Ripples

Gin maintained his smile and released his shikai. Orihime blocked with a barrier but was still pushed to an empty area. She already understood he wanted to separate her from the others. Orihime landed on the destroyed street and waited for Gin to arrive.

Orihime stuck her hands out towards the left and right, and a large orange barrier surrounded and sealed them in. Gin attacked the barrier to test it, and saw that there wasn't any damage. He also noticed that the barrier is completely opaque. When he turned back to Orihime, she is sitting on the ground leaning up against a wall.

"So, what do you want from me this time."

"Lord Aizen wishes for me to keep you busy, so as to not interfere with his plans."

"Oh, and what is the real reason."

Gin continues smiling and does not respond immediately. Orihime wasn't bothered by his stalling since she was able to sense all of the fights outside. As long as nothing major happened she would not need to make a move anymore. Baraggan was the only Espada she could outright defeat without making too big of a splash in the timeline.

"Touching Aizen's blade during its sealed state is the only way to become immune to the illusion."

"Oh? Why are you betraying Aizen all of a sudden?"

Gin did not respond and sat down cross-legged. He leaned his head back and stared at the ceiling of the barrier. The two of them sat in silence, neither bothering to do anything. Although they were enemies, Orihime had paid him back for the first fight already. She did not have a reason to go all out against him.

"Why didn't you accept Aizen's power to get stronger?" Orihime said offhandedly without expecting a reply. Seeing that he was just going to stay silent she kept talking.

"I guess it's the last visage of your defiance. Or maybe you don't want Rangiku to see you as a monster. It is a shame that your path is one where you will definitely die. What would you do if you could survive after Aizen's defeat, I wonder?

She never moves on, by the way. Once you die, you remain the only love in her heart. Although, maybe Toshiro could have taken down her walls, but I guess he has a thing for Momo. I bet you've wondered how I know all these things—"

"You know the future."

Orihime's jaw dropped in shock. Gin was the single person to whom she has revealed the most evidence of her knowledge. However, it still surprised her that someone would come to that conclusion. Considering how intelligent and calculating the people he associates with are, that would be a more likely conclusion.

"How long have you known?"

"A while. I don't wish to lose control. Imprisonment."

Orihime didn't understand what he was saying at first but then connected the dots with the questions she had asked. Perhaps if she had arrived earlier in this world, she could have rescued Gin from his fate. The world is filled with liars and schemers, however, Gin Ichimaru always felt like an earnest person.

Although he acted like a snake, Orihime thought it was just an accumulation of acting in front of Aizen. She noticed the fight outside was reaching the turning point. It seemed as if Gin predicted she would want to sit out for the rest of the fight without drawing attention to herself.

"Aizen did not request for you to stop me, you suggested it, didn't you?"

Gin stood up and dusted off his haori. He looked over at Orihime with the same narrowed eyes and cunning smile. But Orihime thought she had noticed a hint of regret in his facial expression. He pressed his hand against a point in the barrier and it began to warp and fluctuate.

This caused Orihime to stand up in surprise. She knew Gin was a genius, but his understanding of barriers rivaled her own. This was not her unique barrier, but a Kido based on it. It utilized the properties of electromagnetic force to glue together an extremely dense layer of gas and spirit particles.

A large flaming explosion could be felt even through the barrier. Once the energy dissipated, Gin created an opening just large enough for him to fit through and exited the barrier. It repaired itself quickly and Orihime was left alone at a loss for words. This should be around the time Isshin, Urahara, Yoruichi, and Ichigo arrive.

Thinking about Yoruichi, she was a bit excited. Orihime wanted to show off her new abilities and her version of Shunko. Out of all the people she met when she came here, she was the closest with Yoruichi. They had spent almost two months training together after all. Orihime did her best to pay attention to the fighting so that she could show up after Aizen left to Soul Society.

…

Aizen stood over the collapsed bodies of Yoruichi, Urahara, Shinju, and Isshin. He smirked and looked over at Gin who had just returned from beating Ichigo. He noticed that Gin wasn't wounded at all, but this did not surprise him knowing how strong Gin was.

"And what of Miss Inoue?"

"She's too weak to interfere even with the hogyoku."

���I see."

Aizen did not say much, but his mind was working quickly to deduce and calculate. He waved his hand and opened a Senkaimon to Soul Society. The two of them walked through and entered the Dangai. The cleaner arrived as they were halfway through, but Aizen simply destroyed it with a swing of his sword. Then they continued on to the real Karakura town.

The two of them walk into the real Karakura town and see Tatsuki helping her friends that have collapsed from Aizen and Gin's spiritual pressure. Aizen decides to deal with Ichigo's friends first since everyone in the town would die anyway. Before they could begin, Rangiku shows up and forces the humans to leave. Aizen is about to make a move to kill her, but Gin stops him.

"Please allow me to talk with her. I promise it will not inconvenience you."

"I'll allow it."

Aizen leaves and Gin confronts Rangiku. He grabs her and flies up to a rooftop.

"What are you doing here?"

"I opened a Senkaimon as soon as I felt your Reiatsu disappear."

"I asked you what you are doing here not how you got here."

"I came for you! Isn't that obvious? Why are you following Aizen? Why did you betray Kira's faith in you?"

"Is that seriously what you are asking me?"

Gin draws his sword and brings it up to Rangiku's neck. The words that Orihime said echoed in his mind, causing his façade to break. He opens his eyes and looks directly into Rangiku's. He puts his free hand on the back of her head and kisses her, while Hakufuku puts her into a deep sleep, suppressing her Reiatsu.

His normal face reappears and he arrives next to Aizen.

"What did you do with Matsumoto?"

"I killed her." Aizen paused at that, even showing a slight displeasure.

"I admit, I am surprised. I thought you had feelings for her."

"I have nothing like feelings. I told you long ago that I am a snake."

As they are talking and walking, Ichigo's friends appear around the corner from the alley. Aizen draws his sword to begin the slaughter, but Gin reaches out and grabs his blade.

"Allow me to deal with them."

Aizen nods at Gin's request. However, instead of impaling his friends, he impales Aizen with his bankai.

"The only way to escape the complete Hypnosis if to touch the blade of Kyoka Suigetsu in the sealed form. It took me ten years to learn this secret. Also, I lied about my bankai. It produces a poison that destroys everything on a cellular level. Kill."

Almost all of Aizens chest is destroyed by this, and Gin snatches the floating hogyoku. However, he underestimates the hogyoku and it soon melts and returns to the rapidly healing Aizen. He walks over and thanks Gin. Stating that almost dying has pushed him to a whole new level. Then Aizen gives him a fatal strike, cleaving his body in two from shoulder to hip. He floats up to the top of the city to destroy it all in one attack.

However, what he does not notice is a little paper crane peeking its head out from Gin's collar. Rangiku arrives, the Kido wearing off when Gin took a fatal wound. She screams his name and holds him in his arms.

"I'm sorry, I failed. I could not return to your side in the end."

"Didn't I say you would die in the rubble full of regrets, having accomplished nothing?" When Gin heard this voice, he was surprised. He looked over and saw Orihime standing with a masked girl and Ichigo. Gin saw the look of strength in his eyes and was relieved to have passed on the task of killing Aizen to him.

The masked girl skips over to Gin's side and pokes him on the nose.

"Boop, Hanayo likes this story."

The paper crane on his shoulder burns away, causing reality to warp around Gin's body. When it clears up, he is whole again.

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(A/N: Advanced chaps on discord whenever they are available!)