Change You Like A Remix [PG-13] [Close Social]

[Ryunosuke Hamada]

It was a cold, wet, dismal night. There was a storm outside, but it wasn't even a proper storm. No lightning, no thunder. Not a proper dramatic setting, just something to make the night all that much more miserable. Not that the night needed that much help. The day up until this point had been hot, humid, and generally unpleasant, and the typically pleasant Kuchiki grounds surrounding the manner had felt harsh and unforgiving. The weather was matching the mood.

Kuchiki Manor was all but silent, mourning a loss. The children were out of the house, and the lord had even commanded the servants to leave, abandoning him to his own misery. Sozen was likely locked in his study, with far more alcohol and opiates than any man of his caliber had the right to covet. He was embracing the loneliness. Maybe he would come to terms with it this way, maybe not. But unfortunately for Sozen, his absence, even one of only four or five days, after his great loss, wasn't something that the world would accept casually.

In fact, Sozen's solitude was about to end. As he sat in his study, a rift in space would appear in front of him, maybe three or four yards away. It was easily recognizable as a Garganta, albeit a particularly compact one. He was about to have company. And sure enough, out stepped an Arrancar, one he would recognize, dressed to the nines. Ryunosuke Hamada, Segunda Espada, Kuroi's successor, and the same Arrancar who threw down, alongside of Kuroi against Raion and Sozen.

Although the fight hadn't clearly concluded, and both sides escaped with their lives, Sozen would at least remember the power of the new Segunda. He was no Kuroi, obviously, but he certainly had promise. And right now, he was stepping into Sozen's quiet place of solitude and contemplation, armed with...a decanter of brandy. He nodded to Sozen, and grabbed a seat opposite from him, in one of Sozen's many fine, red chairs. He set the brandy down on the nearby, red, table, and grabbed a glass.

"I'm sorry for your loss. Could we share a drink?"

[Sozen Kuchiki]

Music

It's clear to me now. This... This way that you run things... If we continue down the path that you have laid out for us, then when the time comes, our enemies will crush us. I can no longer abide by that. And, so, if it's all the same to you... Not long from now I will take your leadership from you and we will do things MY way. I challenge you, father... Words pondered as rain beat down in a downpour outside, and riveting thunderclaps echoed off of the clouds in the sky, declaring the coming of the lightning which flashed and illuminated the desolate Kuchiki Manor. But it was not depression that awaited inside of the Manor. It was not sadness, for that had been overtaken by a different feeling.

As the Garganta tore open within the Crimson King's study, and an Espada stepped out, two worlds suddenly collided. Ryu, the new Segunda, was greeted by scarlet eyes that, contrary to expectation, no longer betrayed even a hint of sadness. There, seated in the finest red leather seat Ryu would ever lay eyes upon was a man in a fully black tuxedo and red rose corsage on his chest as well as a red bowtie. And that man's eyes betrayed only the haughtiness and decadence that generations of pedigree in a powerful household could betray. Perfectly comfortable with his position, flawlessly chiseled like the Greek Gods of old, this majestic Apollo was fully functioning when Ryu came to visit.

Sozen's heart did not pick up even a single beat in pace when Ryu showed up. Their inconclusive battle had taught him how strong this new Segunda was, but it had also taught the current Sozen, much stronger than the one Ryu had faced, that the Arrancar were not enemies that he should fear. Like anyone else... like even the Captains of Soul Society.. They too were pieces on a board and could be exploited or executed by need. Furthermore, what Espada would appear in the Kuchiki Manor to attack? They would be killed quickly by several Captain level adversaries at once. No, this Espada was not so foolish. So when this Arrancar dared appear in the Crimson King's presence, Sozen already knew what he had come for.

And so, when the Espada took a seat across from him, offering brandy, Sozen graciously accepted, finishing his gold, jewel studded goblet of red wine in a single gulp, and pulling forth a smaller, more rounded and transparent glass, specifically for the likes of brandy. Taking the brandy the Arrancar had brought, Sozen poured for each of them, adding ice in the event that this was what Ryu preferred. "Grief doesn't last forever," Sozen said with a cold smile. "And you picked as good a time as any to appear here." The room was quite dark, but a thunderclap followed by lightning illuminated the room long enough for Ryu to note in his peripherals what he wouldn't have seen before. Hiding in the darkness was Sozen's latest masterpiece.

On the wall, two iron crosses upon which rested, crucified, two bleeding men. Both wore pants showing that they had been finely tailored noblemen, but the shirts had been cut from their bodies, along with generous portions of flesh. Their heads were lowered, and their hearts were still and eyes empty. They were already dead. So came to reason the truth behind why Sozen Kuchiki had banished servants and children from his presence and sight. Playing the grief card was powerful indeed, and for Sozen, it had become a tool just like any other, for what few days remained that he could use it. And those noblemen? They were a gift for another ally.

