[he'll hesitate another moment, frowning, then slowly take a seat as well.
Where to even start?]
...In the time I'm from, Aizen Sousuke is a prisoner in Soul Society. He will have no chance at freedom again in mine or any soul's lifetime. It is... the least punishment he deserves.
[Uryuu shakes his head, takes his tea in hand but doesn't lift it to his lips yet, considering.]
This Aizen may not yet be that man. He gives off every indication that he's from a much earlier time than I am. Earlier than even you are, I believe. ...Or he might be lying, using it as a cover. There is simply no way of knowing yet; that's how adept Aizen Sousuke is at masks. If he's lying, it's most likely we won't know until it's too late. If he isn't... it makes him temporarily safer. But it wouldn't change his nature, and that's what concerns me.
It also won't change the scope of his powers, when he regains them. ["when", not "if", because Uryuu is not nearly so optimistic.]
So we're dealing with something more than a spy; we're dealing with a traitor.
I suppose it makes sense if he commands Grimmjow and...maybe others here? I know there's one other hollow, but not by name.
[She sighs, folding her arms and frowning.]
I'll re-check his conversations again, but he may have slipped up already if he's lying. What are his powers, exactly? What makes him different from the other shinigami?
[That's important. She still remembers one fondly, if not by name. And of course, Ukitake and the Kuchikis had been very kind to her in their own ways. Urahara too.]
Luppi Antenor is the other arrancar. But how do you know that he commands the Hollows?
[surprised! Has she heard about him before then?]
It isn't that his powers are different, it's that they're simply greater than any other in Soul Society. He is incredibly intelligent, and his spiritual pressure is massive. I never had to fight him, but I know that during the final battle, even the force of other captains combined wasn't enough to defeat him.
...I do know his special technique was the power of illusion. Something like that could be... very dangerous.
Grimmjow told me awhile ago. He didn't believe me when I didn't know who Aizen was, back at that ball where the high levels served the low levels.
[Oh, so Luppi is his name. Actually...doesn't he work at Club Rapier? Or did. Huh. Okay, but listening in..]
...but how do we know he didn't just use his technique on the captains from the start...? If you can't trust what you s-
[Wait.]
...the captains wouldn't rely on what they see. I don't know about his spiritual pressure but...it's not just what people see, is it? Captains wouldn't have to rely on sight. More on spiritual pressure.
No, it's more than that. It's... it takes over all your senses. So maybe "illusion" isn't the best way to describe it. It can give you a completely different reality. Even the ability to sense reiatsu can't defend against it.
The only known method I'm aware of is to not see his zanpakuto release at all.
[She frowns, and wraps her fingers around her cup.]
That sounds pretty powerful.
[But it can't be limitless, even if he has massive...oh. Grimmjow and Luppi may have seen it. Byakuya too, and certainly possible for Aizen to broadcast on the network in the guise of educating the populace too.]
[his eyes slide to the side a little, with an unspoken yet. He has a tea date with the man tomorrow, of all things.]
Nothing needs to be done yet, but I felt you should be aware. Whatever point in time he's from, it's better to be educated about the man. He isn't someone to be underestimated or taken at face value.
You know the answer to that then. [gently, encouraging.] Disseminate the information slowly, in small groups. Only those you trust to be level-headed, whose loyalty is assured not to be with the city.
Whatever it is you know, you don't have to bear it alone.
[his face feels frozen. It takes conscious effort to remember to breathe again, to control the individual musculature of his features. To close his mouth, to nod. To slide his hand back across the table. To fold his hands in his lap.
'Not as level-headed as you pretend.'
She doesn't trust him.
Why would she mention it to me in the first place? ...Do I really seem so irrational? So useless?
It doesn't matter. It doesn't matter. She doesn't trust him.
Something closes behind Uryuu's eyes, and the rest of him follows suit slowly, like a bolt sliding into a lock. Practiced, controlled, empty. She might recognize the look - he learned it from Ryuuken.]
You'll do what you feel is right, of course, Masaki-san.
[She hurt him. She knows that look. She recalls it so well that she almost calls him by another name.]
But I'll tell you one thing. Never go to re-education. It will compromise you much more quickly then slowly over time.
[It's not much. A bone, and she feels...she doesn't know what she feels. She doesn't even know if she trusts herself right now. Too unsure of who to trust. Too scared. Is this the way to treat family?
[he nods again, standing. He'll remember that information. Can't think on it for now, but later - later, when his chest doesn't feel as tight or his limbs as cold, he'll turn it over in his head and think about what she meant by that.
For now, he just pauses at her side and puts a hand over one of hers, hesitant and light.]
You've accomplished a lot already, to know anything more than what we're being fed. Whatever it is that needs to be done... I believe you can do it. [he rubs the side of her hand with his thumb (Ah, she has some of the same callouses I do), then withdraws.] You can come to me if you have any more questions about Aizen Sousuke.
...Thank you again for the tea.
[one last respectful nod, and he'll show himself out.]
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
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[She waves a hand, before she goes to sit down, peering up at him.]
You were trying to protect me, and that's the important thing. So, there's something you wanted to tell me about this Aizen...?
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Where to even start?]
