[AN: Some dumb cunt said politicians and rich assholes wouldn't act like they did in the last chapter with how Central 46 treated Satoru. That makes me fucking laugh. Because politicians totally don't disrespect people or lie, politicians are all good honest people that would totally never do anything dumb despite knowing better. Anyways, back to the story. Sorry about the mishaps lads, I forgot to add the actual chapter in before I went to bed. All fixed now though.]
By the time I caught up to Aizen he was hurriedly walking through the empty streets of a section in the Seireitei. He stopped when he saw me. Aizen's smile was polite. Controlled. Practically oozing with the smug contempt like he had already won.
He tilted his head slightly, drawing his zanpakuto and muttering something under his breath.
"Shatter… Kyoka Suigetsu."
The world shimmer for a split second, the faintest flicker of light dancing across my vision… then nothing. I probably wouldn't have even seen the flicker if I didn't have the Six Eyes.
"Was that supposed to do something?"
Aizen blinked, I blinked. He waited for whatever illusion he cast to take hold. I waited for him to realise that it didn't work.
He had such a look of confusion on his face that I couldn't help it, I started laughing.
Full belly, shoulders shaking laughter that echoed through the deserted streets.
"Oh… oh! You thought that would actually work on me? Bahahahaha, that's just silly."
His composure cracked ever so slightly. "Kyoka Suigetsu controls all five senses. It's…"
"Yeah yeah," I waved him off, "the typical villain monologue about how your sword's ability is complete hypnosis. Man… you really like the sound of your own voice huh?"
His eyes narrowed, "You should not be able to resist it, no one should be able to—
"Blah blah blah, fucks sake man. I'm just built different, let's go with that. You really shouldn't try to hypnotise someone who can literally see everything."
I peered at him from over my sunglasses. Six Eyes glinting in amusement. Before he could react I flickered out of sight. He slashed forward, thinking I'd reappear in front of him.
I reappeared behind him, one finger resting on the back of his neck.
"Boo!"
Aizen spun, blade hiding through the air. I leaned slightly, letting his sword pass through where I had been standing. Then I retaliated by flicking his forehead. The impact cracked the ground beneath him and sent him skidding backwards.
He readjusted, glaring at me. The irritation in his eyes clear now that none of his attacks could even get near me.
"I expected better," I said, stepping forward as I tucked my hands into my pockets. "You've got the whole scheming god complex look down, even fooled your comrades. But compared to Unohana… the medical shinigami… your swordsmanship is absolutely garbage."
He slashed again, trying to cut me in half. I side stepped, caught his wrist and twisted his sword free. Before he could recover, I spun behind him. Ropes flying out of my storage space. The ropes glowed with my energy. They coiled around him like serpents, symbols glowing along the length of rope.
"Wait- what is this?" Aizen hissed, struggling as the ropes tightened, binding him in intricate knots.
"Shibari… duh." I said casually, tying the last knot with a flourish. "An ancient Japanese art form. Very therapeutic… or embarrassing, depending on who you ask."
His glare could have melted steel. "You- you're mocking me."
"Obviously," I stepped back, admiring my handiwork. "You'd be surprised at how flexible you are Aizen. Look at you… you look like a pretzel." I snorted.
The flare of reiatsu had drawn attention. Evident when footsteps drew closer to where we were. The captains arrived one by one. Yamamoto, Unohana, Kyoraku, Ukitake, Byakuya, Soi Fon, Komamura, Toshiro… even Gin an Tosen.
They stopped dead at the sight of Aizen, neatly bound in red ropes and glaring daggers at me. For a long glorious moment no one said a thing.
Kyoraku broke first, pushing his hat up to get a better look. "Well, that's one way to capture someone."
Unohana's closed eyes crinkled, the faintest trace of amusement behind them. "Impressive knot work."
Soi Fon looked personally offended. "T-this! T-that's indecent!"
"Hey, whether it's indecent is purely subjective." I said with a shrug, "Besides… he started it."
Aizen don't bother struggling, I think he noticed the more he struggled or tried to use any abilities, the tighter the knots got. And I had made sure to wedge the ropes into some very uncomfortable spots. Also, his pride was probably too big to thrash around like a fish.
Yamamoto finally stepped forward, cane clacking as he got closer. "Satoru-dono… please explain."
I gestured towards my lovely restrained guest. "Aizen was being highly suspect. Did you know his Zanpakuto isn't actually water based?" At everyone's look of confusion I continued, "yeah, no… it's a hypnotism ability. He's probably had all of you under its effects for centuries."
"That's…" Soi Fon muttered.
"Unbelievable? I know… but he no doubt had a hand in every incident you've all faced for a long time. Suspicious deaths, mysterious Hollow incidents, major decisions from Central 46 that seems strange but you didn't question."
A ripple of shock passed through the captains. Gin of course, just kept smiling. Tosen looked like he swallowed a lemon.
Aizen smirked, "Even if that was all true, you have no proof. There's no evidence of your claims."