Taking a cautious sip of his brandy, Sozen spoke. "If you're here, you must want something more than a drink." Sozen also remembered the deception Ryu had pulled the last time they'd met. He knew now due to spies that this man had replaced Kuroi and Kuroi had been promoted, though he'd also learned such from Ryu's sudden show of power increase last time they'd fought too. Yet, Ryu had introduced himself as Tercera, Sargon. Lies like that showed cunning, and cunning men always wanted things in exchange for whatever they could give. And, after what had happened with the Squad 7 Captain...? Sozen was willing to talk. "Maybe an alliance... Maybe you want me to kill someone. Maybe you'd like to see my precious pupil dead."

"Perhaps I should just hear it from you, though. What brings Kuroi's replacement, such a strong and important Espada, to my doorstep?"

[Ryunosuke Hamada]

Ryunosuke sighed, and poured himself a bit of the brandy, using one of Sozen's cups to do so. Fucking red tinted. This guy had his signature, but he used it a little bit too much. Ryunosuke typically would be more respectful for someone in Sozen's position, and he verbally would be of course, but within only a few minutes of meeting the man, Ryunosuke knew that he was putting on an act. Ryunosuke would be the person to know, obviously, everything that he did was part of an act.

Sozen gave him a cold smile, and Ryunosuke returned a hesitant, but respectful one, letting the Captain speak first, as was proper given that Ryunosuke was a guest in his house. This fine, empty house, save for Ryunosuke, Sozen, and apparently the two corpses on the wall. As Sozen asked his question, Ryunosuke hesitated for a moment. "Uh, sorry to get nosey into your business, but mind telling me who those guys are?

He had his suspicions, of course, Ryunosuke kept himself very familiar with those that inhabited Soul Society. He wasn't as skilled as Kuroi, but he attempted to make up for it in connections, in bribes, in trickery. Getting Sozen's confirmation on the identities of the corpses, however, and ideally the reasoning behind their crucifixion, would contribute to his knowledge further, in a way that would be rather useful for Ryunosuke to possess. So he asked the question, gave ample time to respond, and then started talking.

"Pardon me if I sound hesitant, or trip over my words. I'm used to cursing more, and to be honest, sitting here with you feels like the wrong time to curse. Like I'd diminish my standings, and make myself, and my master, look foolish in the process." He took a breath, finding the right words. "I'm here first, to offer my condolences. Even though you're a foe, you're at least one I respect. And that respect makes you more human in my eyes. Well, human is a bad choice of words. Both of us know your....monstrous tendencies."

That wasn't secret. No normal person could beat Kuroi, he was too much of a monster. Only by becoming a monster could one defeat the former Segunda Espada. And Sozen was one of the few people who was known to have done so. "But obviously, I have other things to discuss. You guessed only one of them, to be honest. I do want an alliance, of sorts. I'm no Kuroi, if we came to blows, you'd win, easily. I don't doubt that. And you know what they say about if you can't beat 'em."

"But on top of that, I think both of us could be of use to the other. There are obviously some people that neither of us can touch, given our stations. And thankfully, I find it doubtful that there's overlap between those two things. You have captains who inconvenience you, yes? If you want, I could literally teleport from here, into their barracks, and kill them within the time it takes for you to finish that bottle of wine over there,He said, motioning to a mostly full one. 

"Conversely, there's allies of mine that I cannot stand, that I want dead. And thankfully, your job is already such that killing them would be to your gain, and the gain of those who you serve, if you can really be said to serve anyone." He shrugged. "I have no scruples that would prevent me form working with you, and I doubt you possess ones that would prevent the opposite." That was the first matter, attended to. He'd wait to see if Sozen was ready for the second.

[Sozen Kuchiki]

"Uh, sorry to get nosey into your business, but mind telling me who those guys are?"

A well meant question, but Sozen was suspect of the reasons behind it. A cunning man could use any information given away unintentionally to his advantage, and Sozen was not ready to trust this person with that kind of information. After all, he had done terrible things that he didn't even trust his own son with. He didn't trust any of his children or friends with information about what he had done to these men and why. He had no intention of trusting a stranger about it either, but it wasn't a bad question to ask. Anyone else might have let slip something superfluous. "They're just business," Sozen assured Ryu as he gazed out with his amused, scarlet eyes. "Nothing to worry about."

"I'm here first, to offer my condolences. Even though you're a foe, you're at least one I respect. And that respect makes you more human in my eyes. Well, human is a bad choice of words. Both of us know your....monstrous tendencies."

