Gateway 58

Sousuke Aizen

He stood atop Sokyoku Hill, gazing at the Seireitei as the full moon shone brightly above him.

What Alex told him… It changed things.

Existence wasn’t restricted to a few realms anymore. And it wasn’t completely ruled by a puppeteered corpse. It was far vaster than even he could have imagined.

It also meant he wasn’t stuck anymore.

Different universes meant different universal laws, systems, and constants. It meant further avenues for development and evolution. New research projects, curiosities, and everything he could imagine.

The flame of discovery he’d thought lost when he found out about the Soul King so long ago was reignited, so much so, he refused any details about Alex’s world when offered. He would find them out himself.

All he had to do was ask, and Alex would surely take him away from Soul Society.

But he was loath to leave without finishing his life’s work. Still restricted to being a mere Shinigami, the Hogyoku still incomplete, his body still not augmented by the Oken.

So, he needed time to finish his plans. Years, if Ukitake’s little investigative team kept suspicion of him and his accomplices.

Letting Alex leave without a guarantee of return wasn’t something he pretended to do, but he had no way to force him to stay that he couldn’t escape. And even manipulation had its limits in the timeframe he was working on.

He had thought of pairing Alex off with Momo so she’d press him to return, but he did too good a job manipulating her. Now she’d never give up time with him to spend years away in Alex’s universe, and deprogramming her would take too long.

There were just too few ways for him to control Alex until he left, but maybe he didn’t have to. Alex taking his time to return would allow him to complete his plans without interference. He wasn’t blind to the fact that Alex would have issues with the sacrifice of one hundred thousand humans, and Alex wasn’t as myopic as Tousen to accept it as collateral damage.

He already had plans for starting research into breaching other universes in case of a breakdown in their alliance, though. He wouldn’t be dependent on Alex for it when he was perfectly capable of devising his own way out, now that he knew for certain there was an ‘out’.

Sousuke Aizen sighed in contentment as the first rays of sunlight spilled from the horizon. The light turned the white buildings of the Seireitei golden, announcing the new day with a warm and bright atmosphere.

And as Aizen walked back to the 5th division’s barracks, a muffled voice in the back of his head, one that he had silenced for over a century, wondered if he had finally found an equal to stand beside him, or just another stepping stone for his ascension.

___

Retsu Unohana

“Still nothing,” Captain Kyoraku said morosely while nursing a cup of strong-smelling alcohol he had conjured with a wave of his hand as he sat down.

She took a sip of her tea to hide her reaction. After Lieutenant Alex had taught him that spell, he always started these meetings with a drink.

“You’re being too hard on yourself,” said Captain Ukitake, patting his shoulder. “It hasn’t been that long since we started. Things like this take time.”

The three of them were seated around a table in a private room in the 4th division. Tea and snacks were spread around it as they discussed the latest development on their investigation of Aizen. Or, as the case has been, the lack of development.

“Captain Ukitake is correct,” she said, setting down her cup. “With the information we were provided, we have had only three leads to follow, and while that would be good enough in other circumstances…”

“Following the movements of three Captains close enough to form patterns is easier said than done, I know,” Captain Kyoraku nodded. “Especially since they’ve had a century to perfect how to cover their tracks.”

She raised an eyebrow in consternation.

“Oh? Have you discovered something that you aren’t telling us, Captain Kyoraku?”

“No?” He said, giving Unohana a confused look. “Why would you think th-”

“Because if you haven’t, I’d like to know why you're assuming then to already be guilty,” she said, giving him a motherly smile as she let some of her killing intent spill in his direction.

“Gah!” He exclaimed in surprise, spilling some of his drink on himself.

Captain Ukitake chuckled as Captain Kyoraku looked at his wet shihakusho in dismay.

“That was uncalled for,” Captain Kyoraku muttered.

Setting his cup down, he sighed before looking at her.

“Lisa,” he said, and that was enough to silence Captain Ukitake. “If what Urahara said is true, then she’s alive and well in the Living World, and I refuse to believe she’d keep in contact with the man who did what he was accused of doing to her.”

“If she’s alive and well. We still haven’t received any proof that she and her group kept their previous personalities after being corrupted, as Kisuke Urahara claimed.” She rebutted gently. She had vast experience when it came to the loss of subordinates, both hers and others, and she knew the way Captain Kyoraku held on to hope wasn’t healthy. “Even killing Hollows isn’t a guarantee, as their power would make human souls unfulfilling to their appetite.”

As she finished, Captain Kyoraku took another sip of his drink. She didn’t want to be cruel, but he needed to understand. A change of that magnitude to one’s soul wasn’t subtle, and something a malleable as personality would be one of the first aspects affected by it.

