Ch1-Interlude

Author Notes: I was originally planning to save this until a lot later in the series but I also wanted to set the tone early on for my second favourite character's pov.

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...

Ichimaru Gin was a patient man, and thankfully, there wasn't a single soul alive who would believe such an outlandish claim.

That suited him perfectly. It allowed him to disappear in the shadows, allowed him to get away with murder so long as he made it complicated. So long as he made it tiring. And people would buy it in the end.

Why?

Because Ichimaru Gin didn't spend time planning out murders. He didn't waste time agonising over unnecessary drawbacks.

If he wanted someone dead. That person wouldn't make it to afternoon tea.

It wasn't particularly hard to establish such an image. Not truly. All it took was a simple gruesome murder, with him as it's only suspect. A simple motive, a simple death.

Everyone knew he did it. Everyone and their dog did.

But without proof. It all meant nothing. Except one thing. One little white lie that would manifest itself over decades, set to grow into a storm that would shake Soul Society down to it's very core. A storm nurtured and protected by Aizen Sosuke. A storm created for the sole true purpose of killing him. Of course he didn't know that part. Even Aizen, as smart as he was, couldn't see past the facade. Even he believed him to be an impatient man, who would rather kill first and plan later. And the best part was, creating that had been easier as compared to his role in Soul Society. Because Aizen Sosuke was also an arrogant man, and because he planned out everything, the idea that Ichimaru Gin could also make such time-consuming, such long-term plans, simply never crossed his mind.

Ichimaru Gin was an impatient person, incapable of holding his anger back long enough to make a complicated plan.

And everyone believed it.

And because of that he'd never seen it coming.

He kept his position hidden, his expression clear, his eyes open and narrowed as his mind ran a thousand miles a minute. Wondering why Aizen, the man who'd spent years planning out this very event, this very moment, only to abruptly change it at the last second.

What had he discovered in his private chambers. What could've happened in the past three hours that would cause such an ominous reaction... For the man had not only decided to back out of their decades old work but had even decided to showcase his true power, to get rid of the protective veil that helped conceal his true nature!

A century old image destroyed with a single action.

And for what?

And then he heard it.

That absolutely ridiculous sentence.

A lie as clear as water.

"I am from the future,"

Ridiculous, absolutely ridiculous.

And then he took in the man who spoke those words.

The man who had forever scarred the shinigami and hollow worlds with naught but his mind.

The man closest to doing the impossible.

But even still. Time-travel was pushing it. For if he had access to such power he would've long since either taken over both worlds, or destroyed them.

But even he could not shake the doubt that clouded his mind, the soft simple whispered words coursing through.

But what if it's true?

He shook his head, the man was powerful yes, but he wasn't that powerful, he idly glanced towards the approaching captain commander. And then the final bomb dropped.

"Huh... And I thought Gin would be the death of me-" He didn't even hear the rest of the sentence, the simple words shattering his hopes completely. Dread filled him as his eyes widened. He idly wondered if this was how that man had felt when he'd realised the end was coming. When he'd realised he could never return to Soul Society. And then he snorted as he himself realised that such words explained far more then one person.

And just like all of them. He never saw it coming.

Ichimaru Gin was a patient man, and Aizen Sosuke knew it.

Still, it was rather stupid of him to not notice it sooner. After all, the small little white lie that had originated out of his first cold-blooded kill. A kill, unsurprisingly enough, orchestrated by Aizen.

He'd gotten away with it because they were missing evidence. Evidence they would never find because they failed to truly understand how his Zanpakutō worked, even Aizen himself had been surprised. Even Aizen hadn't been able to figure out how he'd managed to avoid leaving a hint of evidence.

It had been stupid of him not to see it. How could he miss the blatant similarities. For he had unwittingly committed the exact same murder. Albiet this time, he'd needn't bothered hiding the evidence considering their plans to leave. He had unwittingly handed Aizen the very evidence he'd needed.

And then he'd seen it, the glimpse of insanity that filled the fifth captain's mind. Seen it all for the masterstroke it truly was...

From the future... His outlandish claim allowed him to exist following his 'present' selfs murder. It allowed him to showcase his power for what it truly was, without fear.

The false murder would be used against him. The similarities would allow Aizen to bring up his previous murders. And when that happened. Gin Ichimaru held in the shake that threatened to erupt. His life would be over. His chance at revenge taken from him.

His control over the Espada allowed him to coordinate attacks. After claiming them as evidence of their future...

And when his word became law.

Gin ignored the shiver that went down his spine.

He'd made one mistake. He'd shown himself too soon. Had he gone straight to Yamamoto instead and made his claim in private, without him knowing, he would've won.

He still had one card left. Perhaps two, depending on Tosen, that he could play. None but him and Tosen knew of Aizen's true Shikai-

Gin immediately narrowed his eyes, holding the thought. Both cards... Depended on Aizen making a rookie mistake...

Aizen doesn't make rookie mistakes.

He turned his gaze back towards the scene, his reiatsu as shrouded as he could make.

What exactly was he playing at... What could he see that shrouds the rest... Oddly enough, even with the situation at hand, Gin Ichimaru felt tempted to laugh.

You'd think... Having spent decades, if not centuries with the damn guy, you'd think one would know him. And yet as he stared ahead, the temptation to laugh rising, he found himself absolutely clueless. As he stared at the monster before him. He felt his legs shake at the sheer thought process that could be running through the megalomaniacs mind. For what kind of mind could create such a plan.

Insanity, plain and simple insanity.

And for the first time in his life, he felt his conviction waver.

He'd known Aizen would be a powerful opponent to kill... But this?

How was he supposed to compete against that.

Within a matter of moments, when he'd least expected, the chessboard had suddenly flipped...

Within a matter of moments he'd found himself in a desperate position. He felt himself shake as he stared at the monster that could destroy him with but a single word.

The damn bastard has the nerve to do it with a smile on his face... As if it were a simple game for him. A game the rest of the world was destined to lose...

For once... He found himself unable to scoff at the thought. Deep down, even knowing the things he'd done in the mans name, he'd always held out hope. The singular hope that as long as he was alive, the world had a small chance at taking down the monster. Sure he didn't do it for any noble reasons but the fact was he'd always considered himself as the very last wall that stood between Aizen and his victory...

Today he found out just how fragile that wall really was.