Like torturing Zouma Santeku's friends? Forcing one to suffer humiliation and pain, and forcing the others to eat parts of her body? Like savagely plotting the covert destruction of an entire noble family which had stood for thousands of years, once considered a Great Noble Family as well? Mutilation, killing, cunning, trickery. All of these were Sozen Kuchiki's allies. He acknowledged them, acknowledged people knew of them if they knew of him, and acknowledged that they dealt with him regardless because he was good at what he did. That was a Senpai for you. Where else would Kouhai have learned what it meant to play the great game with other people, after all?

Sozen next listened to the remainder of Ryu's proposal, and he had to say, he had hoped it would be something like this. Ryu was right. There were people in his way, now. More than there had been in a couple of years. Firstly, was that wretched Squad 5 Captain, Enma. Their battle had shown Sozen two things. First, he was significantly more powerful than he who had once been called the strongest of the Captains. Second, Enma was still untouchable. To kill Enma, despite the Devil's meddling and poking around Sozen's affairs, would bring a wrath down upon the Crimson King that he did not wish to inconvenience himself with. And that wasn't taking into account his own son, now an ally of Enma.

"Your words are more meek than I'd have expected," Sozen admitted. "Your predecessor came across more dominating when he spoke to me. Luckily, I prefer your way of doing things. Kuroi makes it easy to savor the thought of killing him, don't you think?" But, could this Espada be trusted? Either way, it hardly mattered. As long as this deceptive one was able to take out even one or two threats, any risk assumed would be worth it. That was the benefit of power. Sozen was confident in his own ability to kill the one seated across from him. As a matter of fact, he was also confident in his own ability to kill Sonken Kouhai, if it came down to it... Something he should consider doing in the near future.

"This proposal does suit me quite well," Sozen said. "There are those that I would like to see dead, and others that I would prefer to see inconvenienced. After what you supposedly did to Kimiko Shihoin, I don't doubt that I'm probably the only Captain that's stronger than you are. But what about you? Do the other Espada displease you so? That hot headed Tercera I keep hearing rumors of.. Is he in your way? Or... would you want me to kill Adalo again?" That last one, Sozen had no intention of doing. If he killed Adalo, who was to say that the Primera wouldn't reincarnate again, and this time even stronger? But, he did want this arrangement, so he was willing to listen to more details.

"Either way, I like this proposal. Other than this, did you have more in mind?

[Ryunosuke Hamada]

"Just business." Now that was chilling, but Ryunosuke couldn't help but smile. "You know, Sozen, you'd make a very good Espada. If this captaincy thing ever falls through, hit me up. I think we'd have a job opening or three." He respected the Captain's decision to not divulge any further information. It was a smart one, a tactical one. If he had given Ryunosuke an inch, he would have happily taken a mile. Withholding that information, or making Ryunosuke have to pay him something for it, was just good planning.

"Your words are more meek than I'd have expected." Ryunosuke shrugged at Sozen's critique, acknowledging the praise as well as the bit of contempt, the implicit sentiment of disdain. "Look, I'm talking with respect because I do, legitimately, respect you and what you're capable of. You're getting a bit of special treatment here, is what I'm saying. Anyone else in this shit hole, pardon my french? I wouldn't have just apologized for cursing to them, and you can bet that I'd be more flippant, and more demanding."

"But the thing is, Sozen, you are one of two people that get's my respect. You, and my master Kouhai. Adalo? I'll swear up a storm. Kuroi? A few curses are gonna leak out. Anyone below me? They deserve none of my respect. Hell, even among your compatriots, not even the Commander would get this treatment. But you, you're special. So I give respect where respect is due, don't mistake that for weakness." Ryunosuke's voice was still jovial, and had an air of confidence to it. He seemed a tad bit offended by Sozen calling him meek, even if it had been accurate or justified.

"We can go over who we want the other person to kill later on, let's get to the second matter." Ryunosuke paused, choosing his words very carefully. "I know about you and Kouhai. I'm aware of the game that you are playing. He doesn't know that I know, or at least he likely doesn't. Kouhai is my master, he's someone who I trust, and if you're someone who he can work with, then you're someone that I can work with. I want an exchange of information, a free moving one, between the two of us. You have valuable information, and I can understand why you'd be hesitant to give any of it up, but I have some crucial bits too."

What would he lead with? What could possibly be of value to Sozen, that Ryunosuke knew? "I heard in addition to your wife, you've had a bit of a falling out with your son. I want to let you know the type of monsters he's capable of summoning to his aid, if he needs them. There's been...stirrings, in Hueco Mundo. The Tower Of Babel, of biblical fame, has been discovered in the middle of the desert, but those who found it wound up dead, even if their messages returned to us." Ryunosuke's voice was quiet, and there was an air of seriousness to the conversation that there wasn't before.

