even after I became a Lieutenant myself."
She looked up to see Kaede staring at her with a curious expression - like she was seeing past her, looking at something Rangiku couldn't perceive. "What is it?"
"How exactly did Gin save your life, if you wouldn't mind my asking?"
"Oh…" She pressed her finger to her chin. "I'd passed out from hunger, and he found me and gave me some food."
"Is that what you remember?"
"To be honest, I don't remember much. Gin's the one who told me what happened. Why?"
Kaede's brow furrowed, like she was struggling to think of the way to phrase what she wanted to say next. Then she abruptly shook her head. "It's probably nothing."
"Nooo," Rangiku pouted. "Now you have me all curious! You can't just leave it at that!"
She sighed. "It's just…I know why Tousen Kaname joined us. I know, or at least can guess, why any of our allies worked for us. Money, power, influence, fear…frankly, compared to most, Tousen Kaname's motivations were the most 'pure,' you could say. That's why he was such a close ally from the start. But with him and the others, we were the ones who reached out first, and we usually kept them in the dark about the bigger picture of what we intended to do - Tousen being the one exception."
She turned her tea cup in her hands, studying its contents like it held the solution to a complex puzzle. "But with Gin…I never really understood his motivations. I once asked-" She cut off with a flinch, and it seemed like she needed to force herself to continue. "I once asked him why he recruited Gin. I didn't really like the idea of a child being caught up in what we were doing. But…he said that he hadn't recruited Gin at all. Gin, he said, found him."
Rangiku's eyes widened a bit. Gin was the one who approached Aizen? Her heart sank into her stomach. Part of her still hoped that Gin had been somehow deceived or coerced by Aizen, dragged down into the depths of the older man's plans until he could no longer escape. But the Gin she knew wasn't so easily led, and if he had been the one to seek Aizen out…
"I still don't understand," she murmured, focusing on her empty teacup to ground herself. "What was he thinking?"
Kaede turned her own cup in her hands. "I'm sorry I can't tell you more."
Rangiku shook her head even as her shoulders sagged with disappointment. "I guess it was too much to think that someone other than Gin could provide me with some explanation for all he's done."
"I think that's true of most people," Kaede said. "But don't feel bad for wanting answers. It's only natural to seek some sort of closure."
"Is that why you're here?" Rangiku asked. "For closure with Aizen?"
The other woman's face remained carefully blank, though her eyes grew distant. "I'm just trying to fix some of my mistakes."
"Do you regret having been with him?"
"Do you regret meeting Gin?"
"No," Rangiku answered honestly. It wasn't even a question for her. "I will never regret meeting Gin, and not just because he saved my life. But it doesn't change the fact that we're now enemies. I just wish…I wish he'd been more open with me."
Kaede grew quiet, her body folding in on itself as she huddled around her tea. "I know the feeling."
Rangiku contemplated the woman sitting across from her. Sure, she was clearly a powerful, potentially dangerous person, and she'd associated herself with a monster, but right now…she was a woman who'd been hurt. While Rangiku didn't know what exactly had happened between Kaede and her ex-husband, she could very much understand being betrayed by the man she loved.
"I guess in some ways," Rangiku mused softly, "we're both dealing with broken hearts, aren't we?"
Kaede made no answer to that, but to Rangiku's relief, she didn't completely close off, either.
After a moment, Rangiku tossed back the rest of her tea like a shot of sake and slammed the cup onto the table. "Well, you know what? Screw 'em! We're way too young and beautiful to wallow over a couple of stupid men. There's still some daylight left out there - how about that shopping spree?"
Kaede set her cup down more delicately, a bemused smile gracing her face. "Fine, fine…but we're sticking to Karakura Town. I don't want your captain getting all uppity about us going outside city limits."
"Oh, all right - but then I insist we get a drink together while we're out!"
"No."
"Awww, come on…"
Silence echoed down the cavernous halls of Las Noches, with only the faintest thrum of reiatsu rippling through the soaring ceilings and smooth white pillars. The castle's inhabitants were, as usual, keeping to themselves, either training in their rooms or resting. Hollows, and by extent the Arrancar were lonesome creatures, missing the group instinct that governed most human derived spiritual beings. Some gained animalistic instincts, manifesting traits such as the need of a pack or herd. But most Arrancar were power-hungry, vicious creatures that bowed only to the strongest. Currently, that was their king.
Aizen lounged in his throne, his finger idly playing with a container housing the now quiet Hogyoku, the symbol of his rule over the Arrancar. King…the title brought an amused smirk to Aizen's lips. He hardly considered himself a "king," though he supposed that, for all intents and purposes, that was his current role in Hueco Mundo. But "king" suggested a limit to one's realm, the existence of boundaries between one dominion and the next, and he intended to break those boundaries.
"Santen Kesshun - I reject!"
Before him, a projected memory played out on a screen: a young, copper-haired girl rushed to the side of her large, muscular friend, calling an incantation as she went. A golden shield formed over her companion's bloodied stump of an arm, restoring the limb to its former state against all logic and reason.
Santen Kesshun…The ability to reject entire phenomena and rewrite reality. An intriguing power, to be sure, but he'd seen far more impressive displays. The girl clearly lacked the killer instinct to use it to its fullest potential, but maybe…with the right triggers…
Aizen sighed, leaning his cheek in one hand. He didn't feel like expending any energy on Inoue Orihime. She had another role to play, one where he did not need her loyalty, merely her presence and a few well placed lies. As he'd told the young Hitsugaya Toshiro just a few months ago, "divide and conquer" was the most basic of battle strategies.