“We could have our answer early if we had Lieutenant Alex join the investigation,” Captain Ukitake said.

She forgot that, despite their age, power, and experience, the Captains in front of her had still grown up in an unprecedented era of peace for the Soul Society.

Her generation had committed a great many crimes to form the Gotei, but seeing the oldest Captains besides her and Genryusai be so innocent and accepting did wonders to lift her spirits.

Pity that she’d be the one to bring reality to it.

“Captain Ukitake,” she said with a sigh. “You were the one to explain to me what Lieutenant Alex was. Did you not understand what it meant?”

Seeing his confusion, she explained.

“While Lieutenant Alex has the powers of a Shinigami, he isn’t one,” she said, and, predicting what he’d say next, she continued. “He isn’t like a substitute either. He is a Campione, someone whose claim to power is based on deicide.”

Captain Kyoraku grunted in understanding, but it seemed like Captain Ukitake hadn’t.

“But he’s on our side!” Captain Ukitake exclaimed, and she felt for his naivety.

“While he is an ally, he isn’t one of us, not truly. He doesn’t see or experience the world the way we do,” She said, understanding where the disconnect was. “Shinigami spend decades, centuries, developing ourselves. We master and remaster the blade hundreds of times in our lifetimes. Even our prodigies and geniuses take decades to reach their peak. But Campione? You and ex-Captain Shihouin said it, and that fight against Captain Kenpachi more than confirmed it: they were made to kill Gods.”

Captain Ukitake opened his mouth, maybe to object, maybe to add something to it, but she wasn’t finished.

“Captain Kenpachi was unlocking power he already had during that fight. But Lieutenant Alex? He was learning, developing. All of the training he did before it was nothing compared to what he achieved in just a few minutes of combat, and he ended it being able to win against a mid-level Captain with barely any wounds. If he learned of Aizen’s supposed plans? Do you believe Lieutenant Alex would go against his and his siblings' reason to exist?” She pressed, smile gone as she stared Captain Ukitake down. “We as Shinigami are the keepers of balance. We uphold the status quo. From everything you told us, Campione are the opposite, with Lieutenant Alex making a conscious effort to conform to our standards of behaviour.”

Captain Ukitake shrank into himself as she ranted, but he needed to comprehend how much of a blunder it’d be to involve Lieutenant Alex in this.

“She’s right,” Captain Kyoraku said, looking down at the cup in his hand. “Alex didn’t think twice about interacting with supposed criminals. He even brought Yoruichi to Soul Society so she could watch his fight!” He put his hand on Captain Ukitake’s shoulder. “Alex is a great guy, and I doubt he’d like to fight against us, but I can see him doing so if he doesn’t like the way things are. That’s why he shouldn’t know about it. Take the option away from him, and it’ll be done before he comes back. No dilemma for him, no stress for us.”

“I understand,” Captain Ukitake whispered, standing up. “If you’ll excuse me,”

And with that, he left.

“You could have been gentler,” Captain Kyoraku said, finishing his drink and leaving.

Sitting alone in the room, she took another sip of her tea before whispering.

“No, I couldn’t.”

___

Luna

“Focus on your mind. Your memories. Your senses. Everything has its place. Everything has its order. Do not be swept away by flights of fancy or emotional outbursts, be they internal or external. You are the Queen of your mind, and nothing can invade it without your approval.” Professor Snape said in a cadence she couldn’t place.

They were in his office just after dinner. The sweet herbal smell of the potion he had sprinkled throughout the room inundated her senses and soothed her anxious mind. Not too much, of course, she had to learn to organize her thoughts without undue aid. But just enough that her worries didn’t consume her before she even started.

She carefully navigated her mind’s ‘Palace’, taking note of everything that had changed place since the last time she had visited, during her free period before lunch. Too many things had moved, but that was fine; the Mind Arts were something that would take her years to master. The few steps she had already taken were good enough to keep her safe until Alex returned.

Alex

His name echoed in her head as everything was thrown into disarray. The messy but well-cared garden she’d been cultivating for the past week turned into its original state as a sparse forest.

Luna sighed as she opened her eyes, prompting Professor Snape to stop speaking and raise an eyebrow in her direction.

“I thought of Alex’s return,” she said with a self-deprecating smile.

She had thought of him before during her sessions, how could she not? But this had been the first time in a week that it caused her to lose progress.

“Ah,” Professor Snape said with a nod. “You were due for it to happen again. That it took a full week this time is proof of how far you’ve come.”