"You've heard of the Escudo, right? Big shots, there were 4 of their upper division, the Zarpa, each of whom had 2 Espada to kill? They could use Kido, and Cero alike, and had Ressurections? Some of your shinigami have clashed with them over the years, including the now deceased Kagami Murai, who fought against Col Arana. About a year ago, I fight Col myself, although the fight ended prematurely. Since then, however, I've been trying to track down the Escudo, for a rematch, only to find that they've vanished. Disappeared from the face of the earth. So I did some digging."

"Before their disappearance, the Escudo numbered 7 in total. 2 Mozo, 4 Zarpa, 1 Fraccion or whatever the hell they called them. That Fraccion defected to Las Noches, and Kouhai read his mind, briefing me on the details when I asked him out of curiosity. The Zarpa, Lucian De-Mont, Col Arana, Allen Adams, and Axis, they were hellishly strong. But also rediculously bored. Lucian defected from the team sometime before their dissapearance, apparently turning up in London of all places. He was last seen with your furry friend, if you want more details. The others, and their leaders, just vanished. Their base, deep in the Menos Forest, was leveled, and no one has heard or seen them since."

"Until recently. Reiatsu signatures around the Tower of Babel are very, very similar to Escudo ones, and the one sided obliteration of Las Noches' top scouts indicates an enemy of overwhelming force." Ryunosuke stared Sozen dead in the eyes. "Now, so far, I've been very generous with information. I'm about to get more generous, as a show of good faith, and as a favor. But before I proceed, and give the final detail, I need you to promise not to share this freely, amongst your allegeded allies, which seems likely that you'll agree with. And secondly, I need you to realize that this is as much your problem as it is mine, and when it comes time to act, we're helping each other out, and you're not doing me a flat out favor. Alright?"

[Sozen Kuchiki]

Music

"You know, Sozen, you'd make a very good Espada. If this captaincy thing ever falls through, hit me up. I think we'd have a job opening or three."

Sozen legitimately chuckled. "I heard that from a Quincy once, as well," he remarked cheerfully. It wasn't like Sozen hadn't considered it. Not becoming an Arrancar. No, never. He hated Hollows with his every being. But to surplant Kouhai and replace the King with someone that Sozen could control... Yes, that had been something he'd planned before. Naturally, Sozen hadn't been strong enough to do anything like that... until now. It went without saying that he had been completely defeated by his own sister, Saeki. Yet, that was also when the Sozen of before had been destroyed, and a new, stronger one had risen. Just as Adalo De-Mona could reincarnate, Sozen, too, in a manner of speaking, could do so. And the Kawadas thought they were the only phoenixes.

"I know about you and Kouhai. I'm aware of the game that you are playing. He doesn't know that I know, or at least he likely doesn't. Kouhai is my master, he's someone who I trust, and if you're someone who he can work with, then you're someone that I can work with. I want an exchange of information, a free moving one, between the two of us. You have valuable information, and I can understand why you'd be hesitant to give any of it up, but I have some crucial bits too."

Sozen was a master of masking his facial expressions flawlessly. It wasn't a result of acting so much as it was a result of wearing the same smile to every single noble event he had ever been to over a course of century after century, never once deviating from that expression, no matter what happened. As a young child, he had been taught early on how to do that, with hours of being struck if he didn't follow an exact formula for how nobles must act. His face was one of pedigree. It was unreadable not because he was an actor, but because he was a liar, which Sozen was certain Ryu could identify with. Still, he was surprised inside. The Espada thought that Sozen and Kouhai were in league with one another... A useful thing.

"Well, I am certainly listening," Sozen said. "And depending on what you have, I might also have something that you will find very interesting." The Arrancar then went on to speak of Sozen's falling out with his own Heir. This also surprised Sozen, and again he masked it. In that room where war had been declared, only three were present... How did this Espada know such an intimate detail? Was it something Souza publicly broadcast? Or had word of his son's intent reached ears because of the efforts of Souza's recruiting? For Ryu to know this meant others might as well.. Rumors that must be silenced. Sozen made a mental note to himself to start killing informants that were not his own.

What the Espada led on with next... That was even more surprising. Escudo. A name Sozen hadn't heard in a long time. He was familiar with it, of course, from speaking with Kuroi, who had confided in dealing with a former Fraccion, Kouen Akarui, that had defected to their side. Kouen had been powerful... At least Captain level. Yet from what Ryu was saying, Kouen had not even been in their high ranks, what were called 'Zarpa.' But, within those ranks, there was a name that Sozen recognized. Axis. The supposedly unaffiliated Arrancar that had battled his cousin, Kyomei, a few years back. Sozen remembered reading that report very closely after inspecting his cousin's wounds.

