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tampered2007-01-26 11:52 pm
soten-kisshun.livejournal.com) wrote in tampered2007-01-26 11:52 pm
Log Complete
When; Late Night, after No-Angst Day
Rating; PG
Characters; Inoue Orihime![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
soten_kisshun and Sosuke Aizen good_and_proper
Summary; Orihime left Ichigo's apartment (after This log) , to get a breath of fresh air and collect her thoughts. A familiar person comes to speak to her, and she is given a proposition she won't soon forget..
Log;
Orihime wandered out into the chill of the night, holding her arms about herself. She tried to stay herself from what she had just seen, tried to collect her thoughts and tried in vain to block it away. Why should it affect her so much? She had seen this coming from a mile away, and yet, it was hitting her like she had just jumped infront of a commuter train. She sighed, taking in a long breath, looking to the veil of black silk that was the sky. Maybe being out here would help her. Maybe it could calm her...since the last two days truly had not.
There was no sound behind her, so much as there was just a strong "sense" of presence near her body. Aizen stepped forward and put a hand on her shoulder from behind.
"Orihime. We meet again. Something on your mind?" he said, smiling and walking up beside her.
He was dressed in casual wear. A black t-shirt with black pants and shoes. His hands were in his pockets as he casually spoke to her. Almost as if he WEREN'T her former kidnapper.
"You look down."
Orihime stopped dead in her tracks at the voice, her body beginning to tremble. She knew that voice, it was the voice of he who had taken her before. One she knew she normally could not escape. She didn't want to be inside at the moment, as to disturb whatever was happening between Ichigo and Rukia, but she also did not want to be out here anymore, since now HE had appeared. Orihime shook her head once, trying to turn on her heel to return into the apartment building. She could probably find somewhere inside she could lay low at until everything had died down... and it would be much safer than where she stood now.
No sooner has she turned and stepped off, than she ran straight into Aizen's chest. The tall, condescending conqueror kneeled down and looked deeply into her eyes, the focused, golden eyes locking onto her own.
"Suffice what you might think, Orihime-san, I'm no here to cause you undue pain. I merely wished to ask what was wrong with you. You leave your emotions as open as a book. Whatever could be causing such distress in your life, Orihime-san?"
He put a hand up to the side of her face and stroked her cheek.
"It would seem your tears are on the verge of spilling."
Orihime pulled back instinctually from Aizen's touch, another shudder wracking her body. She backed up a little, eyes now downcast, admiring the asphalt beneath her feet rather than looking up into the imposing man's face. Her hands wrung together, though she did not mean for them to, and a low sigh held in her throat. He was right, she may be good at hiding things in some situations, but here, everything was out in the open. Her voice leaked through her lips, quiet, though laced with the fright that was evident on the rest of her form.
"Nothing that you haven't already heard about, Aizen-san...."
He decreased his aura to almost nothing and approached her again.
"Ah. The Rukia and Ichigo situation, correct? Is is that hard to know where his heart lies? Did you wish to be with him?"
Once more, he cut off her path of movement, kneeling to look in her eyes.
"What did you think was going to happen? This has been building for a long time. It isn't your fault. You have nothing to feel bad about."
A broad hand patted her on the head as he smiled at her.
"What will you do now?
Orihime's face blanched at his words. He knew exactly, though she hadn't breathed a word. She had been praying he would still think it was the Grimmjow incident, and leave it at that, but, no. He had every word, every fact, every thing directly on target, as if he had been watching it all himself, standing behind her like her own shadow. It unnerved her, sending her body into a full array of nervous feeling. Butterflies she had apparently swallowed tried futilely to flap themselves free of her stomach, and the sigh that had been confined in her throat finally found its liberation, echoing into the cold night air. Her eyes began to dart around, as if the image of the older man seemed to burn them at the mere sight, though it was like a moth to a flame: no matter how hard she tried to avert her gaze, she was always drawn back to his face.
"I did know, and have been expecting it....so, I do not know why I feel this way." She closed her eyes at this remark, finally ending the battle with her sight once and for all. "And yet, I do."