She nodded, even as a lump formed in her throat at his encouragement.

After a few moments of silence, Professor Snape waved his wand, sending a floating cup into her waiting hands.

The first thing she noticed was that it was warm; the second was the strong smell of chocolate coming from it.

“Hot chocolate,” Professor Snape said. “Training in the Mind Arts is a tiring and stressful endeavour at the best of times, add in your circumstances and it's a wonder you’re progressing as fast as you are.”

At her look, he rolled his eyes in exasperation and pointed his finger at her.

“Drink. You still need to put your ‘garden’ in order before you go to sleep, and you’ll do a better job of it here than in your room.”

With a nod, she took a sip and let the sweet warmth fill her.

___

The next day, she sat down with Ginny at the edge of the lake to enjoy the afternoon sun.

Knowing it was one of the few times during the day she could use to organize her thoughts, Ginny kept quiet as Luna delved back into her mind.

Things were still messy, the previous night not enough for her to fix everything, but she managed to order some things.

She gently moved thoughts and memories to their correct places, pondering on them as she ferried them.

The second task of the Tournament was… a task. She could see herself forgetting it easily if not for the mind-numbing experience of watching the still lake for almost an hour. She put that together with her memory of teaching Fleur about the creatures of the lake and the commemoration party for Fleur getting second place.

Next was a conversation she had with Ginny about Harry’s explosion a few days after taking last place, where he ranted about Professor Snape, Alex, and her to all of Gryffindor Tower. She didn’t want to keep that memory, but it was important that she did, so she placed it with her other memories of Harry to avoid sullying Ginny’s area with such negativity.

She was reminiscing about a particularly interesting lesson from Professor Flitwick when a small tug brought her back to the real world.

Opening her eyes, Luna was faced with Harry, Ron, and Hermione standing in front of her. Harry looking angry while Ron and Hermione looked uncertain.

“Hello there,” she said serenely. There was no need to be antagonistic from the start, even if she wanted to.

“Ron?” Ginny asked her brother.

“Don’t ask me, this is all on Harry,” Ron said, waving in Harry’s direction.

Put on the spot, Harry faltered for a moment before pointing his finger at her.

“You!” He exclaimed.

“Me,” she nodded.

Her response only made him angrier.

“I know what you’ve been doing!”

“Do you?” She said, trying to use her training in Occlumency to maintain a placid expression on her face.

“I do!” He said, losing steam when she didn’t respond in kind.

“And that’d be…?” She couldn’t keep her tongue-in-cheek tone out of her voice, and Harry noticed.

“You’re colluding with Snape to do something!” He said fiercely.

Luna was stumped for a moment before realizing what he meant and looking suspiciously at Harry.

“What do you mean by that?” She asked. The terseness of her voice making Ron and Hermione take a step back.

“I know that you’ve been sneaking into his office every night after dinner!” He exclaimed.

Hermione looked scandalized, covering her mouth with her hands, her eyes filled with horror.

Ron looked angry, rounding up on Harry and demanding to know how long he had known.

“A few weeks,” Harry quickly replied, his wide eyes uncomprehending of Ron’s rage. “She usually stays for an hour before leaving. Sometimes she’s limping.”

“I’m gonna KILL him!” Ron muttered darkly, turning to the castle’s doors and starting to march off.

“Immobulus!” Luna cast, stopping Ron in his tracks.

She slowly turned to look at Harry, pinning him down with her glare.

“What do you think gives you the right to follow me?” She demanded, stepping up into his personal space.

Luna could deal with a lot. The name-calling and the theft from her housemates. The dismissal of her father’s ideas by most people. And those discrediting Alex.

But one thing she would not stand for is someone stalking her to accuse her of betraying Alex to collude with Professor Snape to do something.

With an almost instinctual movement, she drew her wand and cast three spells in quick succession.

“Glacius, Accio, Depulso!”

The first spell froze the ground underneath Harry, the second pulled him to destabilize his footing, preventing him from drawing his wand, and the third blasted him a dozen feet away with a wave of force.

Hermione stood stock still as Luna walked past her to look down on a groaning Harry.

“Don’t ever imply I’d betray Alex for any reason ever again, understand?” She said gravely.

At his desperate nod, she turned around to grab her things and walk away, with Ginny following close behind.

“That was awesome!” Ginny giggled. “You have to teach me! The twins won’t know what hit them!”

___

Still lying on the ground, only Hermione heard Harry complaining.

“But I didn’t even mean it like that!”

___

A/N: And that’s that.

Aizen ponders, Unohana lectures, and Luna has no chill.

As always, thank you all for your support! See you again next week.