Axis had somehow gotten lost and appeared in Soul Society. After Kyomei attacked him with a lance fashioned from earth, the lance had shattered against Axis's Hierro. Kyomei's lance had shattered against Axis's Hierro. Kyomei, who of all Kuchiki had the highest level of reiatsu strength. Furthermore, the shattering had been accompanied by Kyomei being both poisoned and electrocuted instantly for that contact. He had nearly lost his life to that poison... And all of that had been contained, according to Kyomei, in what Axis had described as his lowest, weakest form of Hierro. If a monster like that, who could easily bring down a Captain of Kyomei's caliber, that was terrifying indeed.

And what Sozen was hearing was that not only was there only of these monsters. There were four. And, two even above that, stronger still. Sozen didn't doubt that, based on the description of Axis, he might be able to down the beast. It wasn't a guarantee. It was actually less likely he could solo it than otherwise. But, still. Achievable. Yet if there were two who could lead four of such individuals... That was something else entirely. Something to be truly afraid of. But... the worst of all of this news..? They resided in the Tower of Babel... The very tower that Sozen had learned his own son summoned with Bankai, during Souza's battle against Saeki.

In other words, not only did these monstrosities exist, and exist in such a way as to truly threaten Las Noches, but Souza could actually summon them. Unspeakable. It was truly, incomprehensibly mystifying. And in himself, Sozen felt not fear, but dread, and weariness. His instinct, telling him that there was danger, was on high alert. Yes... These Arrancar had to be done away with. Alliances? Ridiculous. If they were that strong, they had the upper hand and were too strong to control. No, they needed to be dealt with. Ryu was absolutely correct, if what he was telling Sozen was absolutely true. "Not to fear... Besides us, only three will hear of this."

Sozen snapped his fingers. "Indra. Asura." Immediately at Sozen's sides were two masked figures in cloaks. What they wore did not even remotely resemble a Soul Reaper's uniform. And why should it? These weren't Soul Reapers. They were Sozen's assassins. Neither spoke a word as they, in their cloaks, with black mist swirling about them, stood by their master's side. "Kouen Akarui, once Kuroi Naito's Fraccion. According to my informant, Kouen is now active in the human world as a Fullbringer. Find him. Bring him to me." With resounding nods, the two vanished. Up until they had appeared, they hadn't even been remotely detectable. These were men or women of true stealth.

"One of my former assassins, Takashi, was strong enough to wipe out the Shiba Family alone, and cunning enough to steal the Seireitei's Seki Seki wall," Sozen told Ryu. "I'm sure you're familiar with him. He's one of Kouhai's strong arms now. Yet he wasn't even halfway through his training. He was mid tier among my assassins at best. Asura and Indra are my strongest. That I am involving them should show you my commitment to this matter, and that I fully acknowledge the problem something like the Escudo represents." Sozen was fully involved now. He was cutting deals with an Espada, a line he would never have crossed before Saeki, out of his hate for Hollows. Now, he realized, it was necessary in order to preserve and advance his family.

"I have things you should also know, then," Sozen said. "But first, tell me of this final detail."

[Ryunosuke Hamada]

How had Ryunosuke acquired all of this knowledge? That was a question that hung, unasked and unanswered, between him and Sozen. Sozen's feud with his son wasn't a public one, not yet certainly. And information about the Escudo was even more scarce. Certainly not reasonably available to anyone in Soul Society, and even relatively uncommon in Hueco Mundo.

Ryunosuke had mentioned he'd gotten a fair bit of the information from Sargon's new Fraccion, but what he hadn't mentioned was his primary source. Ryunosuke, in the middle of one night, had awoken to a letter taped to his window, addressed to him, talking about a recruitment offer, signed with three names: The King, Rey, and Miranda. And reading ti had revealed a lot.

He'd gone in for an interview at least, of course. He was certain that Kouhai would've chastised him had he not. He was invited to the old base, the one in the Menos forest, the one that Zegram had mentioned, and the one that he'd almost stumbled upon during his encounter with Col Arana. However, once he entered the base, he found it empty, save for another note.

That note had contained an address in the human world, a small town in Illinois. Ryunosuke's hometown, back when he was a human. Obviously, he followed up on this, and promptly fell off of the face of the earth for a month. He'd found himself in Kouhai's throne room, unaware that time had passed, apologizing for his absence. And since then, Ryunosuke had been discovering memories, hidden in dark corners of his brain, which he realized was in an attempt to conceal the information from Kouhai.

Of course, Ryunosuke was ever the loyal soldier, and told Kouhai what he could as the memories were gradually restored to him. However, ultimately, Kouhai didn't seem to care. Or at least put on a respectable air of apathy and casualness. But still, the information that Ryunosuke had seemed to indicate an undeniable threat to the safety of Hueco Mundo, and so he was taking matters into his own hands.

Back to the present moment, Sozen was dismissing two assasins to relocate one of Kuroi's old fraccion, and Ryunosuke couldn't help but smile when he heard the name. "I've met the guy once. Fought alongside him in the human world. Bludhaven was a shitshow, is all I can really say." The rest of Sozen's speech received a series of nods from Ryunosuke, he clearly acknowledged and appreciated, at least to some degree, Sozen's commitment. Ryunosuke took another sip of his drink, before finding the right words to continue.