"Dude… ever heard of pleading the fifth? You just incriminated yourself by saying I had no proof. Don't worry though… I have proof right here." I lifted up Kyoka Suigetsu, which I was still holding.
Aizen frowned, unsure of what I was about to do. I smirked at him.
"Shatter, Kyoka Suigetsu." I intoned.
He looked at me like I was stupid. Only for his eyes to widened when his Zanpakuto actually responded to me. The captains looked around as I changed the imagery around them. Now, instead of an empty street, they were standing back in the Central 46 chambers.
"See… it's not water based." I said as I stabbed Kyoka Suigetsu into the ground. "Pretty nifty ability actually. I think I'll keep it."
Yamamoto sighed, I released the illusion. The room shattered like a mirror and then everyone was back standing in the street with Aizen bound at my feet.
Unohana inhaled sharply. "I felt as if I truly was standing back in the council chambers."
Byakuya's hand clenched around Senbonzakura's hilt. "To deceive his own comrades for centuries…"
Aizen chuckled in resignation. "I should have known my plans were ruined the second you appeared."
"Yeah…" I said cheerfully, "you did pretty good though, you'd have gotten away with it if I wasn't here."
He tugged experimentally at his binding, he probably thought that since I wasn't focused on him anymore that they'd have loosened.
"This is an interesting ability Satoru-sama… what is it? I have never seen anything like it." Aizen tried flattery.
"Shut it Light Yagami…" I put a foot on him with a grin on my face. "But since you asked so nicely, I'll tell you this, it's a little trick I haven't used since the Heian Era."
The captains looked confused, Yamamoto just rubbed his temples.
Aizen blinked, "That was a millennia ago… even I can tell that you're not nearly that old."
"Yeah you're not special enough for me to go into detail about that, you needed some humbling though so I thought I'd break it out again."
I floated Aizen next to me and started walking towards the First Division barracks. Aizen levitated at my side like a sack of rice. Ignoring his indignation I called back to Yamamoto. "Come on gramps… let's go. You'll probably want to ask him your questions before he starts monologuing."
Yamamoto's eyebrows twitched but he followed. The rest of the Gotei 13 trailed behind him, a parade of disbelief and curiousity… and some mild secondhand embarrassment.
[Scene Break]
I dumped Aizen onto the tatami mat floor of the First Division meeting room. He let out a muffled grunt. Everyone took their spots with me standing in the center of the room with Aizen still hogtied.
Yamamoto stepped forward, his expression unreadable. "You've done us all a great favour Satoru-dono."
"Yeah," I replied, leaning on Kyoka Shigetsu. "I tend to do that."
The old man's glare didn't even faze me. Aizen, meanwhile, was testing his spiritual pressure, which only made the ropes tighter around him. His usual calm demeanour was cracking, piece by piece.
Yamamoto gestured for Aizen to be propped up. The moment the guards touched him though the doors burst open.
A bloodied shinigami stumbled inside. "Capatain Commander! We have intruders in the Seireitei!"
The tension in the room spiked, Byakuya stiffened. Toshiro nearly drew his Zanpakuto.
"Describe them." Yamamoto ordered.
The shinigami bowed taking a knee, "a boy with orange hair, accompanied by a man with a hat… there was more with them, a hulking man with a strange arm, even a strange black cat."
I blinked. Then started laughing again.
'Damn it Ichigo…'
"That kid… I thought I told him not to do anything dumb. Whatever… can't stop a protagonist from doing protagonist shit." I wiped a tear from my eye.
Several captains turned to me as if I had gone insane. "You know these people?" Toshiro asked, his tone incredulous.
Soi Fon's eyes had narrowed at the mention of a 'strange black cat', no doubt already starting to figure out who it was.
"Know is a strong word," I said. "Let's just say that I've been around long enough to recognise a 'main character' entrance when I see one."
Yamamoto's brow furrowed, "Those intruders… they're from that day, they're here to…"
"…rescue Kuchiki Rukia, yeah probably. They don't know that she's fine now. Though, Byakuya did smack one of them around, they could just be here for revenge. Frankly, I'm starting to get bored again, so…"
I clapped my hands together and did a few exaggerated stretches. "I'll go subdue them."
Kyoraku, look skeptical. "Subdue or toy with them?"
I gave him a look of mock offense. "Shunsui… please, I'm a professional."
Unohana smiled faintly, "Ara… that's why worried all of us, Satoru-sama."
Aizen snorted from where he was still tied up. "You think you can stop what's coming? Even now the Hogyoku- Æughhh"
I snapped my fingers and a ball gag appeared in his mouth muffling whatever he was going to say. "Shh, the grown ups are talking."
The other captains stared. I shrugged. "Trust me, when he starts with his monologuing, he'll never shut up."
Yamamoto exhaled slowly, clearly questioning every decision he's made that led to this moment. "Very well Satoru-dono. Go, and please try not to destroy the Seireitei while you are at it."
"No promises." I replied cheerfully, "but I'll try to keep property damage under… ninety percent."
I turned to leave, tossing a lazy salute over my shoulder. "Oh, and could someone tell my wife that I'll be home for dinner?"