Interest, confusion, elation, befuddlement and even fear, these emotions could explain Aizen's thoughts shortly after escaping to Hueco Mundo after betraying the soul society. Of these, the fear was the one that stayed with him, despite the events of that day having happened over a month ago now. He knew that the unseated tiny shinigami had had the incomplete hogyoku within her body for four months before her capture, and a further two weeks once in soul society before he managed to take it. Fishbone D was meant to corrupt the Kurosaki twins as well as Isshin himself with inner hollows, and Rukia was only meant to donate her powers to his science experiment. He should have instructed that useless hollow to follow his words to the letter, but he left too many variables in the air and it came back to bite him. Was Kisuke's hogyoku completed? That question still rings in the calculating mind of the traitor captain. How is it that a pathetic ant of a soul reaper, who barely had a shikai, was able to not only summon and use a bankai that wasn't hers, but also wounded him with a cero and getsuga attack? His left arm is still scarred from that encounter, the burn marks on the back of his arm cascade down his fingers and to his mid bicep.

"Kuchiki Rukia." He says outloud, his words echoing through the empty throne room of the palace he had built himself. Las Noches is as large as the seireitei and acts as an oasis in the endless cold desert of hueco mundo. "You now interest me, how did you get so powerful... could I be getting weaker?" He stops after he says this, his meandering words betraying him. He shakes his head no, standing from his throne he walks slowly about the room towards a window overlooking the artificial world within the palace. "No, I disposed of Komamura with a wordless Kurohitsugi almost instantly. It's far more likely that the hollow that she became that day was so powerful that it caught me off guard."

"We could attempt to gauge her power, Lord Aizen." The voice like a snake's hiss from Gin at the far side of the room interrupts Aizen's thought process. "We haven't seen the Kurosaki family as well as Rukia in the human world for three weeks. Captain Hitsugaya and the entire tenth squad are now guarding the town. I had to scout out personally using a reishi cloak to avoid their patrols. They're probably in soul society."

"I was just about to get to that thought Gin," Aizen says, "I agree. It's likely that Yamamoto will not permit them to go to the human world, and it's also likely that once they learn of this news, the other spiritually aware humans that Kurosaki Ichigo holds close will be summoned to soul society as well. Our move will have to be against soul society itself."

"Do you think they'll launch a counter attack should we probe their defenses?" the calm almost whisper like tone of Tosen asks.

"It's unlikely, if we were to capture one of them then yes it is likely that will happen. Sending anyone extremely valuable could be problematic. They won't have their powers sealed like what happens in the human world." Aizen responds, turning to face the two men and walking back to his throne. As he does so, he picks up a cup of tea that one of his arrancar servants had prepared for him.

"Who do you suggest we send, Tosen?" Gin asks, seeing the look of deep thought on the blind man's face.

"Ulquiorra and Yammy." Tosen answers quickly.

"Two espada? I think it would be problematic if they were to be exercised." Gin responds, Tosen however remains silent.

"Ulquiorra has attained the second evolution in resurrection." Aizen answers for his contemporary. "Yammy... he may be the strongest espada, but without release he's vulnerable. His hierro is strong but if Rukia or Ichigo are as strong as I suspect, it's likely they'll decapitate him outright. I doubt the boy will be willing to kill something that looks so human, and we will be able to use that against him."

"I've also noticed that the Vizards are no longer at their hiding place in the world of the living." Gin responds, causing Aizen to arch an eyebrow.

"Seems that Soul Society may be a step ahead of us." Aizen says in a questioning tone. "If the old man has brought them back to his ranks, then he knows that Rukia and Ichigo are the only ones that could face me, and if he knows that..." He trails off for a moment, thinking to himself but Tosen finishes his thought for him.

"Then Kurosaki Ichigo and Kuchiki Rukia have already begun training to learn how to control their hollow powers." Tosen answers.

"Not just begun, it's far more likely that it was the first thing that the old man had instructed them to do." Aizen responds, framing his chin between his thumb and index finger in another posture of deep thought. "We'll also send Grimmjow and his Fracciones on this mission. Both on opposite sides of the Rukon districts."

"Force the soul reapers to dispatch the vizards as well as Kurosaki and Kuchiki against them. It will be a gamble on who goes to attack which group." Tosen responds, as he begins walking out of the room. "It's a shame that the boy has chosen the wrong side."

"What makes you say that Tosen?" Gin asks.

"I vowed to avenge the memory of his grandmother." Tosen responds. "Kayako Shiba."

"Do you have a soft spot for him? Lord Aizen does." Gin asks in a teasing manner.

"I am not soft on the boy Gin." Aizen says sternly. "He is my masterpiece, I have only made actions that will bolster his strength. I wish to see the end results of this experiment, if those results should disappoint me... so be it."

"Hai hai," Gin responds, his closed eyes grin always impossible to read. "I'll go and gather the three espada and the fracciones. I think Grimmjow will enjoy getting to stretch his legs."

"That would be best." Aizen says dismissing both men from his presence. "What do you think about this Roka? I know you have been listening." Aizen says getting the attention of the servant before him.

"Is it true that this Kuchiki woman had half of the Hogyoku in her body?" Roka asks, her lord Aizen nods at her question. "If she did, I believe that the hollow you mentioned she had developed is likely at or even above Adjuchas."