...In the time I'm from, Aizen Sousuke is a prisoner in Soul Society. He will have no chance at freedom again in mine or any soul's lifetime. It is... the least punishment he deserves.
[Uryuu shakes his head, takes his tea in hand but doesn't lift it to his lips yet, considering.]
This Aizen may not yet be that man. He gives off every indication that he's from a much earlier time than I am. Earlier than even you are, I believe. ...Or he might be lying, using it as a cover. There is simply no way of knowing yet; that's how adept Aizen Sousuke is at masks. If he's lying, it's most likely we won't know until it's too late. If he isn't... it makes him temporarily safer. But it wouldn't change his nature, and that's what concerns me.
It also won't change the scope of his powers, when he regains them. ["when", not "if", because Uryuu is not nearly so optimistic.]
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I suppose it makes sense if he commands Grimmjow and...maybe others here? I know there's one other hollow, but not by name.
[She sighs, folding her arms and frowning.]
I'll re-check his conversations again, but he may have slipped up already if he's lying. What are his powers, exactly? What makes him different from the other shinigami?
[That's important. She still remembers one fondly, if not by name. And of course, Ukitake and the Kuchikis had been very kind to her in their own ways. Urahara too.]
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[surprised! Has she heard about him before then?]
It isn't that his powers are different, it's that they're simply greater than any other in Soul Society. He is incredibly intelligent, and his spiritual pressure is massive. I never had to fight him, but I know that during the final battle, even the force of other captains combined wasn't enough to defeat him.
...I do know his special technique was the power of illusion. Something like that could be... very dangerous.
no subject
[Oh, so Luppi is his name. Actually...doesn't he work at Club Rapier? Or did. Huh. Okay, but listening in..]
...but how do we know he didn't just use his technique on the captains from the start...? If you can't trust what you s-
[Wait.]
...the captains wouldn't rely on what they see. I don't know about his spiritual pressure but...it's not just what people see, is it? Captains wouldn't have to rely on sight. More on spiritual pressure.
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No, it's more than that. It's... it takes over all your senses. So maybe "illusion" isn't the best way to describe it. It can give you a completely different reality. Even the ability to sense reiatsu can't defend against it.
The only known method I'm aware of is to not see his zanpakuto release at all.
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That sounds pretty powerful.
[But it can't be limitless, even if he has massive...oh. Grimmjow and Luppi may have seen it. Byakuya too, and certainly possible for Aizen to broadcast on the network in the guise of educating the populace too.]
Have you seen it?
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[his eyes slide to the side a little, with an unspoken yet. He has a tea date with the man tomorrow, of all things.]
Nothing needs to be done yet, but I felt you should be aware. Whatever point in time he's from, it's better to be educated about the man. He isn't someone to be underestimated or taken at face value.
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I'll keep that in mind. Thank you, Uryuu-san. Actually...speaking of things at face value...
[She takes in a deep breath.]
I've been keeping some things secret from you and from the rest of Ariel.
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...What sort of things?
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[She offers a small smile.]
It's not as if I could tell everyone. There's a lot of people who'd react violently even to the most...general information.
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Whatever it is you know, you don't have to bear it alone.
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[She smiles gently.]
You know if I did that, I couldn't include you by the group. You're not loyal to the city. But.
[She shakes her head a little.]
I care for you dearly Uryuu-san, but you're not as level-head as you pretend.
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[his face feels frozen. It takes conscious effort to remember to breathe again, to control the individual musculature of his features. To close his mouth, to nod. To slide his hand back across the table. To fold his hands in his lap.
'Not as level-headed as you pretend.'
She doesn't trust him.
Why would she mention it to me in the first place? ...Do I really seem so irrational? So useless?
It doesn't matter. It doesn't matter. She doesn't trust him.
Something closes behind Uryuu's eyes, and the rest of him follows suit slowly, like a bolt sliding into a lock. Practiced, controlled, empty. She might recognize the look - he learned it from Ryuuken.]
You'll do what you feel is right, of course, Masaki-san.
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[She hurt him. She knows that look. She recalls it so well that she almost calls him by another name.]
But I'll tell you one thing. Never go to re-education. It will compromise you much more quickly then slowly over time.
[It's not much. A bone, and she feels...she doesn't know what she feels. She doesn't even know if she trusts herself right now. Too unsure of who to trust. Too scared. Is this the way to treat family?
No. It makes her feel sick.]
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For now, he just pauses at her side and puts a hand over one of hers, hesitant and light.]
You've accomplished a lot already, to know anything more than what we're being fed. Whatever it is that needs to be done... I believe you can do it. [he rubs the side of her hand with his thumb (Ah, she has some of the same callouses I do), then withdraws.] You can come to me if you have any more questions about Aizen Sousuke.
...Thank you again for the tea.
[one last respectful nod, and he'll show himself out.]
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[She stays at her kitchen table a little while longer, waiting to feel him out of ear shot, before she gets up.
She wonders if this is what Urahara felt like sometimes.
But she doesn't think he went to his bedroom to cry out of guilt. Not from being heart sore either.
That is why she mays sure her door is locked, and a pillow is pressed against her face as she cries herself out. Don't believe in her. Don't.]