Chapter 17: Pandemonium 1/2

Fairy tail is owned by Hiro Mashima, Bleach is owned by Tite Kubo. I own nothing.

A special thank you to Greatkingrat88 for writing this.

Ah July. I'm very hopeful for how good this month will be. I sure hope its good for all of you too. I'm sure you'll all enjoy this chapter, a lot of hard thought and work went into this.

Thanks again for reading. Please feel free to leave any reviews that you want, be it positive or negative.

The very next day, Erza found herself in the dark gloom of a palace in a world of black and white. No- it was not gloomy; it was a resplendently lit place, with a moon forever staring down on it, not a cloud to be seen- but it was colourless, lifeless, so unlike any place she had ever seen before. She had in her patrols both out in the

Rukongai and the world of the living seen desolate places- steppes, deserts, dead forests, rocky mountains…

But they had all had colour, and hints of life. This place was dead, completely dead. This place was Las Noches, a palace at the heart of Hueco Mundo, the aptly named 'hollow world'. The home realm of the hollows, ranging from the smallest beast hollow to the mighty Vasto Lorde, known to her only as a legend, a bedtime story for shinigami.

Here they were in what looked like a throne room, Aizen standing next to her looking up at the throne itself, while the pale moonlight shone through a window, bathing the room in its dead light. Along with them were Ichimaru Gin and Kaname Tosen. She had initially been surprised that such an upright, just captain would have joined them- but then again, she had reminded herself, was that not why she had come here herself?

"How do you like it?" Aizen said, somewhat amusedly.

"It's very… large." Erza said nervously. She wasn't sure what to make of it. If not for the unnerving moonlight, for how everything looked black and white- even her skin looked pale in this light, far too pale- it would have looked all right, if a little bit pompous. As it was, it looked alien, cold, like the home of a mountain king, some legendary beast that looked down upon all else. Which, given where they were, wasn't impossible.

"This is my palace," Aizen said, taking his glasses off.

It appeared he didn't need them at all- part of his deception. It occurred to her that almost nobody knew who he really was. How lonely must he not have been, pretending for so long?

"I can see it does not appeal to you," he continued, looking at Erza. "I will not blame you."

"It's, er, it's fine," Erza said, trying to sound convincing. "It's um, very grand. Impressive, really."

"Erza, please," Aizen said, smiling, "you could not lie to me to save your life. But it's kind of you to try."

"I'm sorry," she mumbled. "It's just…"

"So lifeless? So harsh and cold? So… everything we are not?"

"Well, when you put it like that…" Erza murmured. "Then yes. Yes, you could say that, actually."

"I thought the same when I first saw it," Aizen said, nodding. "Harsh and barren, lifeless… but with time, you start to see a sort of rugged beauty to it. A place where only the strong can survive, where all luxuries and comforts have been stripped away, where loyalty exists only if cunning and power and fear can make it exist…"

"It sounds horrible." Erza said firmly.

"It is, certainly," Aizen said affirmatively, "but it's a good reminder. Because this world is a reflection of its inhabitants, created by the flow of souls. It is a mirror of the soul society- what it would be like without compassion, without love, without honesty and truth."

"I hadn't thought of it that way…" Erza said ponderously.

"Thing is, 's also a right good place to hide," Ichimaru said, smiling the same evil smile as always, "almost nobody comes here what ain't a hollow, y'see, and almost nobody even knows how you can go back an' forth between it. Ideal base, you might say,"

"That too is true," Aizen said, shooting Gin a look, "but poetry and practicality need not exclude each other."

"How do you actually get in here?" Erza asked. "It's supposed to be impossible."

"Its secret is well guarded. Hollows do it instinctively… suffice to say I found a method that imitates it to perfection. I would explain, but you wouldn't understand- it's a matter of science, and I do not want to bore you with technical jargon you could not understand."

"…I see," Erza said, and nodded. "So… um, did you build this place?"

Aizen let out a small chuckle. "No- I am not an engineer or an architect, and building it would take millennia. Hollows built this- their best and brightest, over tens of thousands of years."

"Really?" Erza said, with surprise. "Hollows… building?"

