"Why?!" Renji roared, slamming the desk in the Sixth Division's captain's room. "Why does it have to go that far?"
"Why?" Byakuya stood at the window, back to him, voice heavy. "Because it's the Hōgyoku."
"And what the hell is that?!"
"A special creation of Urahara Kisuke—former Twelfth Division captain and founder of the R&D Institute—the man behind the mass vanishings in Rukongai a hundred years ago," Byakuya said, unruffled by Renji's outburst. "Its function is… to hollowfy Shinigami, granting greater power—breaking the border between Shinigami and Hollow, degrading us into monsters."
"Urahara used Rukongai civilians as test material. Central 46 sent eight captain-class powers to investigate. None returned. All were lost."
Renji collapsed onto the couch, stunned. Eight captains—or even eight vice-captains—gone? The Gotei 13 should have shattered under that. The fact it hadn't was a miracle.
"Now you see how dangerous Urahara and his Hōgyoku are," Byakuya said.
"…Yeah, but how did it end up in Rukia? They shouldn't have met… wait—after she went to the world of the living?!"
"Most likely. The R&D lab confirmed the gigai was hand-made. Captain Kurotsuchi says it drains the wearer's spiritual power. In other words, whoever gave it to Rukia never meant to restore her power—he wanted her human. Why Rukia, what he gains—unknown. Even she knew nothing."
"Damn it!" Renji snarled. He wanted to storm to the living world and hack Urahara to pieces. They'd cleared the hardest hurdle; he'd spent the afternoon grinning about cutting her sentence—now it was death.
"Right. How did Captain Ichimaru even know the Hōgyoku was in her?"
…
"That's on me," Aizen said later, with a weary sigh as night insects sang outside. "I reported the original incident. Ichimaru Gin graduated top of the academy in a year. A prodigy—but the moment I saw him, I felt he was dangerous. Cold-blooded. A viper."
"I took him under my wing to steer him right—and to watch him. I thought seeing that horror would sober him. I even advocated making him captain of Third—the Support Division—so he could protect others."
"In hindsight, the Hōgyoku's power probably bewitched him. He must have dug into it quietly and—by luck—found where it went."
"I don't know what scheme he's running, but this report has an agenda."
"Betrayal you can see isn't scary. It's the kind you can't," Shigō murmured.
"Isn't there a way to take it out?" Ichigo pressed. "If it went in, it can come out."
"Why take it out?" Shigō's voice went flat. "If it were a boon to Soul Society, even with murky origins, Central 46 would tear Rukia apart to retrieve it. But it hollowfies Shinigami. Little use even if they have it. All it does is introduce risk. So they'll burn both host and object. She's a criminal, after all."
Ichigo clenched his teeth. He knew Shigō was stating their logic, not his own. That didn't cool his anger. The highest court—heartless authoritarians. It broke his image of Soul Society.
"Yes," Aizen said, adjusting invisible glasses. "That's Central 46. Brutal is fine; cruel is fine. The big picture rules all. Any dissent is treason. They've even ordered the Onmitsukidō to snatch 'dangerous' Shinigami in secret. Whether or not it's 'right,' there are gentler ways—especially when nobility's involved, they grow… ambiguous."
"The nobles—right!" Ichigo burst out. "Rukia's a Kuchiki. Don't the Four Great Houses protect their own?"
"As far as I know, Byakuya has filed no objection. Nor has the noble alliance, the Gold-Seal Council. If both protested, this never would have passed. There might still be room to maneuver," Aizen said.
"How can— Byakuya's her brother! Even if adopted—he'll do nothing?" Ichigo demanded.
"Rukia was adopted," Shigō said, almost kindly.
Ichigo had no answer.
"It is what it is," Aizen said softly. "I wanted to hide it from you, but that's not what a teacher should do. Only by seeing the world clearly do we grow."
"No apology needed," Shigō said. "Telling us now is right—and we're not so fragile. I said it in the baths: I've seen plenty of this in the living world. Compared to that, Central 46 are just stodgy cowards. Bandits, really—worse than bandits."
He glanced at Ichigo. "So. Say it. In or out?"
"…One month, huh?" Ichigo's eyes hardened. "I said it in the bath too—I'll protect as many as I can. Rukia's misery is right in front of me; I can't pretend I didn't see it. I promised Inoue I'd help if I could. I'm not going to be the kind of coward who talks big and then backs out."
"So in the next month, I'm going to learn bankai—then break her out myself."
"Sounds like you meant to go alone," Shigō said dryly.
"Two people," Ichigo shot back. "I knew you couldn't stomach this either."
"…Should I be moved that you 'get' me, or mad you're dragging me in?" Shigō sighed.
"Bail if you want."
"No. I barely know her; helping her isn't 'worth it.' But stomaching this is another matter."
"Knew it." Ichigo grinned, fired up.
"Then count me in," Aizen said mildly.
"Huh?"
"…"
They both stared.
Aizen's smile didn't change; his eyes deepened. "From the first day you stepped into this barracks, I told you: recklessness is a prodigy's privilege. I won't stop you—I'll support you. Even if you break the law. If you believe the road you walk is right, nothing should bind you."
"I can make sure you aren't branded traitors."
"…Are you going to take the fall for us?" Shigō asked.
"In the worst case. But don't underestimate your teacher." A faint humor touched Aizen's voice. "Reviewing duty rosters, raising base pay, cutting red tape—reforming for the good of the rank-and-file. The 'Paperwork Dragon' of Fifth didn't do that by being hidebound."
"And besides," he added lightly, "I have two brilliant students. Finding a way to square the circle won't be hard. My read on Ichimaru says this isn't the endgame. There's a deeper plot. I'll hunt his crimes. If I find proof, we can exonerate you—maybe even earn you commendations. If not before the execution, it will surface during it. I'll turn that to our advantage."
"I'll need help. For example… Momo?"
A clatter sounded outside the door.
Ichigo and Shigō exchanged a look. Ichigo slid the door open. Hinamori Momo stood there, mortified, half raising a hand.
"Uh… g-good evening."
"Miss Hinamori? Why are you here?" Ichigo asked.
"Um… I was prepping materials for tomorrow. An officer said a Hell Butterfly came, and you were summoned. I thought it was urgent, so I came—didn't even change," she said, still in her uniform.
"What do you think, Sensei? Should we… silence the witness?" Shigō asked mildly.
"?!"
"Hey! Don't joke like that! Momo, he tells hell jokes. But if you turn us in—I'll have to do something," Ichigo warned.
"Don't worry," Aizen said gently. "Momo won't betray us."
That simple trust hit her like a bell. "I won't! I heard what you said. If you don't mind, let me help Kuchiki too!"
"Good. No, we won't be killing anyone," Aizen said, then added, almost apologetically, "but I do need a favor. If you'll help—better yet. Specifically… I'll need you to write a farewell letter and… die once."
"Eh?"
"?"
"…"
Ichigo and Momo gaped. Shigō just looked up at the ceiling with a "yeah, saw that coming" face.
-------
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