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“How about it, Ichimaru? Have you any explanation?”
The Head Captain’s voice was sharp and demanding. He made it quite clear that the Captain of the Third Division better had very good reasons for his independent actions and letting the ryoka get away alive. However, said Captain had nothing like that.
“I do not.”
Yamamoto’s eyes glared with anger. How dare that brat be so cocky?!
“What?”
The silver haired man scratched his head in -obviously feigned- innocence. No-one bought his act. He was simply too creepy with that eerie smile of his to be considered innocent.
“I don’t got no explanation. It was my absent-minded mistake. I got no excuse.” That came as a surprise to the gathered leaders of the Seireitei. How to react to such a statement?
"I’ll take any puni-“ Ichimaru continued as he was cut off by Captain Aizen. To be honest, he was quite glad about it. I’ll take any punishment you deem appropriate wasn’t something he really wanted to say. It was just not his style to be so humble.
“Wait a moment, Ichimaru.” The Fifth Division Captain had put on his serious face. In contrast to his ever friendly smiles it made people believe that the man was indeed capable of something other than kindness. And yet no-one knew just how much so.
It amused Gin. They had never planned their conversation like that. All that Captain Aizen had demanded of him was to hold up the ryoka, but not to kill them since he intended to enjoy the boy’s skills a little longer. They both had known that there would be an Emergency Meeting and both had looked forward to it. It was just another opportunity to play their game.
It was their mutual agreement that Gin would follow his Captain wherever he went and that he would obey and submit. But the snake wouldn’t be himself if he wouldn’t put up a little fight. He never contradicted his superior openly, but he wasn’t good at taking orders silently and submissively either. He had a way of talking back, but it amused them both. It was always a new challenge. To see who of them could win in their little verbal exchange. Only the two of them (and Tosen, but he didn’t count since he never participated) could understand the hidden meaning, the subtext. If one had a long and special relationship like Aizen and Gin, everything they said had a different, a second meaning.
“Before that, I want to ask you something.” Aizen’s smooth tenor stated as he stepped forward and faced the man everyone believed to be his enemy. If someone as kind as Aizen could have an enemy at all.
Really, Capt’n? And what would tha’ be? Do ya wanna know why?
It was the question that he most likely wanted to ask. And all the other Captains would have considered it to be very reasonable. Why, indeed, had the Captain of the Third let the intruders get away? A person as concerned for Soul Society as Aizen was expected to inquire that much.
How little they knew.
If he had posed said question, he wouldn’t have asked for the ryoka. No, before the final punishment was delivered to his true second-in-command he would have asked: Why did you choose to betray me? Why did you want to kill me all along? Was it your silly desire for revenge or was it something else?
They never spoke about it, but Aizen knew it. He just didn’t know what Gin hoped to accomplish by killing him. So they went on, playing their games, dancing around each other, carefully minding every word and every step. Intriguing indeed.
But before Captain Aizen had the chance to say anything further, the emergency alert echoed over Seireitei.
“Intruders in the Court of Pure Souls!” The warning startled all the Captains. Looking up at the Head Captain they waited for him to give his orders. Well, nearly all of them. Captain Zaraki had decided that he didn’t need any orders and took his leave immediately.
Just for show, Aizen called “Wait, Kenpachi!” after him in an awfully concerned tone.
Meanwhile Yamamoto had made his decision and ordered the Captains to defend Soul Society. As if it would do them any good.
“’Tis unavoidable” he announced. “The Captains Meeting is temporarily dismissed. I will notify you later of Ichimaru’s status.”
The grinning man’s smile grew even wider. Mah status, huh? Guess that’ll be ‘Traitor’ then. Who would’ve thought…
“All divisions, proceed to internal defence positions immediately.” Having received their orders the more or less faithful Captains headed out of the room. Only Ichimaru remained standing where he was. He hoped for a last word with his Captain. Their previous conversation wasn’t finished yet and he intended to bring it to an end. It was far too interesting to let it trail off.
Having stood close by the Head Captain, Aizen was the last one to pass. Except for little Hitsugaya no-one was within earshot. But even the clever prodigy wouldn’t grasp the deeper meaning of their words. He would just see the ever kind Captain Aizen whom he trusted easily enough warning the man the icy kid despised the most. He would believe every second of their act. It was perfect.
One step behind Ichimaru, the Captain of the Fifth stopped. Standing back to back, the two soon-to-be traitors continued their game. No reading facial expressions then. That just added to the challenge.
“The emergency alert sounds quite conveniently these days.” Aizen said, stressing the word conveniently in doing so.
“I ain’t sure I understand what you’re tryin’ to say.” Of course he knew exactly what his Captain meant. But that was how he played it. Just because you knew the answer didn’t mean that you had to give it. Pretending to know nothing and letting the other guess just how much he knew was a lot more entertaining after all. If he gave nothing away, everyone was doomed to lose himself in his assumptions about the silver haired man. And the snake neither denied nor verified them. He waited patiently until his prey had lost his orientation, was distracted by his own thoughts and then he would strike, killing fast and mercilessly. His day would come, even if he had to wait a century for it.
“Do you think that excuse will work?” Aizen knew what his pet was doing. And he too could wait until it made its mistake. One step too much and he would reveal himself and his intentions. One step too few and he would be too far behind to seize the only chance he would get. Both meant death. Gin was playing a dangerous game. And so was Aizen. The feeling of being challenged, the possibility of failing after all the scheming and pretending was thrilling. They both delighted in it.
“You had best not underestimate me.” His final statement and there was so much more to it than any of the Captains would ever now. It was a threat, a warning that if Gin should choose to attempt to kill him -and he would- he better be prepared. The poisonous snake had been at his side for over a century now. And he by far still didn’t knew all about his prey. If he took him too lightly, he would be killed without a second thought.
But it was also a challenge. Aizen dared him to do the unthinkable and try and push the almighty god from his throne. And he knew that by now that eerie smile would stretch further over the grinning man’s lips. Head cocked slightly to one side, eyes slitted, mask firmly in place, Gin would stand there and accept the dare gladly. Because it was what he wanted.
Finally moving out to his position, Aizen left fully satisfied. His plan was proceeding perfectly and his pet never failed to entertain him. What was there to fear?
You had best mot underestimate me. His Captain’s words still echoed through Gin’s mind after his footsteps had long become silent.
Neva, he thought, but ya betta not underestimate meh either.