"It is all too simple to think they are mere beasts," Aizen said, nodding, "and indeed, most of them are. But those who rise above the rank of Menos are intelligent, and ambitious… they have had kings and queens in their time, Erza, and built great things- and razed them again. This palace, this Las Noches was started seven thousand years ago by Hollow King Xantika, then abandoned and restarted and abandoned and restarted for millennia, until their current so-called king had it finished. Since then, I took possession of it. I did some… redecorating, but left it mostly intact."

"You 'took possession'?" Erza asked, frowning. "You stole it from them?"

"The laws are different here, Erza," Aizen said calmly. "There is no sense of right and wrong, no sense of good and evil. There are no rights, no laws to protect the weak, no schools of thought that bring forth the idea that being nice to people is a good idea. Out here, the weak die, and only the strong prevail. The fast, the strong, the cunning, the ruthless- those win. Imagine the worst in yourself, the worst you could possibly be, and imagine it turned up and warped a thousand times, and you would see something approaching the culture of this place. Kindness is something they would not understand- barring just a few. I could not have negotiated or bartered for this place. The one and only thing they respect is strength- so I let the hollows know who was stronger."

"The worst in myself. The worst in yourself." Erza said quietly. "Why would you want any part of this?"

"It is as Ichimaru said," Aizen said, shrugging, "it is a very useful place. That… and I dare believe that some of these hollows are not beyond redemption. I dare believe that, no matter how impossible it seems, maybe it doesn't always have to be this way."

"You're mad!" Erza burst out. "The hollows- they are evil! They kill people and eat them, they kill each other- you said it yourself, violence is all they understand!"

"So you say." He looked inscrutable, perfectly calm, unfazed by her outburst, "But do you think we always believed in right and wrong as we know it today? There was a time when we believed that murdering a man's brother in retaliation for one of your own being killed was justice. Tell me Erza, is that justice?"

"Of course not!"

"But still, there was a time when this was believed. Yet, somewhere along the line, somebody saw it for the obvious injustice it was, and dared believe something that went against everything he was taught. He dared believe it, enough that he dared protest. And little by little, one by one, others followed in his path. How can we ever expect things to change, Erza, if we dare not believe the impossible first?"

"…it's mad, and I don't understand," Erza said, shaking her head, "but… I trust you." She sighed. "So, what's next- you show me around this palace?"

"That would take months, I think," Aizen said, "no, I think I would like to show you the few I have gathered who have potential. Those who will be our finest soldiers in the war to come- and the best hope that Hueco Mundo has. Erza, come meet my Vasto Lorde."

Erza swallowed. Vasto Lorde, in the flesh… hesitantly, she followed Aizen, as he led her out of the throne room, through the halls of Las Noches.

"Vasto Lorde…" Erza mumbled, feeling in between excited and terrified. They were creatures of legend, the very highest form of hollow evolution, monstrous creatures so terrifying they were said to outmatch most captains… she would be mincemeat if she fought, and the only thing protecting her, and outsider, would be Aizen. She trusted him, to be sure- but the thought was no more appealing for it.

"What do you know of them?" Aizen asked.

"They're uh, the strongest," Erza murmured, "they don't… they don't seem to know a whole lot about them, when I learned in school,"

"Likely because few have seen one up close. It's a curious fact that the further up the evolutionary ladder a hollow goes… the more like a human it becomes. A Vasto Lorde has been known to develop… honour, personal philosophies, even empathy. They look more like humans, too- not much bigger than you or I,"

"I'd honestly have liked it better if they were the size of a building and had claws the size of my sword. That's an expectation I can deal with," Erza said, through gritted teeth.

"You will see that they are not so different soon enough," Aizen said. They turned a corner, and he stopped, opening a door. Erza peered inside. The place was well-lit, with light quite unlike the dull and lifeless moon outside, and it was well furnished- a couch, beds, chairs…

And of course, people sitting on them. Hollows. Almost breathless, she walked inside alongside Aizen, her mouth gaping a little as she took them in. There was a centaur-like beast with long, green hair and a goat's skull for a face, with great curved horns jutting out, and cloven hooves as feet. A lance seemed to be part of its right arm naturally. It sat on its hind quarters, quite at ease, looking Aizen's way as he entered.

