Leaving the First Division barracks, Kensei Kenzuru felt as if at least half of his brilliant brain cells had perished.
"Old Man Yama definitely did that on purpose..." Kensei massaged his temples, muttering as he walked back towards the dorm. "'Enriching Shinigami experience,' my foot. He just wanted to hear his disciple's gossip."
But after hearing it this time, the old man could probably rest easy.
He'd have to. Yamamoto had originally thought this 'mysterious person' had some ulterior motive for getting close to Kensei. It turned out the motive was indeed quite 'ulterior'—they were practically family now.
After listening, Yamamoto could only advise Kensei with a complex look, "Be mindful." It was both a warning regarding the Hollowfication experiments and a reminder about his disciple's intricate relationships.
Kensei stopped, quietly pushing open the dorm door. Aizen was still asleep on the bed.
She lay on her side, brown hair splayed across the pillow, her body rising and falling gently with her breath.
Kensei stared at that face, now stripped of all disguise, revealing more of a woman's inherent softness. Then he turned and sat on his own bed.
In theory, given his relationship with Aizen, sharing a bed wouldn't be an issue, neither before nor now. But it just felt... strange somehow.
Propping his head on his hand, Kensei lay on his side, gazing at Aizen's sleeping face while his mind wandered.
The Hollowfication experiment was a preliminary success. No need to worry about trouble from Old Man Yama later. The Research and Development Institute didn't need his attention right now. Seemed the only mess left to clean up was the Tsunayashiro Clan's.
Once the Tsunayashiro were dealt with, he could swan off to Hueco Mundo and live like a king.
Hehehe, I'll follow in Dong Zhuo's footsteps in Las Noches! Wine pools and meat forests every day!
As Kensei was fantasizing, the window slid open soundlessly. A purple figure flipped in agilely, landing without a sound.
"Yo, still alive?" Yoruichi brushed non-existent dust from her hands, her eyes first sweeping over the sleeping Aizen before she sat on the edge of Kensei's bed, a faint smile on her lips. "Get lectured by the old man?"
"Sigh, too many words, too many tears," Kensei grumbled. "What about you? Still using the window?"
"Where's the fun in using the door?" Yoruichi shrugged, her gaze shifting between Kensei and Aizen again, her tone becoming more casual. "How is she?"
"How would she be? Probably needs a few days' rest." Kensei pouted. "Got drained by that unorthodox Hollowfication session, plus... sigh, anyway, she's just worn out."
Kensei didn't elaborate on the 'plus,' but Yoruichi obviously understood and tactfully changed the subject.
Yoruichi pulled an exquisitely crafted envelope from her robe and tossed it to Kensei. "From the Kuchiki Clan. Brought it over on my way."
Kensei caught the letter, saw the familiar Kuchiki family crest, opened it, and pulled out the contents.
The handwriting was neat and elegant, the wording carrying the noble family's characteristic grace and deference. The gist was that Kuchiki Sōjun's illness had improved considerably, and he had even gotten his wife pregnant. Therefore, they wished to host a banquet in Kensei's honor to express their gratitude.
"An invitation personally written by the old Kuchiki head. And it's for you alone." Yoruichi crossed her arms, her eyes holding a "not bad, kid" look. "Didn't think you could cure Kuchiki Sōjun's strange illness. And even got them a child."
"A sharpshooter!"
Kensei exclaimed in admiration, surprised that Kuchiki Sōjun moved so fast. So, Byakuya's on his way.
"How does it feel, having acquired another major backer for yourself?"
Yoruichi pinched Kensei's cheek playfully.
"Sigh, I'm just afraid the old Kuchiki head will take a fancy to me, a handsome rising star, and want me as his son-in-law."
"Don't even think about it. The Shihōin name is here." Yoruichi gave Kensei's chest a light smack. "Serious talk now. Soi Fon reported the Tsunayashiro Clan's recent activities to me."
Kensei straightened up. "Any findings?"
"Nothing. Unusually quiet. But the quieter they are, the stranger it feels."
"Then don't worry about it. Their minds aren't right anyway."
Kensei waved a dismissive hand. Unless the Tsunayashiro could summon Yhwach himself, they couldn't withstand Old Man Yama. Hell, they might not even be able to contain Kensei himself.
"Alright then. I've got other things to handle. Gotta go." Yoruichi trusted Kensei's judgment. She glanced at Aizen on the bed again. "Behave lately."
"Come on, do I look that desperate to you?"
Kensei protested, feeling the need to correct Yoruichi's mistaken impression of him.
"Heh. I'll check back in a few days."
Yoruichi gave a cold laugh, her figure flickering as she vanished out the window again.
The moment she left, Aizen's eyelashes fluttered. She slowly opened her eyes, pushing herself up with some effort, her movements still weak.
"Take it easy." Kensei immediately got up to support her back, helping her sit up. "How do you feel?"
"Much better." Aizen's voice was still a bit hoarse but clearer than before. She closed her eyes, sensing her own condition. "Spiritual pressure has mostly recovered. No signs of the after-effects that could follow such an experiment."
Aizen opened her eyes, looking at Kensei. "You reported to the Captain-Commander?"
"Why does everyone ask me that as soon as they see me?" Kensei felt exasperated. "Yes, I did. Nearly annoyed to death by the old man."
He briefly recounted his conversation with Yamamoto, throwing in a few complaints for good measure.
After listening, Aizen thought for a moment. "The Captain-Commander is considering your interests. It's also a sign of his trust in you."
By only discussing trivial matters with Kensei, the Captain-Commander was implicitly telling him that as long as he didn't blow up Soul Society, he wouldn't ask further questions.
"Got it, got it." Kensei nodded, picking up the Kuchiki invitation to show Aizen. "From the Kuchiki family."
Aizen took the invitation, scanning it quickly. "A very formal gesture. Expressing gratitude is one aspect. More importantly, it's a public declaration of their relationship with you."
"Does that mean I can openly overthrow Old Man Yama now?"
Aizen was taken aback, giving the enthusiastic Kensei an odd look. "What would you do as Captain-Commander?"
"Of course, reform the Shihakushō design! The current one's too ugly." Kensei began counting off on his fingers as if it were obvious. "JK uniforms, stockings, tights..."
"Stop." Aizen quickly cut off the gushing Kensei, massaging her aching temples. "Have you considered that the world now may differ from what you knew?"
"The troublemakers haven't changed." Kensei waved a dismissive hand. "Besides, I've got you. Want to hear what you were originally supposed to do?"
"Most likely, accumulate power in secret, then use the Hōgyoku to launch an assault on Soul Society when the time was right. Might have tried cultivating a potential individual as an opponent."
Aizen answered Kensei flatly. For her, these things weren't hard to deduce. Though some things had changed, she still understood what she might have done.
"As for the final outcome... likely failure and imprisonment in Muken."
"Hiss—" Kensei stared wide-eyed at Aizen, cautiously asking, "Are you cheating?"
***
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