In an unexpected movement, he pulled her against his chest, cradling her.
"Such is the way of love and life. We don't always get what we expect. It's not fair is it? I, too, was once afflicted with love. That also did not end well."
He put her at arm's length again.
"I am sorry, Orihime-san," he said, putting his hands on the ground, "For everything. For our two sides being opposed, for your broken heart, and for Grimmjow's act of disrespect for you. On behalf of them all," he bowed in front of her, putting his head to the ground, "I am sorry, Orihime-san. I am sorry."
Her breath stilled within her lungs at Aizen's motion. Eyes snapped open, she stared down at him, now prostrate in front of her. It was something she did not expect in the slightest, never, and even if it were a front, she still found it unbelievable. Aizen was not one to humble himself, this she knew. And to apologize for it all.. this was even more unexpected. She could not find words to utter, and even if she could, she did not know if they would be right.
All at once, she felt herself kneeling, and placing a hand upon her former captor's head. "You don't have to apologize to me...some things are circumstance, and others just occured due to misfortune. But, I appreciate you saying so.....it..isn't like you." Orihime stayed in this position, though her reason screamed at her not to, her heart felt compelled to give sympathy.
He raised himself up and sat down on a nearby bench, offering her to sit beside him.
"It's not you can go anywhere else, is it? I promise I will do you no harm."
Orihime nodded once, a still-cautious smile coming to her face. She moved from her position on the ground, wandering over to the bench, and sitting beside him. He was right, she mused, there was really nowhere else at the moment she could go, and he was seeming not to want to try and cause anything, so there was a decent chance it would be alright. Sitting beside him, her thoughts were abuzz with the reasons why he was doing this for her. Was it the non-aggression pact? Could it have been what had happened the other day? She didn't know, but, strangely enough, it gave her someone to talk to. Maybe this was a blessing in the guise of a curse. She tried to make conversation.
"...So..what brought you out to this part of the City tonight? It couldn't have been me."
"Actually, I was just out for a constitutional," he said, crossing his legs, "I didn't come out here aiming to see anyone. Few people are out at this hour, anyway."
He turned to her, draping his arms over the back of the bench.
"I've wondered, what did the Aizen in your world talk to you about? Did he explain your abilities? How great and unique they were? You really are a very special girl, gifted with some incredible abilities."
His head craned back to take in the night sky, taking his unnerving gaze off of her.
"It really is a shame. Ichigo should appreciate you more. All this time and he never noticed what you felt. That boy is extremely dense, in all matters."
Fidgeting with her hands on her lap, Orihime listened to the words, trying to garner a response. Her Aizen had spoken of her powers, had told her that they were something that could reach the level of the gods. He had spoken highly of them, when she had healed Grimmjow's arm, and other wound...allowing him to kill Luppi. How he showed her the Hougyoku, and spoke to her of her ability to completely reject the essence of events, to erase that events' occurance from existance forever. She knew what she could do. She knew what the Shun Shun Rikka could do. She also knew what Soten Kisshun could do. It was why she had gained Aizen's attentions in the first place. She nodded once at what he was saying to her, though she slightly caught on the remarks about Ichigo.
"..He did explain my power to me. How I could violate the realm of the gods... how my rejection of events was a power unmatched, and how...it could aid him." She remembered also what she planned to do in her 'aiding' of him--which was to use her ability to erase the existance of the Hougyoku all together, instead of healing it back to the way it was meant to be. It was the only thing she could truly do to aid those who she called friends, those who had come to fight for her. "And...Kurosaki-kun...is....Kurosaki-kun. It is how he's always been. I don't hold it against him. There is no reason to." A sad smile came to her face when she remembered Ichigo, and an image of the night, when she had said her final goodbye to him--had chosen him as the one she would say goodbye to, out of all of those that she had wished to say a final word to, she had chosen him--and how, though she had wanted to kiss him, she could not bring herself to. "..I know he doesn't have those feelings for me. He never has. He never will."
