Aizen Plan (118)

Sora lay comfortably on Rukia's futon, his arms doing their job. Currently, they were wrapped around her as she rested her head against his chest. He let out a content sigh, his silver hair a tad bit wet since he had just taken a shower.

No biggie, really.

"You seem awfully happy," she muttered, poking his cheek lightly.

After he had heard he wouldn't be cock-blocked, he became the happiest man on the planet.

Sora seemed to beam with energy—he was just so ready for this.

"I love this," he said, pulling her closer.

Rukia scoffed, though the faint blush on her cheeks betrayed her. She could still feel the same connection as before. It was still there. "You're insufferable."

"And yet, you're cuddling me anyway."

"Tch." She turned her face away, only for Sora to nuzzle into her, making her sigh. "...Idiot."

Yeah. This was the life.

Her eyes landed on a picture of a woman with black hair and yellow eyes.

"Who is she?"

Sora's eyes landed on the picture.

"That's my mom," he said with a beaming smile.

Looking at Sora and then back at the woman, she wondered why she had even asked—they looked practically the same, apart from the fact that his hair was silver, and he seemed to have the same hairstyle as Ryuken. Same jawline, too.

Hm.

Her gaze landed on a necklace. The rock attached to it had that same feeling the Hogyoku had, though this necklace... looked empty.

"That was Mom's necklace. From what she told me, it used to be like a blue, shining rock, but after my birth, it turned into this," he said calmly, still pinching her cheeks.

She pondered on it a bit. Hm.

And a hickey was on her neck as she was dragged back onto the bed.

POV Change – Aizen

The Hōgyoku pulsed violently in Aizen's chest.

Its rhythm had changed. It was reacting.

Aizen, now far removed from the form he once possessed, sat on his throne, his long hair cascading down his back like a dark river. His sclera was purple, and his pupils were white.

He had once again evolved into a brand-new power—he was now far stronger than his former self ever was.

Yes, enduring the burden of the Sora Project had paid off.

The boy had been the single largest anomaly in his calculations.

Now, for the biggest problem with his plan—the Hogyoku in his chest only partially recognized him as its master.

After his research, the Hogyoku should have just been a piece of that 'thing,' yet this thing, which wasn't even supposed to have any emotions or feelings, was reacting to the boy's emotions.

Had he, by any chance, managed to awaken that 'thing'?

No. He was nothing but a husk. And yet... he was still reacting.

This was one minor side effect of using the Hogyoku all throughout childbirth.

Even now, even after all this time, the Hōgyoku was still reacting to Sora's current emotions.

Aizen could feel the faintest traces of his joy—pure, undiluted happiness.

This was dangerous.

If the Hōgyoku were to decide that it belonged to Sora once more... then even Aizen himself could lose it.

That could not be allowed.

He needed a distraction.

Something that would pull Sora away at a critical moment.

His eyes landed on Uryu.

Yeah, no need for some fancy plan. Even if Aizen just stole Uryu, Sora would go off the deep end.

Sora wouldn't even bother thinking straight.

Yes.

If Uryu Ishida was in danger, Sora would stop at nothing to retrieve his brother.

Aizen smirked, his mind already weaving the threads of his plan.

Everything was falling into place.

Though he wondered which Espada to send. Hm, maybe send Nnoitra and Luppi to draw attention, while Starrk swooped in and kidnapped Uryu while no one was paying attention.

As to why he chose Starrk, that was simple—he needed this done fast.

Barragan wasn't a good idea. His bony self would probably kill the boy out of spite, and that wasn't what Aizen wanted—not because he was scared of the boy's anger. No, fear was a word that had been erased from his body a while back.

He did not fear anything nor bow to anything.

However, Aizen's gaze landed on the Hogyoku. If the boy's hate and anger for him were to rise above a certain level, it wouldn't be a stretch to say the Hogyoku would reject him... violently.

He was arrogant, but not so arrogant as to think he could achieve his plan without the compliance of the Hogyoku.

And right now, if the Hogyoku had to choose between Sora and him...

90% of the time, the choice would be Sora.

Well, time to summon Starrk and kidnap his {redacted} brother. Kidnapping a teenage boy shouldn't be that hard.

Aizen felt the Hogyoku react to his intention. Its reaction was... not the nicest.

Hm... tread with caution.

Hm, guess we learn something new every day. If his theory proved to be true... in the boy's inner world, instead of a copy of Yhwach... it would be ### #### ####.

A/N...hm