"The good news is that this Tower of Babel is a new thing that they've moved into. I have memories of them finding it, but none of them moving in. This thing is....I legitimately don't know if the words to describe it exist. A nexus point, connected to a multitude of other worlds. Connected to all other versions of the Tower of Babel, scattered across all the dimensions, including other versions in this dimension. But they can't travel from it directly to other ones in this dimension, they have to travel to a different one, then back here. The one that they're in, they call the True Tower, but that seems to be more selfish than anything else." Implicit there was important information, something that Ryunosuke was tipping without realizing it. If what he was saying was true, Souza couldn't summon the Escudo easily and directly. That was a relief.

"Bad news. I....met with an source that I still have within the Escudo. I hesitate, because I didn't so much as meet him as bump into him at a concert. In between songs, I caught up with him a little, and he mentioned a Shinigami visitor who was offering them the battle of the century, as well as potent connections in Soul Society itself. So unless you have any better ideas of who that could be, I have a sneaking suspicion that your son is already contacting these people." Sozen would be able to tell, with his analysis that Ryunsouke was hiding something. A detail about this source, and his connection with them. But he'd also be able to tell that this lie wasn't a willing one, there was something in Ryunosuke's eyes that made it clear. Ryunosuke could not give him further details here, for fear of....something.

"Going forward, I'm doing my best to deal with this organization, and give people the knowledge they need to handle it. I lack details for the most part," Another reluctant lie, "But I can still try and get more things, and go toe to toe with these guys when the situation calls for it. Their organizational structure has shifted, pretty dramatically, as have their motivations. However, if anything, Axis is more powerful than he was before, if he's one your afraid of. Lucian has also been replaced, as far as the team goes. Details are scarce with Col." And there was specifically a missing bit of information here, and Sozen could tell, in Ryunosuke's eyes, that he was hoping that he picked up the absence. Perhaps that was a clue of some kind, explaining why Ryunosuke was lying to him.

"My cards are on the table, what have you got for me?"

[Sozen Kuchiki]

Sozen had been outplayed. For once in his life, he had been outmaneuvered by someone, and this time it was his own son. It hadn't been until recently that Sozen himself had realized despite his hate, he had to work with these powerful new Hollow breeds in order to secure the Kuchiki Family. Alliances with Espada? These were a given now, despite once being an alternative he would never have sunk to. But it was needed, now. The firepower that they could bring to the battle... It was invaluable. The information and connections? Even moerso. Sozen had already seen Ryu in combat, and knew that he was the only Captain capable of defeating Ryu at this present time.

If Ryu could defeat any Captain below Sozen, and the new form of Adalo could defeat Sozen, then it meant that Soul Society was outmatched. If Soul Society was no longer the primary dominant power, regardless of if people were aware of that or not, the Kuchiki Family was no longer safe. Other than the Arrancar of Las Noches, other threats such as Satsujun's Xcution and Wilhelm Kohler's Vandenreich plagued the worlds. To ensure his family's safety Sozen would have no choice but to work with those he had once despised more than any, for they, with their blood being part Soul Reaper now, would be more cooperative. Still, Sozen had reached this conclusion too late, thus being outmaneuvered.

It appeared that Souza was already striking bargains with these very Arrancar, and with some strong enough to give the Espada pause and worry Ryu. Sozen couldn't help but wonder if Kuroi was also thinking about these Escudo right now. How much did his agents in Las Noches truly know? If it came to defeating these Escudo, Aoi was no longer in the picture... She probably could have wiped them all out, but she was no longer... Shingai may have been of help, back when he had still been a liaison with Soul Society for the Zero Division. Sozen had no way of contacting him without Aoi. Meaning, to deal with these Escudo, Sozen needed other, new allies who were strong. ...And he had one in mind.

"The greatest threat to the wellbeing of Las Noches is just around the corner now," Sozen said. "You have an alliance with the God of Murder right now, but Satsujun won't tolerate you for long when he regains his full power. Right now he has almost everything he needs to restore it." Yes, Sozen could recall what had happened in those final moments that he had seen Aoi. It had been at that time that Satsujun had succeeded in obtaining numerous pieces of metal from Hell, had achieved the Blade of Abhorrence called Teliki, and that scroll with instructions which could not be deciphered. It had been then that Satsujun had declared soon he would wage war on all worlds.