"Yes. Yet despite what you know, it still fills you with great unhappiness, does it not? A part of you still doesn't think it's fair, correct? That you, with such a strong past with him, should be denied your chance by this other woman?"
He stood from his seat again and sat on the floor in front of her.
"I too have felt this. I felt love for the woman you know as Rangiku Matsumoto. Gin took her from me. I too, was in great pain. It is said that no hurt is as great as the betrayal of the first person you love. I found a way out of that. I gave my memories of her away. I gave them to Dorian.
Aizen edged closer to her, focusing on her eyes again.
"Haven't you ever wished people didn't have to feel such pain? To stop all the terrible hurt in the world? After all, without such things as human longing and despair, would Hollows not exist? What reason would there be for them? THAT is where you could excel, Orihime. Your power could grow into something truly spectacular. Something instrumental in the plan to change the world. You could be a savior."
Orihime blinked slightly at his words, surprised by many of them. He...was in love with Rangiku-san? And who was this Dorian that he had given his memories to? Giving away memories almost seemed more painful than just living along side them, but she couldn't be sure. But, maybe he was right. Bringing a hand up to her heart slowly, she closed her eyes once more. It did make an explanation for the pain. She did feel strongly for Ichigo, infact, it could very easily be called love. Ichigo was her first love, even though it was unrequited. And no matter how much she denied, and said she would help and feel happy for he and Rukia, it would not change that fact at all. Looking to Aizen, she wondered how it felt to have known your first love and felt love in return, only to have them taken. It seemed like a very sad state of affairs, much worse than her own. She continued to lend him her ear, once again surprised as he spoke those last words.
"I...a savior? How could my powers destroy all trace of pain and strife? There's so very much of it...I don't think that I could do that with just what I have. I think it is nigh impossible to do at all." She shook her head, looking down at him, a soft, but wistful smile on her face. "I thank you for thinking so much of my ability..but, I don't believe I could do something as grandiose as that..."
"Orihime-san," he continued, "Do you know WHY I do what I do? The arrancar, the Royal Key, the revolution in Soul Society, do you know my reasons? Simple. I want to rule in heaven. Imagine it! Right now, the system is cruel, weak, and inefficient. You've met the ranks of the shinigami. For every nice guy and friend, they also have a psychopath or borderline criminal to match. They exist solely to protect their own existence. Even Ishida-san's people were annihilated by the shinigami, merely because they were a threat. Not even an attempt at co-operation was made by them."
"The arrancar may be monstrous, but I have never lied about that fact. It is in their nature to be how they are. You could not fault them anymore than you could fault a wolf for preying on a lamb. It's the natural law. But if I were in charge of the worlds, could I not MAKE the laws? It's quite clear that the upper heavens hold no sway over the lower realms. They blatantly avoid using their powers or taking responsibility for the sad state of the worlds."
He stood again, leaning over her.
"THINK about it! Don't you think I would assimilate Soul Society if I could? They would never see my point of view, so I used Hollows instead. I must reach that goal of the throne, and they will always stand in the way. That's why you were needed for Hougyoku. You could repair it and heal my warriors at the same time. You can do something no Hollow or Shinigami can, in that respect."
Orihime, taken aback by his words, but yet enraptured by them, tried to think of something on which to speak. Here it was, everything that the man had stood for, his entire reasoning, lain out before her like some grand tapestry. She did not know what to make of it. It was quite hard to fathom all at once, and it amazed her still that he would lay it all out for her, here, plain, where anyone could listen. The City, she had found, was good for that-- allowing those who you don't wish to hear something to hear it plain as day. It was why everyone now knew of what had happened between her and Grimmjow. But, as she began to think more upon his words, she wondered if this was exactly what he had meant all along. If he really did mean to reform everything. She did remember when she went to Soul Society to help save Rukia, and she remembered the revolution, though she herself did not witness a lot of it first hand. She remembered the great clash, and the flashes of reiatsu. She also remembered having to hold herself back from rushing to that place--a place where she would not have been able to help in the slightest. She wanted to help...rather than being helpless. Was what he saying true? Was she truly something that could move the world... could save everything? She shook her head. There had to be more than that...there had to be. It could not have sounded just as he said, it could not have been that lofty and idyllic. There had to be a catch, didn't there...? But, more and more as he spoke, and as she looked into his face, she felt her resolve slipping, and herself falling farther and farther into his words.
