A Hollow Crown

Zanpakutos, Reunions, New Starts, and a Deal With the Devil

Kaien couldn't believe it! Ichigo was going to get an asauchi and eventually a Zanpakuto! He wondered what sort of shikai it would have. Maybe a sword like Isshin's or a spearlike zanpakuto akin to Nejibana? Maybe it'd be something else entirely! Kaien couldn't wait to find out. This would just be a quick in-and-out mission, no issues or bumps in the road at all!

Hopefully...

But Kaien wasn't going to let that dreary maybe ruin his mood! First things first, he needed to find his cousin. Thankfully, Kaien had a good idea who Ichigo would be with and by extension where he was: Grimmjow's palace! Kaien dashed through Las Noches until he found his way to the Sexta's palace. The entrance to the place looked like the entrance to some old Aztec or Maya ruins, even having a jaguar carved on its entrance with a snarl on its face, as if telling everyone to not enter unless they wanted to get mauled by a very furious wildcat. But Kaien was one of those few who Grimmjow considered an acquaintance, so he was safe from the fate of being a scratch-post. Most of the time, at least.

So Kaien kicked open the doors, walking in and admiring the place. The best way he'd describe Grimmjow's palace was a mix between the ruins of an old castle, Aztec temple, and jungle all mixed into one. He walked down the path he knew led to Grimmjow's personal training area and saw Ichigo training with the man.

"Whaddya want, Kaien?" Grimmjow asked in fake annoyance. Ichigo was paying close attention too, golden eyes peering up at him in curiosity.

"Aizen-sama wants Ichigo to have an asauchi, and since I'm the only one who can sneak into the Sereitei without having the whole place descend into chaos, I'll be the one doing it." Kaien said, a proud look on his face as he gestured towards himself with a thumb to his chest.

"Fine, fine. But if Ichi pulls your hair out again, don't come cryin' ta me." Grimmjow scoffed, skulking off to take a nap or whatever Grimmjow did in his freetime. Ichigo walked forward to Kaien, that curious look still in his eyes.

"Well, cousin? Ready to see the Sereitei? Sorry I can't give ya the full tour; whole being dead thing and all that." Kaien said, opening a Garganta with the snap of his fingers. Kaien walked in and Ichigo followed after him. Thank goodness Ichigo had at least enough control over his reiatsu to keep from falling into the endless abyss of the Garganta. Kaien explained on the way what was going to happen: they'd find the academy and take someone hostage to have them open the asauchi vault, grab one, kill the guy - Kaien didn't like that bit but Aizen and morals didn't mix that well - and return to Las Noches. But if that happened, then Kaien would have to make up something on the spot, which he didn't mind. Kaien actually liked that sort of thing - starting from scratch - but that was only good during his Shinigami days when the only one he took orders from was Ukitake, but now he was the Novena Espada and elite in Aizen's army.

Oh yeah, and he was kinda-sorta-but-not-really dead. That'd make things a pain if he ran into Ku or Ganju, or even Rukia or Ukitake. Speaking of which, how was the little Kuchiki? Byakuya was pretty sucky in the 'big brother' department and there were a good few times Kaien was tempted to give the head of the Kuchiki clan a good ol' kick in the nuts.

But he couldn't because Rukia - who might as well have been his surrogate sister - loved Byakuya and swore up and down that he was good, but Kaien was nonetheless a bit skeptic. And while he did want to visit Rukia, he had a job to do and also the looming threat of what would happen should Mayuri Kurotsuchi find them. 

They reached the end of the Garganta, coming to a forest that he presumed was either the Rukongai or a part of one of the squad's training grounds. Kaien started walking, trying to feel for the barely familiar reishi of the Sereitei and possibly even the Academy. Ichigo walked next to him, the boy surprisingly quiet. That was strange. Kids, regardless of the world they inhabited, weren't exactly quiet. And if they were, they were either an introvert in the best case or something had gone wrong in worse cases. He'd have to talk with Isshin once this was over, just to make sure the man was being a decent parent. And if not... well, Kaien wasn't above fighting with family to knock some sense into his uncle.