Sozen had been there for that, and he didn't doubt the God of Murder's words. "From what I've gathered, it will be less than a year before his full power as a Soul Reaper is given back to him. That's on top of his power as a Fullbringer. In other words, he'll be invincible. Last time he had Soul Reaper powers, he was able to conquer Soul Society briefly. This time he'll be stronger still, and will be able to conquer both us and Las Noches. The only way to stop him is to steal from him the Blade of Abhorrence in his possession." Sozen had become familiar with this ritual and how the items would help after combing through the data logs of the Kuchiki library for days, until at last all the pieces fell into his understanding of what was needed by the God of Murder.

"Furthermore, I have heard unconfirmed rumors from my agent in the Vandenreich. There are stirrings. People speak of a return by the Emperor. It may benefit you to know that the Emperor was once a Soul Reaper, and that he invented both immortality and the Quincy power schematic. Hollow reiatsu can't hurt him the way it hurts most Quincy. If he comes back, he and Satsujun will both be threats." Sozen had heard this particular rumor from one of his agents that had taken to discussions with Wilhelm Kohler of late. Whether or not that little project was going to bear fruit remained as of yet to be seen. Still, it was a scary thought.

"In all of these developments, there are many strong enemies now," Sozen said. "My son and the Escudo together. Satsujun. The Vandenreich. If we hope to survive it all, we need to pre-emptively strike. I myself am stronger than our Captain Commander now, whether or not he realizes it. If you have any alternative sources of power or alliance, this would be the time." Sozen had also just released a boast, hidden in worry. He was saying that he was stronger than even Kyousou Ningen. This, in actuality, was his true belief. He was weaker in raw power, but his cunning and current ability set were more than adequate to defeat even the Captain Commander now, in his opinion. Thus, Sozen was a very beneficial ally to have.

"Another great war is coming..."

[Ryunosuke Hamada]

If things were as Sozen claimed, then....for lack of better phrasing, they were all fucked. It sounded like every side in this multidimensional conflict had powerhouses capable of routing the others, and Ryunosuke had a sneaking suspicion that when the dust had settled, it would be Satsujun, The Emperor, The Escudo, and a massive fucking crater that was the rest of the three worlds. He shuddered slightly at the idea of such an apocalypse. His fight with Kuroi had proven to him that the difference between himself, and the special war powers, was massive.

And that needed to change. When the war arrived, Ryunosuke needed to be ready for everything. He intended to be capable of fighting one on one with his....a flash of white light surged through his view, and he grabbed his head as it erupted into the pain of a migraine. Something had just hurt immensely. He had touched on a memory or knowledge that he wasn't meant to, and had paid for it. He tried not to think about what he was about to say, knowing that it would just once again bring pain. Instead, he refocused on Sozen, pretending to disregard the moment of weakness.

"This war will be brutal, I have no doubt. And unfortunately, I lack any easy alternative sources of power or allies, at least presently." Not entirely true, but not entirely a lie. Ryunosuke would start reaching out to his underworld contacts and asking for their assistance. Douma and his crew could definitely prove to be a thorn in Xcution's side, for insstance. And he did have a way of taking more power for himself, he knew it, but he couldn't remember where the offer had come from or what it was, not right now at least.

"Despite these threats you have detailed however, our powers combined would certainly give us an edge, especially against so many conflicting interests. While a direct alliance between Soul Society and Hueco Mundo still isn't possible, I have a sneaking suspicion that we will be able to do alright with what we have. I do ask one last topic of conversation, however:" The question, and one that Sozen might be surprised by, given the flow of the conversation thus far, and given Ryunosuke saying that he was done asking for favors. "I am not strong enough. While I could beat the majority of Captains with ease, you or Kuroi would still beat me without fail, every time." He extended his hands forward, palms up, and Sozen would note the burns, the scars, the damage from years and years of fighting and training, without the natural regeneration that many Arrancar possessed.

"Please, Sozen. I want to learn how to become a monster. I have potential, and a destiny that awaits me, and I swear, I will do whatever it fucking takes to seize that destiny for myself. And if you create me, then you know that if worst comes to worst, you can destroy me. I will be a host unto myself, capable of destroying everything in my path, but if we end up opposed, you would know the way to beat me." This offer was a serious one, and Ryunsouke seemed genuine, as genuine as he ever was. "Just like Kouhai, my master. You made him. If you ever need to, you'll end him, but for how, he serves his purpose, he serves you. Grant me the same favor. Help me become a threat, to be known throughout the three worlds."

And here came the offer: "This is separate from our alliance and other deals. If you turn this down, we'll continue with what we have. But if you accept here, then we can have more. If you help make me a monster, I'll give you techniques I've held secret for a long time. I'll dismantle organizations that inconvenience you. I won't betray my master, and you won't be my new one, but you'll be something else. The Frankenstein to my Adam." And there it was again. A sense of memory, he almost had it. Then overwhelming pain, crippling him again. Why did that sound so familiar?

"Regardless, I think we're done here. Make your decision, and we'll make time to meet again, down the line."