What if he did mean to save them all...and she could help them? Then, wouldn't everything become peaceful, as everyone had wished? She tried to form words, staring into his face, trying to shake this trust she was beginning to feel, that was slowly becoming immobile.
"..Is this your true resolve? To end the turmoil? To make everything equal, and to stop the higher realms from turning a blind eye to the lower?"
He nodded to her, giving the same warm smile he used during his time at Soul Society.
"However...It will not be easy, or bloodless. That's the catch. These days of endless fighting in the world could be stopped, but there would have to be sacrifices. The souls needed to create the Royal Key is the biggest sticking point. 100,000 souls from Karakura."
His face took on a somber expression as he crossed his arms.
"Given the continuing downward state of the world, only more Hollows will continue to spawn. It will boom exponentially in the next few years. The combined death toll over the world, even with the meager culling the shinigami do, would greatly EXCEED that number, Orihime. That's why these choices are difficult. It's 100,000 souls all at once, or an even larger number killed by Hollows over a period of years."
"Then there is the matter of the shinigami. The fight between my forces and them will cost great casualties on both sides. But think about it. They might not be completely unreasonable. Perhaps you, yourself, could help save them. You could be the bond between our forces. Perhaps convince them to ally with us in our world. To abandon Soul Society and work under my banner. It would be tremendous opportunity. The injuries people sustain during the ascent to the throne could also be healed by you."
"Is that not best option? Can you think of a better way to fix the system AND protect your friends?"
Orihime nodded, though still feeling some doubt in her heart, but continually allowing more of his message to filter into her. She was unsure as to what she would do--she could already see the Shinigami's reaction to Aizen's ideals...and the fact of the 100,000 souls...they would be innocents, would they not? But...on the other hand, if it meant saving everyone else in the long run....No. Was that really just and right? Placing a hand to her forehead, Orihime began to contemplate, feeling as though Atlus himself had thrown the world upon her shoulders, and she was struggling under the weight.
"I...I don't know if I can.....I..." was all she was able to mutter out from the cluttered thoughtbox inside her head.
"You don't have to make a decision right away. All I ask is that you come back to my area for awhile and let me talk more with you. After all, it's not like you have anything more to lose, and I can ensure that none of my arrancar will harm you."
He kneeled before her and took her hand.
"I can give you anything you need and I will do what I can to avenge the injustices you have suffered, Orihime-san."
Orihime nodded, looking into Aizen's face. It couldn't hurt to follow him back, at least for the night, to speak about things. After all, with the non-aggression pact in place, they would not be able to harm her, if she wished to leave their presence. And he also assured that the Arrancar would not harm her either. And...if anything happened...she had the computers to speak her plight onto the networks, and alert those she needed to. Also, it would give her a place to sort her thoughts.
"Alright. That seems reasonable....I will do that." She placed her hand on top of Aizen's, with a careful smile. "But, may I be assured that if I wish to leave, I can?"
He nodded and clasped her hand in his own, then held her close to him.
"Of course you may. At any time. And if you ever need to talk about anything, be assured that I can keep any thoughts you have secret. No one will find out about anything you tell me. I will even have a room prepped for when you come over, if you wish."
He turned in the direction of the underground.
"If you're ready, then hold on tight. I will use flash step to get us back."
Orihime nodded once more, taking in a breath, and leaning her head slightly against Aizen's chest. It was strange, and a bit unnerving that this would occur....that she was walking into it on her own accord once more, but....if it could help, even a little bit, then she wanted to try. She would hear what the man had to say, and hopefully make the right judgement. Looking once more back toward the Apartment building where Ichigo and Rukia resided, she finally gave the word. Tightening her grip, she spoke.