There was a hollow who almost looked like a man, slender and not very tall- black legs that could have looked like pants at a distance, and a bone-white upper body. Just as bone-white was its mask- which, eerily enough, didn't look like a mask at all- just like if somebody had cut off its face to reveal an almost flat, white surface under it. But its eyes were so different- a clear green, staring right into her mind.

The third one was unmistakably female. She had, on her grey-white body, the unmistakable shape of mammaries which would likely make even Matsumoto jealous- odd, Erza thought; she had never thought there were female hollows- she had never thought they had genders at all. The face of this third hollow was completely obscured by a toothed mask, up to just before where her eyes started, and she had short, blond hair and dark skin, contrasting the paleness of everything else. Her right arm ended in what looked like a gigantic fin of sorts- a crude greatsword, it looked like. Holding it across her chest, she went down on one knee before Aizen, bowing deeply.

"Aizen-sama," she said, her voice deep and husky, and quite respectful.

"Halibel," Aizen said. "Please rise."

"Who is this you bring, Aizen-sama?" The centaur-goat-thing hollow said, and Erza realized to her surprise that, going by its voice, it too was female. She sounded… well, neutral. Not hostile. That in itself was surprising.

"My espada," Aizen said contentedly, "meet my newest ally, Erza Scarlet."

"Uhm, hello," Erza said awkwardly, waving at them. She could feel the raw power radiating from them- controlled and restrained, but awesomely powerful, unlike any she had felt herself- so far, only Zaraki Kenpachi compared. "I, uhm, look forward to working with you. If that's all right with you."

"Erza, meet Tier Halibel," Aizen said, pointing to the blond hollow-woman, "Neliel Tu Oderschwank," he pointed to the goat-centaur, "and Ulquiorra Schiffer."

The white, faceless hollow looked at her, and took a few steps closer.

"Are you worthy of serving Aizen-sama?" It said. It was a direct question, one she would have expected to sound demanding, even aggressive- but it seemed to lack any emotion at all.

"I think that's his decision, not yours or mine," Erza shot back.

"Well said," Halibel said, nodding. "Know your place, Ulquiorra."

Wordlessly, Ulquiorra retreated, sitting back down on the couch.

"So… these are your strongest warriors?" Erza mumbled. There was no way to hide how she felt- they were raw power, each one of them, and acting unimpressed would be foolish.

"I have two more who are stronger still," Aizen said, and Erza gulped. How many allies did he have?

"But out of these three, Halibel is the strongest." Upon this praise, Halibel bowed her head contentedly, "Followed By Ulquiorra and Neliel. Five Vasto Lorde- and five more of the strongest Adjuchas, will make up the Espada."

"Espada?" Erza asked. "What does that mean?"

"In hollow tongue, it means 'blade'. It's a tradition- the ten very strongest arrancar call themselves like so."

"We are not arrancar yet," said Neliel.

"Your time is drawing close," Aizen said, nodding to her.

"…arrancar?" Erza murmured, confused again.

"It's known to the Gotei, but kept from most, what that is," Aizen explained, "an arrancar is a hollow advanced so far in his- or her- personal evolution that they have shed their mask to reveal their true face… and gain the powers of a shinigami."

"That- that's impossible!" Erza ejaculated. Reminding herself what they had said about impossible, she continued, "Well- I never heard about that, at least. How… how is that possible?"

"I would like to know as well," Aizen said, "but for the time being, what we do know is that they do exist. A hollow who can do this is known as an arrancar, and gains the appearance of a human, and a zanpakutou- but unlike a shinigami's blade, their zanpakutou reveal their power as a hollow, not one born magically from within. More importantly… any hollow who transforms like so gains explosive amounts of power."

"Yet it is flawed," Halibel said.

"Correct," Aizen said. He seemed to enjoy explaining this, so Erza kept quiet, "yes, the process is flawed. A hollow who does this by his own power loses a significant amount of potential power in the process. However… I have been working on a way of optimizing this process. Once I have the necessary tools, all my chosen subordinates will have enormous power- the weakest of them will rival a captain, and the best of them could only hope to be resisted by the eldest and most skilled shinigami."

"So that is your plan," Erza mumbled, nodding, "that… is how you will fight overwhelming power- with overwhelming power."