It was almost too easy, every piece falling into place just as he wanted and he, the puppet-master, watching them struggle to untangle the web of his plans. He liked to indulge them at times, giving them hope. It provided some form of amusement in the otherwise dull routine of Hueco Mundo. Aizen's eyes slid once more to the Hogyoku slumbering in his hand, the orb quiet as it acclimated to its newfound stability, gradually realizing its own potential.
As he would soon realize his.
It had taken longer to get to this point than he'd originally planned, but Aizen had no issue with that. Every path had obstacles, and he prided himself on mastering every one that came his way. One particular obstacle had been more difficult and persistent than the rest, though. Urahara Kisuke…Aizen's hand clenched around the clear container, his eyes narrowing in disdain. The man may have laid the first claim to the Hogyoku, but it had never belonged to him. Yes, he had cultivated it, nourished and nurtured it, but Urahara Kisuke never understood it. Not like he did. No, Kisuke had sought to bind it, limit it, hide it away and render it useless. It was only right that Aizen took it back from him and made it whole.
Aizen closed his eyes to calm his mind once more. He must have grown exceptionally bored if he was allowing himself to get worked up over the mere thought of a person, no matter how irritating said person was. Then again, there wasn't much to do while he waited for the Hogyoku to settle.
As though summoned by his thoughts, Aizen felt another presence lurking in the shadows. He smiled. If nothing else, Gin was a steady source of entertainment with his constant attempts at pushing him off balance. Gin could be unpredictable at times, annoying on his best days, but it was in moments of boredom such as these that Aizen tolerated his cheek the most. At the very least it gave him something to do.
"Gin," he greeted from his throne as he casually dismissed Inoue Orihime's projection.
"Hey there, Taicho." The ever-grinning former lieutenant slid up to lean against the back of his chair. "Just lookin' for something to do - it's awful quiet around here lately. Say, what do ya plan on doing with Orihime-chan, there? Gotta say, she doesn't seem like your type."
Aizen's eyebrow lifted at the comment. Ah, so it was going to be one of those days. How utterly unoriginal. "No, I suppose she is more of your type, Gin," he said, looking for a reaction out of the corner of his eye. To Gin's credit, there was none. Not that it mattered; he was already aware of the man's attachments. He knew what made them all tick.
The question was, how would Gin proceed from here?
"Nah, too wide-eyed and young for me," Gin said with a wave of his hand, closing the subject. "It's kinda hard to believe how far we've come, isn't it, Taicho? Makes ya wonder what certain people would say if they were here."
"Not at all, Gin," he replied, already bored at the utterly predictable avenue his former lieutenant was taking. This place must have dulled Gin's edge if he thought this would work. "We are here by design, not chance. A design which played out exactly as it should have."
"As you say, Taicho." Gin turned on his heel to leave but paused then for a moment, as if he'd just remembered something. "Say, have we got any jasmine tea in stock? I find myself craving a cup all of a sudden."
"Ask one of the servants. I'm sure we had some, right next to the plum sake. I remember you craving that from time to time as well," said Aizen, smirking as he noticed a miniscule stiffening of Gin's shoulders. Two could play the game, and while Gin was usually quite apt at poking and prodding people for vulnerabilities, this time he struck out.
Still, it was…irritating, he had to admit, that Gin continually tried to bring up his past, as if that had any consequence on the future or on his decisions. He had long since closed the book on that chapter of his life, but Gin seemed to have it earmarked. It probably reflected on Gin's own inability to let go of his own past bonds, but that was irrelevant. He had taken Gin with him as a reward for his loyalty, and for the occasional bout of entertainment he provided, but truth be told, he did not need the man. He had a whole army of Arancar that owed their entire existence to him, calling him their king and swearing fealty to him. The silver haired snake was just…a diversion.
Aizen's fingers stroke the container with his Hogyoku once more. Soon, he would rise above even the bonds of fealty, as he would achieve the fusion of Human, Shinigami, and Hollow reishi. He would be the one to bring about true balance by merging the three, pushing the evolution of reality to its peak.
How ironic that the Hogyoku's own creator had thought it to be entirely unnatural, when in fact it was a truer reflection of nature than the reality in which they lived. Urahara Kisuke was a fool, as were all those agreeing with him. But now, even Kisuke was a mere speck, a ticked box in his plan, for Kisuke's half of the Hogyoku belonged to him, as it always should have.
And at the end of the game, he, and he alone, would stand at the top of everything. As it should be.
Ending notes
There was a lot to set up in this chapter, and making sure it all fit and made sense and wasn't just a huge exposition dump/recap was freakin' BRUTAL. Huge thanks to Angela, who wrote that Rangiku scene - I just edited it and tweaked some details - and to ItyGirl, who helped bring that last scene together and give it narrative flow.
So now the present-day players are…well, mostly on the same page. Enough that we can move forward, though there will be at least one more trip to the past coming up.
We also got to see some of…let's call it "post-Kaede" Aizen. It seems there's quite an interesting narrative floating around Soul Society about what happened to his wife…and at least one person who won't let him forget it.
Next Time: Kaede hits some roadblocks as she prepares for the upcoming war…roadblocks that force her to face what really happened a hundred years ago. Also other stuff, because whenever I think I have a solid plan for a chapter, I'm proved wrong.
Anyway, I'm excited to read what y'all think, your interpretations, your predictions…all of it! And I'm even more excited to get to the next phase of the story. It's gonna be a helluva ride. So as always…
Stay Tuned!