"Let's go."
Rating; PG
Characters; Inoue Orihime
soten_kisshun and Sosuke Aizen good_and_proper Summary; Orihime left Ichigo's apartment (after This log) , to get a breath of fresh air and collect her thoughts. A familiar person comes to speak to her, and she is given a proposition she won't soon forget..
Log;
Orihime wandered out into the chill of the night, holding her arms about herself. She tried to stay herself from what she had just seen, tried to collect her thoughts and tried in vain to block it away. Why should it affect her so much? She had seen this coming from a mile away, and yet, it was hitting her like she had just jumped infront of a commuter train. She sighed, taking in a long breath, looking to the veil of black silk that was the sky. Maybe being out here would help her. Maybe it could calm her...since the last two days truly had not.
There was no sound behind her, so much as there was just a strong "sense" of presence near her body. Aizen stepped forward and put a hand on her shoulder from behind.
"Orihime. We meet again. Something on your mind?" he said, smiling and walking up beside her.
He was dressed in casual wear. A black t-shirt with black pants and shoes. His hands were in his pockets as he casually spoke to her. Almost as if he WEREN'T her former kidnapper.
"You look down."
Orihime stopped dead in her tracks at the voice, her body beginning to tremble. She knew that voice, it was the voice of he who had taken her before. One she knew she normally could not escape. She didn't want to be inside at the moment, as to disturb whatever was happening between Ichigo and Rukia, but she also did not want to be out here anymore, since now HE had appeared. Orihime shook her head once, trying to turn on her heel to return into the apartment building. She could probably find somewhere inside she could lay low at until everything had died down... and it would be much safer than where she stood now.
No sooner has she turned and stepped off, than she ran straight into Aizen's chest. The tall, condescending conqueror kneeled down and looked deeply into her eyes, the focused, golden eyes locking onto her own.
"Suffice what you might think, Orihime-san, I'm no here to cause you undue pain. I merely wished to ask what was wrong with you. You leave your emotions as open as a book. Whatever could be causing such distress in your life, Orihime-san?"
He put a hand up to the side of her face and stroked her cheek.
"It would seem your tears are on the verge of spilling."
Orihime pulled back instinctually from Aizen's touch, another shudder wracking her body. She backed up a little, eyes now downcast, admiring the asphalt beneath her feet rather than looking up into the imposing man's face. Her hands wrung together, though she did not mean for them to, and a low sigh held in her throat. He was right, she may be good at hiding things in some situations, but here, everything was out in the open. Her voice leaked through her lips, quiet, though laced with the fright that was evident on the rest of her form.
"Nothing that you haven't already heard about, Aizen-san...."
He decreased his aura to almost nothing and approached her again.
"Ah. The Rukia and Ichigo situation, correct? Is is that hard to know where his heart lies? Did you wish to be with him?"
Once more, he cut off her path of movement, kneeling to look in her eyes.
"What did you think was going to happen? This has been building for a long time. It isn't your fault. You have nothing to feel bad about."
A broad hand patted her on the head as he smiled at her.
"What will you do now?
Orihime's face blanched at his words. He knew exactly, though she hadn't breathed a word. She had been praying he would still think it was the Grimmjow incident, and leave it at that, but, no. He had every word, every fact, every thing directly on target, as if he had been watching it all himself, standing behind her like her own shadow. It unnerved her, sending her body into a full array of nervous feeling. Butterflies she had apparently swallowed tried futilely to flap themselves free of her stomach, and the sigh that had been confined in her throat finally found its liberation, echoing into the cold night air. Her eyes began to dart around, as if the image of the older man seemed to burn them at the mere sight, though it was like a moth to a flame: no matter how hard she tried to avert her gaze, she was always drawn back to his face.
"I did know, and have been expecting it....so, I do not know why I feel this way." She closed her eyes at this remark, finally ending the battle with her sight once and for all. "And yet, I do."
