"Huh?"
Aizen didn't react to Ichigo's surprise; he simply spoke on, lazy as Shigō had been, like telling a story—which made it hard to tell whether he was sincere or…
"Arrogant as it sounds, I was a prodigy no less than either of you when I was young. At first there was joy and fire. Soon there was only emptiness. My dream turned to a black-and-white sketch—color gone."
"My dream died."
"…That's it?" Ichigo said, dumbfounded.
"That's it."
"…"
"…"
Silence spread. Shigō and Ichigo stared at him with matching "you call that an answer?" faces.
Aizen's mouth twitched. "I'm not toying with you. That's the truth."
"Fine, let's take it as true. But why?" Ichigo asked, half curious, half afraid of stepping on something private.
"Perhaps because I wasn't as fortunate as Shigō." Aizen's glance slid to him; Ichigo followed it. Shigō only lifted a brow.
"If I'd had a friend like you back then, things might have been different."
"I still don't get it. Even alone, how do you lose hope in a dream?" Ichigo asked.
"Has this happened to you?" Aizen asked softly. "As a child, you long for something. When you grow and can finally do it—your interest is gone."
Both boys fell silent, as if remembering a feeling they'd rather not admit.
"Like a god bored by omnipotence. Like a tycoon who can buy anything and wants nothing," Aizen said to his reflection. "That was me."
"And now? You're not that man. A man without a dream wouldn't become a captain or be loved," Shigō said.
Aizen sighed. "You caught me. People change. I heard a story, and it changed me into the Aizen you know."
"…Very literary. Like a novel," Ichigo muttered.
"Hey," Shigō nudged him.
"The story is simple," Aizen went on. "The world fell into darkness. A hero arose and led the best of mankind, saved the world, did deeds that lifted him from man to god—nearly that strong, at least."
"But his companions killed him, used his corpse to create a new world. He didn't resist. Perhaps he thought it a good end."
"The new world was born—but with flaws. No going back. No strength to save it. Some companions didn't care; some rushed ahead; some shouldered the burden of ruling and guarding."
"That's the end."
"For the first time in my life, something surged in my chest. It took me a long time to name it: contempt."
"Not for the people—for the story itself. If you're a born strong one, a winner with glory behind you, you decide the shape of the world and carry your mission to the end. You don't let others do it. That 'sacrifice without resistance' is a coward's dodge."
"If either of you are born strong—and you are—and you see a crisis, and you'll write your own legend—do you disagree?"
"This…" Ichigo faltered.
"What do you think, Shigō?"
"Me?" Shigō shrugged. "Doesn't matter to me."
"What's that supposed to—"
"Funny," Aizen said, smiling without warmth. "I agree. No matter how we argue right and wrong, in the end we stop and ask: what will we do?"
"And if I were born strong, saw the world's flaw, and was fated for greatness, then… the answer is simple."
"Die before I become that. Die before I force the people after me to make that choice."
"If the current world is wrong, then I'll walk to the end as the victor and redefine it. That became my new dream."
…
After the baths, they found a place along the bathhouse street, devoured a proper meal, and talked shop as they walked back under the moon. At the Fifth Division they didn't part; Shinō had no curfew during the summer break. Shigō and Ichigo had stayed here plenty of times. They had rooms, spare clothes, toiletries—the works. To the rank-and-file, they looked like trainees already.
"Today was weirdly full. I didn't do much, but I feel like my world got bigger. My head's fuzzy… I'm sleeping. Night."
"Night."
They were just about to split for their rooms when a Fifth Division officer appeared.
"Capt—Aizen requests you both in his quarters. Urgent."
"?"
Sleep vanished. They exchanged a look and hurried over. Aizen was in sleepwear himself—clearly headed for bed when something had interrupted him. The something fluttered on his finger: a Hell Butterfly.
"You came. Forgo the greetings; I'll be brief," Aizen said, face grave. "The Central 46 just sent word. Kuchiki Rukia's sentence has been changed."
"From one hundred years' imprisonment to execution at the Sōkyoku in one month. Final ruling. No appeal."
"What?!" Ichigo blanched.
"Central 46 rarely overturn themselves," Shigō said, frowning. "What happened, Sensei?"
"Roughly ten hours ago, Third Division Captain Ichimaru Gin submitted a report." Aizen's tone was soft; the words were thunder. "He claims Kuchiki Rukia harbors a substance that threatens Soul Society's order. Its name is Hōgyoku."
"Central 46 investigated and confirmed it. They intend to destroy it with the Sōkyoku."
-------
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