Aizen chuckled. "That is one way of putting it. But I would be a fool to stake everything on that alone." He looked pleased- there was no smile, but he looked very pleased. "There is one thing I have which will give us an enormous advantage- which will guarantee our victory."

"What is that?" Erza asked. How much had he kept from them all?

"Erza, what is the power of my zanpakutou?"

"Oh, I remember that," Erza said, "it creates water ripples which let you blind your enemies with light."

Aizen slowly pulled out his zanpakutou, holding it at ease. "Shatter, Kyoka Suigetsu," he commanded.

"I don't understand-" Erza started. Then suddenly, all three hollows were Aizen. "What?!" Erza said. Around her, there were four Aizen- no, a dozen- two dozen- a hundred, a thousand… the whole room was filled with them, each one looking exactly the same. The world had gone white, and all she could see was him.

"What the hell…" She mumbled, reaching for her sword. It was nowhere to be found.

Then suddenly, she was back in the same room, with the same four people.

"What the hell happened?!" She cried, again reaching for Tetsu no Tama- now securely held at her thigh. Ulquiorra halfway stood up, as if to defend his master, but Aizen made a gesture, and he sat back down.

"That is the true power of Kyoka Suigetsu," Aizen said triumphantly- and despite the normal light shining down, there was something about him that looked… a little scary. "My zanpakutou's power gives me complete control over all five senses of anyone who lays eyes on them. Currently, that includes every high ranking officer in the Gotei. I could make you see or feel anything, Erza- there is nobody I cannot fool with this."

"You can… do that?" Erza said, breathing in deeply. "It's… a godlike power." She shook her head- it was a great advantage to be sure, but to have something that powerful… should anybody have that?

"I do not take it lightly, of course," Aizen said, sheathing the blade again, "I have promised myself to only use it for good- not for selfish or petty pursuits, but to make this world a better place- this one, and the Soul Society."

"We have all submitted to it," Halibel said, looking at Erza. There was something reassuring in her voice- she was the product of probably hundreds of years of fighting, of hatred and viciousness, yet she seemed have complete trust in Aizen. "In my darkest hour, Aizen-sama saved me. He showed me what the true strength of a hollow can be. When the time comes, I will become an espada- and I will serve his will for as long as I live. I do this of my own free will, because I have seen a better way." She nodded gravely.

"I'm not as wordy as Halibel," Neliel said cheerily, "but it's right. We owe him everything."

"That… that's good, then," Erza said, "but… how do you intend to do all this?" She turned to Aizen.

"For now, we bide our time. We stay hidden, we gather information, we learn as much about our enemy as possible. When the time comes, we shall reveal ourselves, and I shall make my army real. When that time comes… I will make war. As short and efficient as possible, but war it will be. When it is done, you will stand at my side as I rule the Gotei Thirteen."

"We'll make the world better for everyone," Erza mumbled.

"Every village you ever wanted to help will be helped," Aizen nodded.

"Then… I have one question." Erza said firmly.

"Oh?"

"Ichimaru Gin." Erza said, gall in her voice. "Why?"

"Ah." Aizen said, nodding. "By 'why', I assume you mean 'why is somebody like him involved in something like this'?"

"Yeah, that's about it," Erza said sarcastically. "He's a creep- and don't tell me he's really just shy and actually very nice on the inside. Nobody is that good at being creepy without having a talent for it."

"He is a monster," Aizen said unabashedly. "A sadistic psychopath with homicidal tendencies."

"Then why?!" Erza insisted.

"If you'll let me finish? I first met him many years ago, when he was a young shinigami- and even then, I could tell what he was like. Hollow inside, no sense of compassion or empathy… I knew very soon that he would become a murderer one day. At the same time, he was quite skilled- and you know how little the Gotei cares about things like justice if there is talent to be found. Do you not, Erza?"

"I do," Erza huffed, still not convinced.

"I knew, back then, that I would either have to kill him myself, or watch others die because of him. But the problem was, he was innocent. A sadist, yes, and lacking empathy- but he had done no crime that I knew of. He was but a child. You have done it yourself, Erza, killed out of necessity- but tell me, could you kill an innocent child even if you were sure he would grow up to be totally evil?"