In an unexpected movement, he pulled her against his chest, cradling her.
"Such is the way of love and life. We don't always get what we expect. It's not fair is it? I, too, was once afflicted with love. That also did not end well."
He put her at arm's length again.
"I am sorry, Orihime-san," he said, putting his hands on the ground, "For everything. For our two sides being opposed, for your broken heart, and for Grimmjow's act of disrespect for you. On behalf of them all," he bowed in front of her, putting his head to the ground, "I am sorry, Orihime-san. I am sorry."
Her breath stilled within her lungs at Aizen's motion. Eyes snapped open, she stared down at him, now prostrate in front of her. It was something she did not expect in the slightest, never, and even if it were a front, she still found it unbelievable. Aizen was not one to humble himself, this she knew. And to apologize for it all.. this was even more unexpected. She could not find words to utter, and even if she could, she did not know if they would be right.
All at once, she felt herself kneeling, and placing a hand upon her former captor's head. "You don't have to apologize to me...some things are circumstance, and others just occured due to misfortune. But, I appreciate you saying so.....it..isn't like you." Orihime stayed in this position, though her reason screamed at her not to, her heart felt compelled to give sympathy.
He raised himself up and sat down on a nearby bench, offering her to sit beside him.
"It's not you can go anywhere else, is it? I promise I will do you no harm."
Orihime nodded once, a still-cautious smile coming to her face. She moved from her position on the ground, wandering over to the bench, and sitting beside him. He was right, she mused, there was really nowhere else at the moment she could go, and he was seeming not to want to try and cause anything, so there was a decent chance it would be alright. Sitting beside him, her thoughts were abuzz with the reasons why he was doing this for her. Was it the non-aggression pact? Could it have been what had happened the other day? She didn't know, but, strangely enough, it gave her someone to talk to. Maybe this was a blessing in the guise of a curse. She tried to make conversation.
"...So..what brought you out to this part of the City tonight? It couldn't have been me."
"Actually, I was just out for a constitutional," he said, crossing his legs, "I didn't come out here aiming to see anyone. Few people are out at this hour, anyway."
He turned to her, draping his arms over the back of the bench.
"I've wondered, what did the Aizen in your world talk to you about? Did he explain your abilities? How great and unique they were? You really are a very special girl, gifted with some incredible abilities."
His head craned back to take in the night sky, taking his unnerving gaze off of her.
"It really is a shame. Ichigo should appreciate you more. All this time and he never noticed what you felt. That boy is extremely dense, in all matters."
Fidgeting with her hands on her lap, Orihime listened to the words, trying to garner a response. Her Aizen had spoken of her powers, had told her that they were something that could reach the level of the gods. He had spoken highly of them, when she had healed Grimmjow's arm, and other wound...allowing him to kill Luppi. How he showed her the Hougyoku, and spoke to her of her ability to completely reject the essence of events, to erase that events' occurance from existance forever. She knew what she could do. She knew what the Shun Shun Rikka could do. She also knew what Soten Kisshun could do. It was why she had gained Aizen's attentions in the first place. She nodded once at what he was saying to her, though she slightly caught on the remarks about Ichigo.
"..He did explain my power to me. How I could violate the realm of the gods... how my rejection of events was a power unmatched, and how...it could aid him." She remembered also what she planned to do in her 'aiding' of him--which was to use her ability to erase the existance of the Hougyoku all together, instead of healing it back to the way it was meant to be. It was the only thing she could truly do to aid those who she called friends, those who had come to fight for her. "And...Kurosaki-kun...is....Kurosaki-kun. It is how he's always been. I don't hold it against him. There is no reason to." A sad smile came to her face when she remembered Ichigo, and an image of the night, when she had said her final goodbye to him--had chosen him as the one she would say goodbye to, out of all of those that she had wished to say a final word to, she had chosen him--and how, though she had wanted to kiss him, she could not bring herself to. "..I know he doesn't have those feelings for me. He never has. He never will."