[Sozen Kuchiki]

Tempting. It was tempting. An increase in power would benefit Sozen greatly. However, thinking about it logically, Sozen couldn't risk another monster of Kouhai's level. He was confident that he could kill Kouhai as things stood now, but if Ryu learned of Kouhai and Sozen's actual relationship, rather than what Ryu had assumed, then a monstrous Ryu could gang up on Sozen with Kouhai, and that was an unacceptable outcome. Even with some sort of enormous power boost, Sozen found it obvious that in this exchange, Ryu would gain a lot more and level up considerably more than Sozen would. With the current power dynamic, Sozen was satisfied. He had no need to share.

"I apologize, but even if we ally now, an arrangement like that would benefit you much more than it would benefit me," Sozen said with a cold smile. "Having two monsters in Las Noches would be.. difficult at the moment." What Ryu may not pick up on was the subtle at the moment. The implication was eventually it wouldn't be. And it wouldn't. It wasn't just a matter of Sozen gaining more power, after all. He was only continuing to become stronger still, but his end game wasn't in his strength alone anymore. He had another, one who would be as strong as he was, given time, and who would have connections from a whole other world... Yes, his true protege, who could well be his real successor if Souza failed him or turned on him.

"Before you go, I would like to arrange a few things..." Sozen said. He did have a few things he needed done, some loose ends to tie. "First, as I look into these Escudo and how best to execute them for you, I want a favor in exchange. My son. I don't want him dead, or permanently handicapped or broken in any way, but I want him defeated. If you challenge him and defeat him in battle, then he'll realize that he isn't at the level needed to challenge me yet." Such a thing would be very useful, delaying Souza's plans, and freeing Sozen from the distraction by them. This would let Sozen proceed to other matters. As Souza tried to work up more power, Sozen would be able to play the scenes in other areas.

And, before this all ended, Sozen had more to deal with. After Ryu gave his answer in regard to Sozen's request, Sozen had yet more to tell him. "Unrelated to that, I also have another priority. Years ago, Aoi spoke to me of twisted monster Hollows called Dios Vacuo, an evolutionary stage beyond Vasto Lorde, and stronger than any Hollow can become in the world of Hueco Mundo. She didn't tell me much about how they form, but she did tell me that those who kill a higher level one for the first time will be marked by its power and influenced by its grudge. And they will develop black star tattoos on their body. Tattoos I saw over Kuroi's heart when I fought him."

This was Sozen's pitch. In reality, he knew very little more about what he was about to say besides this, but he knew just enough to make it seem authentic. That was the power of being raised a politician. You always knew how to string someone along just a little bit more. "You can ask him about it, but I doubt he'll tell you anything," Sozen said. "I, however, did some research into it, and I might know where to find the same phenomenon that helped make Kuroi as strong as he is now. So I want another trade. If you kill Enma, our current Squad 5 Captain, and get one of your associates to kill Kimiko Shihoin, then I'll tell you more..."

[Ryunosuke Hamada]

"Your concern about helping me is....frankly flattering," Ryunosuke said, his voice smooth and his smile cocky. "Perhaps sometime in the future, then. Or I might pursue other leads, as far as becoming a monster goes." An acceptance and acknowledgement of Sozen's half promise, and an understood threat of course: If Sozen dragged his feet too much, Ryunosuke would simply seize power in a different fashion, and deny Sozen the opportunity to have any semblance of control over him. That would be a significant risk, and something that would increase the odds of Sozen assisting him.

Sozen's request as far as handling his son seemed reasonable. "He's a vice captain, correct? I'll handle it. I can't promise I'll move soon, I move at my own pace, but it'll happen." Ryunosuke was confident in his abilities, and assuming that Sozen's son was the most powerful Vice Captain, stronger than the majority of Captains? Well, that meant he was still probably weaker than Ryu, all things considered. Maybe a cocky view, but it was one that he would be happy to back up, given time. And Sozen's final offer, to give Ryunosuke the secrets of Kuroi's power, or at least give him a lead to follow, in exchange for killing off political problems?

"I defer my acceptance of your deal, but don't worry, you'll have an answer in the not far future. Probably in the form of an untimely death," He said, flashing a grin. The meaning here was simple, Ryunosuke wouldn't enter a deal so vague just casually, but he'd be happy to give a vague answer back. Maybe he'd accept the deal, maybe he wouldn't, but if he did, there's a good chance Sozen wouldn't know until after he'd already murdered those he was meant to. "It's been lovely talking to you, keep the rest of the brandy as a gift." And with that, Ryu vanished, a Garganta carrying him away from the Kuchiki Manor, away from their conversation, away from the crucified people on Sozen's wall, back to home, Hueco Mundo.

He had people to meet, plans to make, targets to kill.


OOC: Thread End