"Correct my dear." Aizen responds, "However you are underestimating her power. I was injured by her, albeit slightly, so how does this change your thoughts on her strength."

"She is a Vasto Lorde." Roka responds almost immediately.

"Not just a Vasto Lorde." Aizen responds. "She is the Caballero Encima. The Lord of the Vasto Lordes." Roka's blood runs cold when this is spoken. There has never been a Vasto Lorde strong enough to claim the title. To hear Lord Aizen, the ruler of Hueco Mundo, declare that tiny soul reaper as such... is terrifying.

Ichigo sits on the roof of the squad five barracks staring up at the night sky. Karin, Yuzu and Isshin are all crashing in the squad 10 barracks every since the squad was deployed to the human world. Most of the soul society has calmed down by this point in the evening, but Ichigo couldn't sleep. Rukia had bid him good night a few hours ago with her returning to the Kuchiki estate for the evening. "Ichigo." The hollow voice echoes in his mind catching his attention. "You ready for a chat?" The hollow asks, seeing no other way out of this, Ichigo closes his eyes and takes a deep breath and focuses. The chill of the evening air begins to fade away as the darkness of the night begins to illuminate. He opens his eyes and sees the bright sideways sky of his inner world. The warm air and bright sun warm his skin, taking the slight nip from the night air away from him.

"Yo." Zangetsu greets upon seeing Ichigo once more.The hollow zanpakuto seated on the edge of a building across from where Ichigo manifested himself in the inner world. "Good to see you again King." He greets.

"What do you want this time?" Ichigo asks, but instead of responding Zangetsu merely points to his left. Turning his head, Ichigo sees the old man standing on a large flagpole looking over the both of them.

"Why don't you tell him why we needed to have a chat? Ey, partner?" Zangetsu asks, jumping the gap between the two skyscrapers and walking side by side with Ichigo. "I'm sure the King here is dying to know who you are."

"Is what he said true? Is he really Zangetsu?" Ichigo asks, the cloaked man floats towards them before landing a few paces away from the two versions of Ichigo.

"I have never lied to you, Kurosaki Ichigo... However I have not told you the full truth either." The old man says.

"I told you I was Zangetsu, but you didn't believe me did you? I think you owe me an apology." Zangetsu says, nudging Ichigo in the ribs with his elbow a couple times.

"Yeah yeah, I'm sorry I didn't trust you, but you didn't exactly make yourself trustworthy. What kind of Zanpakuto stabs their soul reaper?!" Ichigo apologizes then immediately questions the sword spirit.

"Me dumbass."

"That's the best answer I'll get from him. What about you gramps?"

"In 900 years, I will regain my heart. In 90 years I shall recover my intellect, in 9 years I shall recover my power and in 9 days I shall recover the world." The old man says, speaking an ancient prophecy. "I am Zangetsu and I am not, I am the half of your power, that which you got from your mother."

"And I am Zangetsu, the power you got from your father and the hollow that bit your mother." Zangetsu responds.

"I am also known by a different name, though you will not be able to hear me speak it. Not until you know the truth of what happened on the terrible night." Old Man Zangetsu says. "I am ...... .... And yet I am not."

"What do you mean you're from the power I got from my mother? I thought she was a normal human." Ichigo argues the confusion and borderline mania written across his face. The shock and slight betrayal he is feeling makes the world around them begin to darken as the first droplets of rain start to pour.

"Idiot. She was human, what other empowered human do you know about that isn't the freakshow bimbo or the giant!" Zangetsu demands.

"I am the half of your power that is of the Quincy blood." Old Man Zangetsu says sternly, "That story isn't for me to tell, it is for you to discover on your own."

"Tada!!! Surprise. We hit the fucking Genetic Lottery!" Zangetsu exclaims, lifting his arms up in the air excitedly. "Guess what chucklefuck! When you knock up the queen that brat of ours will have all of our power as well as hers. Having both parents with tamed and powerful hollows, and as powerful soul reapers. I bet the little tike will one day rule this shithole afterlife with an iron fist!"

"Enough. Ichigo has far too many questions and issues to even begin to think about procreation." the old man scolds. "It is time you discovered the truth, the full truth. We shall not hide anything from you, and when you are ready I will teach you to utilize the rest of your abilities." A sudden cold wind blows through the storming inner world, and it is an ill wind that blows no good. It carries a sense of danger, and of urgency. The two spirits look at Ichigo and nod.

"Looks like we have a job to do king, though if you wish you can call us by a different name. It'll help not confuse yourself and the author." Zangetsu says, annoying the author who had to write out this line that White was so insistent on doing. "Just call me Shiro or White. Think that's kind of obvious."

"And continue to call me the old man if you wish. I do not wish for you to go into battle, so be safe." Old Man Zangetsu wishes him farewell.

"Remember it's a big problem for both of us if you die dumbass. I'll probably end up having to save your sorry ass anyways." Shiro warns as Ichigo vanishes from his inner world. "So, what game do you wish to play today?"

"A gentleman's game. A simple match of chess." Old Man Zangetsu says before manifesting the board from a rush of blue reishi.

"After this, I'm gonna figure out if I can get into one of these buildings. There has to be a bathroom somewhere, I need a shower." Shiro responds as he curls his feet together and sits in front of the board.