"…no." Erza said, shaking her head. "No, of course I couldn't. But…"

"There is your answer," Aizen said resolutely. "It was a dilemma- either do nothing and know what it would result in, or do something grossly wrong. So I decided… so strong as he was, that I would try the next best thing. I manipulated him, tried my best to control him, and I made him mine. He does not murder, Erza, even if it means I have done my best to meddle with who he is. He is loyal to me- not trustworthy, but loyal. If he weren't… I dare not imagine how many would die."

"I don't like it," Erza said. Ichimaru was a monster- Aizen had said so himself. Why would he have to be part of this? Something that was actually good?

"I don't like it either," Aizen said smoothly, "but it was the least bad option, Erza. Sometimes the only choices you have are bad ones…"

"But you still have to choose." Erza said, sighing. "All right- just keep him out of my way. Um, please?"

"Consider it done. Besides, this way, he at least serves a good cause- however unwillingly." Aizen turned around, and began to walk out. "I have business to attend to. I will come fetch you later- for now, make yourself acquainted with your new allies."

With that, he was gone.

Erza looked at the aforementioned new allies. Frightening white monsters they seemed, inhuman and unsettling; the shape and features of humans yet so wrong…

But she wouldn't let that hold her back. If they were good people, they were good people, regardless of species. Besides, who had ever asked to become a hollow?

"Hello!" Erza said, a bit too loud, and walked up to Halibel, shaking the one hand she had free. A bit confusedly, she reciprocated the gesture.

"…I believe we were already introduced," she said, giving Erza a quizzical look. "and… what are you doing to my hand?"

"It's a manner of greeting where I come from," Erza said, "a way of, um, acknowledging each other, I suppose."

"Acknowledge." Halibel said slowly. "Very well. I will acknowledge you, Erza Scarlet." Firmly, to the point where it hurt, she shook Erza's hand back.

"…you can let go now." Erza said after a while. Tier Halibel, she decided, was rather an awkward person. Which, oddly enough, made her more relatable than most shinigami she knew.

"So," Erza said, "why don't you show me around in your home?"

Three days later, the night hung dark over them as Erza stood next to Aizen just outside the twelfth division, on a rooftop across the street. She had seen Las Noches, she had seen Hueco Mundo, and she had found it not revolting or horrifying as she expected it, but sad and home to people- hopeless people, in a sense she had never even thought of before. That hollows were people was in itself an alien notion- but undeniable; there was no doubting it after having met Neliel and Halibel. Bearing the white mask, with the yellow eyes of a monster... but with a mind, with hopes and a goal- people they were.

She wanted there to be a place for them in the world she would create with Aizen.

But first things first. It would be a long good while before they could even begin to attempt the creation of a utopia, and you would never reach the end of the road without first putting on foot in front of the other, taking that first step. She had taken the first step, joining Aizen. Tonight would be her second step.

"Are you sure about this?" Aizen said, sounding as coolly inscrutable as ever. Much of his affability, she had realized, was part of the act- he was a good man, but she had at least half a new person to get to know.

"I am." Erza said dispassionately.

This had been her first demand. She had bent the knee to Aizen, she had agreed to serve him for a greater good, and it was only right he did something for her- a show of good will. Twelfth division, more than anything, had coloured her view of the Gotei- the image of that dying Quincy was burnt into her retina, accompanying her into her dreams all too frequently. The thought of there being many more, there being so much suffering going on every day under the sanction of her so-called superiors...

It filled her with hate. A large and all-consuming hate, one that frightened her- it was like a malignant version of the love and loyalty she had for her friends. More than anything, she wanted it gone- and she wanted justice. Nothing could repay the poor bastards suffering down there in the labs- and nothing could save them either. But they would be granted mercy, and the monsters who did this to them would lose every last bit of data stored there.

"You are sure the facilities will be empty?" Erza asked, taking a deep breath to calm her nerves.

"I let them know that second division would pay them a routine inspection. Those two do not like each other very much, so when given a warning, their researchers and staff tend to clear out. Of course, there is no inspection coming... but if anyone investigates it, it will turn out to be a clerical error. I doubt they will, after this."

"You really planted explosives everywhere down there, without being seen? In every room, every corridor?"

"The very best kido seals I ever designed," Aizen said contentedly, almost smugly. "Carefully and masterfully crafted runes infused with heavily explosive magic. All without being seen, yes- the magic of the Kyoka Suigetsu is all powerful."