"Yes. Yet despite what you know, it still fills you with great unhappiness, does it not? A part of you still doesn't think it's fair, correct? That you, with such a strong past with him, should be denied your chance by this other woman?"
He stood from his seat again and sat on the floor in front of her.
"I too have felt this. I felt love for the woman you know as Rangiku Matsumoto. Gin took her from me. I too, was in great pain. It is said that no hurt is as great as the betrayal of the first person you love. I found a way out of that. I gave my memories of her away. I gave them to Dorian.
Aizen edged closer to her, focusing on her eyes again.
"Haven't you ever wished people didn't have to feel such pain? To stop all the terrible hurt in the world? After all, without such things as human longing and despair, would Hollows not exist? What reason would there be for them? THAT is where you could excel, Orihime. Your power could grow into something truly spectacular. Something instrumental in the plan to change the world. You could be a savior."
Orihime blinked slightly at his words, surprised by many of them. He...was in love with Rangiku-san? And who was this Dorian that he had given his memories to? Giving away memories almost seemed more painful than just living along side them, but she couldn't be sure. But, maybe he was right. Bringing a hand up to her heart slowly, she closed her eyes once more. It did make an explanation for the pain. She did feel strongly for Ichigo, infact, it could very easily be called love. Ichigo was her first love, even though it was unrequited. And no matter how much she denied, and said she would help and feel happy for he and Rukia, it would not change that fact at all. Looking to Aizen, she wondered how it felt to have known your first love and felt love in return, only to have them taken. It seemed like a very sad state of affairs, much worse than her own. She continued to lend him her ear, once again surprised as he spoke those last words.
"I...a savior? How could my powers destroy all trace of pain and strife? There's so very much of it...I don't think that I could do that with just what I have. I think it is nigh impossible to do at all." She shook her head, looking down at him, a soft, but wistful smile on her face. "I thank you for thinking so much of my ability..but, I don't believe I could do something as grandiose as that..."
"Orihime-san," he continued, "Do you know WHY I do what I do? The arrancar, the Royal Key, the revolution in Soul Society, do you know my reasons? Simple. I want to rule in heaven. Imagine it! Right now, the system is cruel, weak, and inefficient. You've met the ranks of the shinigami. For every nice guy and friend, they also have a psychopath or borderline criminal to match. They exist solely to protect their own existence. Even Ishida-san's people were annihilated by the shinigami, merely because they were a threat. Not even an attempt at co-operation was made by them."
"The arrancar may be monstrous, but I have never lied about that fact. It is in their nature to be how they are. You could not fault them anymore than you could fault a wolf for preying on a lamb. It's the natural law. But if I were in charge of the worlds, could I not MAKE the laws? It's quite clear that the upper heavens hold no sway over the lower realms. They blatantly avoid using their powers or taking responsibility for the sad state of the worlds."
He stood again, leaning over her.
"THINK about it! Don't you think I would assimilate Soul Society if I could? They would never see my point of view, so I used Hollows instead. I must reach that goal of the throne, and they will always stand in the way. That's why you were needed for Hougyoku. You could repair it and heal my warriors at the same time. You can do something no Hollow or Shinigami can, in that respect."
Orihime, taken aback by his words, but yet enraptured by them, tried to think of something on which to speak. Here it was, everything that the man had stood for, his entire reasoning, lain out before her like some grand tapestry. She did not know what to make of it. It was quite hard to fathom all at once, and it amazed her still that he would lay it all out for her, here, plain, where anyone could listen. The City, she had found, was good for that-- allowing those who you don't wish to hear something to hear it plain as day. It was why everyone now knew of what had happened between her and Grimmjow. But, as she began to think more upon his words, she wondered if this was exactly what he had meant all along. If he really did mean to reform everything. She did remember when she went to Soul Society to help save Rukia, and she remembered the revolution, though she herself did not witness a lot of it first hand. She remembered the great clash, and the flashes of reiatsu. She also remembered having to hold herself back from rushing to that place--a place where she would not have been able to help in the slightest. She wanted to help...rather than being helpless. Was what he saying true? Was she truly something that could move the world... could save everything? She shook her head. There had to be more than that...there had to be. It could not have sounded just as he said, it could not have been that lofty and idyllic. There had to be a catch, didn't there...? But, more and more as he spoke, and as she looked into his face, she felt her resolve slipping, and herself falling farther and farther into his words.