"Do it." Erza said through her teeth.

"This is unlike you," Aizen noted, "so... destructive."

"I am destructive. I always have been," Erza shot back, "and what I saw down there was... unacceptable. It must go, Aizen. No half measures."

"You never were one for half measures, no," Aizen said amusedly. He flicked his wrist and moved his fingers around, and at once a simple, stylized map of the science facility appeared in the air before them, a marvel of subtle magicks.

"This is the floor itself," Aizen explained, "and every red dot is an explosive seal set to detonate. Soon, the lowest floor of the twelfth division- including every last file and folder of research data- will have been reduced to rubble."

"Then do it. Please." Erza said.

"It is already being done," Aizen reassured her, looking intently at the magical hologram before them. "Seven... six... five... four... three... two... one."

From where they sat across the street, Erza heard a dull 'thump'. She knew it was set underground, but had at least expected a loud boom- it was almost disappointing.

"That was sector one," Aizen said, indicating at the map, which showed the first area of the map in a bright red.

Thump.

"That would be the second one."

Thump. Thump.

"Number three, number four," Erza mumbled, with a mixture of excitement and nervousness, as she watched the map grow redder and redder. Only two left.

"Hmm- that's odd," Aizen said, pointing at sector six, "that area just blew up... well, not the whole of it." With a curious look he inspected the map; part of the sixth area had gone red. Then there was another 'thump', and shortly after it a final, last 'thump'. The map glowed a complete red, indicating complete destruction.

"What was that?" Erza asked.

"I don't know," Aizen said, shrugging, "but nevertheless, you have got what you wanted. It will not stop them from rebuilding, or doing the same thing again, not without killing the researchers-"

"No killing," Erza said firmly, shaking her head.

"As you wish." Aizen said.

"We destroyed their research center. We'll do it again if we have to." She said firmly.

"As you wish, my destructive lady," Aizen said, chuckling mildly.

"...I best head to bed," Erza mumbled. "I- I still have work to do in the morning. I'll see you later... sir."

"Of course," Aizen said. "I'll stay for a while and observe this unfold for a while."

She nodded, and walked away, hopping down from the roof. Aizen watched her leave, and once she was well out of sight, he cracked a small smile. This was unlike him- he had for so long kept himself very carefully hidden, careful not to leave any tracks whatsoever. He had gone from that to... a major act of terrorism. As above the fools of the intelligence unit as he was, they weren't idiots- they would figure out that it was no accident. He would have to cover his tracks carefully. Not that there was any chance they would find anything pointing to him- his kido research was completely secret and impossible to trace, and at any rate they would find nothing his sword would not let them find- but this was still unlike him.

The most important thing, he mused, was that this act of terror had been done at the behest of Erza herself- she had had her finger at the trigger, and had not hesitated to pull it because she felt justified in doing so. She was becoming a model pupil- before long, he would no longer need to act so righteous in front of her.

Well, it had to be admitted also- it had been... fun.

"Hey, Erza!"

Erza looked up from her desk, where Renji presented a welcome break from the paperwork- you'd think that having joined a covert freedom fighter movement would mean less work, but no, the façade had to be kept intact…

"Yes, Renji?" She said, putting the pen and papers down.

"It's- it's-" he said agitatedly, a little short of breath.

"Calm down." She said firmly. "Take a deep breath, or two, and then tell me."

"Yes ma'am," Renji huffed, and took a couple of breaths. "It's Shiba Kaien. Did you hear the news? Last night?"

"No," Erza said, furrowing her brows. Last night she had returned late from a patrol, and gone right to bed- had something happened?

"What happened?"

"He's dead, sis. Shiba Kaien's dead."

Erza took a breath, keeping herself calm. She had not known Kaien- the head of the Shiba clan and cousin to Isshin, and vice-captain to the thirteenth division, she knew that much, but she had not known him personally. Death always came as a shock to those personally affected by it, but for everyone else… well, they were all part of a military organization, and it was not exactly like the Gotei had a retirement plan. It happened to everyone eventually.

"That's terrible," she said, standing up, "what happened? Do you know?"

"Hollow, sis. Some kinda freak-show hollow, they said- different from the rest."