What if he did mean to save them all...and she could help them? Then, wouldn't everything become peaceful, as everyone had wished? She tried to form words, staring into his face, trying to shake this trust she was beginning to feel, that was slowly becoming immobile.
"..Is this your true resolve? To end the turmoil? To make everything equal, and to stop the higher realms from turning a blind eye to the lower?"
He nodded to her, giving the same warm smile he used during his time at Soul Society.
"However...It will not be easy, or bloodless. That's the catch. These days of endless fighting in the world could be stopped, but there would have to be sacrifices. The souls needed to create the Royal Key is the biggest sticking point. 100,000 souls from Karakura."
His face took on a somber expression as he crossed his arms.
"Given the continuing downward state of the world, only more Hollows will continue to spawn. It will boom exponentially in the next few years. The combined death toll over the world, even with the meager culling the shinigami do, would greatly EXCEED that number, Orihime. That's why these choices are difficult. It's 100,000 souls all at once, or an even larger number killed by Hollows over a period of years."
"Then there is the matter of the shinigami. The fight between my forces and them will cost great casualties on both sides. But think about it. They might not be completely unreasonable. Perhaps you, yourself, could help save them. You could be the bond between our forces. Perhaps convince them to ally with us in our world. To abandon Soul Society and work under my banner. It would be tremendous opportunity. The injuries people sustain during the ascent to the throne could also be healed by you."
"Is that not best option? Can you think of a better way to fix the system AND protect your friends?"
Orihime nodded, though still feeling some doubt in her heart, but continually allowing more of his message to filter into her. She was unsure as to what she would do--she could already see the Shinigami's reaction to Aizen's ideals...and the fact of the 100,000 souls...they would be innocents, would they not? But...on the other hand, if it meant saving everyone else in the long run....No. Was that really just and right? Placing a hand to her forehead, Orihime began to contemplate, feeling as though Atlus himself had thrown the world upon her shoulders, and she was struggling under the weight.
"I...I don't know if I can.....I..." was all she was able to mutter out from the cluttered thoughtbox inside her head.
"You don't have to make a decision right away. All I ask is that you come back to my area for awhile and let me talk more with you. After all, it's not like you have anything more to lose, and I can ensure that none of my arrancar will harm you."
He kneeled before her and took her hand.
"I can give you anything you need and I will do what I can to avenge the injustices you have suffered, Orihime-san."
Orihime nodded, looking into Aizen's face. It couldn't hurt to follow him back, at least for the night, to speak about things. After all, with the non-aggression pact in place, they would not be able to harm her, if she wished to leave their presence. And he also assured that the Arrancar would not harm her either. And...if anything happened...she had the computers to speak her plight onto the networks, and alert those she needed to. Also, it would give her a place to sort her thoughts.
"Alright. That seems reasonable....I will do that." She placed her hand on top of Aizen's, with a careful smile. "But, may I be assured that if I wish to leave, I can?"
He nodded and clasped her hand in his own, then held her close to him.
"Of course you may. At any time. And if you ever need to talk about anything, be assured that I can keep any thoughts you have secret. No one will find out about anything you tell me. I will even have a room prepped for when you come over, if you wish."
He turned in the direction of the underground.
"If you're ready, then hold on tight. I will use flash step to get us back."
Orihime nodded once more, taking in a breath, and leaning her head slightly against Aizen's chest. It was strange, and a bit unnerving that this would occur....that she was walking into it on her own accord once more, but....if it could help, even a little bit, then she wanted to try. She would hear what the man had to say, and hopefully make the right judgement. Looking once more back toward the Apartment building where Ichigo and Rukia resided, she finally gave the word. Tightening her grip, she spoke.
"Let's go."