Chapter 126 - A Stranger or A Friend

"…But living creatures are strange. They are made in such a way that they can actualize only what their minuscule minds wish for." ― Sōsuke Aizen.

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[Hueco Mundo] 

Starkk, Lilynette and their newest friend, Ulquiorra Cifer, journeyed aimlessly across the unending dunes of their ever pale world, all while feeling content and blessed by the cherished companionship between them. 

They and Ulquiorra might have been strangers at one point but they had quickly destroyed that barrier between them, mostly thanks to the gullible nature of Ulquiorra and his longing and desperation for any kind of companionship. 

Them meeting each other was a miracle and an answer to the shared dream that they all had: that they couldn't be the only ones different in Hueco Mundo. 

After their meeting and Ulquiorra integrating himself into their duo to make it a triad, their journey to find others just like them continued but so far they were yet to find anyone willing to join their shared dreams, except for those who wanted to snack on them. 

It was during their travels that they started hearing words that groups of strong Hollows were migrating to Las Noches. Their initial thought was that Baraggan was now recruiting an army or closest aides after his last ones got killed by a Shinigami. 

"Should we go there? If strong Hollows are really there then we will have no need to journey further." Ulquiorra suggested. 

"Did I say something wrong?" He found the peculiar expression on both their faces weird so he couldn't help but ask.

"I see. So you and this king Baraggan are enemies. Hmm, while I would love to go see the place for myself, I'll trust your words. It is a shame though." 

Thankfully, Ulquiorra by nature was a very inquisitive soul so instead of being bewildered by the unbelievable explanation, only had more serious questions to ask.

"So what should we do now?" He asked after Starrk finished his recap. 

Starrk looked at Lilynette and they both shrugged at the same time. If he was being truthful, he wanted nothing more right now than to sink into the ground and get covered by sand for at least half a century. 

It wasn't as if they didn't stop, they did. Sometimes they even spend days and weeks in a single spot, sitting still and saying nothing, just lost in the fantasies of their thoughts while they gazed at the ever present pale moon. 

Their slow conversation was cut short when they felt the explosion of a very intense spiritual pressure that washed over them. 

It wasn't as intense and volatile as Starrk's or Ulquiorra's, but it wasn't average either. 

"Should we check it out? It looks like they are fighting." Lilynette asked her two companions, specifically more at Starrk. 

"Let's go."

The two of them looked dumbfounded as Ulquiorra sprouted his wings and leapt off towards the source of the raging Reiatsu. 

"Gahh! Stupid newborn Hollows. He's going to get us killed one day." Starrk could only smile because even though she said that, she was already ahead of him and right behind Ulquiorra. 

They stopped at a high vantage point to spectate whatever fight was going on but the more they watched the more confused they became as the scene below was too bizarre. 

"… What is that Hollow doing?" Ulquiorra asked curiously. 

Starkk frowned, expressing the same doubt they all had. "I don't know."

'The other thing is who they're fighting. Even from this distance I can't feel their Reiatsu. A human? No. A Shinigami.'

"Hey, Starrk…" Lilynette quietly called out. 

"What is it?"

Lilynette pointed at the Hollow who was thrashing around wildly and blindly. 

"The way she's acting is weird. Isn't it like what happens to Hollows with Itachi?" 

Ulquiorra turned his curious eyes from the pointless 'fight' below to look at Starrk. "What does she mean?"

Starrk sighed and glared at Lilynette for drawing the curious baby's attention to him, to which she smugly stuck out her tongue at him. 

"It means she's under an illusion." He answered. 

"Oh, I see. You did mention he had an ability like that." Ulquiorra's eyes gained a light of understanding and he turned back to resume spectating the fight but with less intense curiosity. 

"Oh? I didn't realize I had an audience." A voice sounded behind them.

Ulquiorra's reaction was the fastest as when he turned around, a small orb of green Cero was already formed atop his fingertip that was now pointing at the Shinigami who was now standing a few feet from them. 

"You're a Shinigami." Starrk stated factually. 'A very powerful one at that. Probably one of those Captains Itachi mentioned in passing. He knocked that Hollow out and arrived behind us in an instant before we realized what was happening.'

"Yes and no." The Shinigami casually replied, causing Starrk and Lilynette to frown while Ulquiorra still had his Cero pointing at him. 

"If you're asking about my nature, then yes, I can be said to be a Shinigami." He said as he took a step forward, ignoring how Ulquiorra's Cero darkened threateningly. "As for my affiliation, it couldn't be more farther from that."

"You're talking some bullshit, Shinigami. Who the hell are you?" Lilynette shouted angrily from behind Starrk and Ulquiorra. 

"Where are my manners?" He made a half gesture of bowing. "My name is Sōsuke Aizen."

Nothing important had been said so far but Starrk could already feel the piling up frustration and all amounts of bad vibes from that simple introduction. 'Great. First Itachi, and now this guy. Well, he did say he wasn't with the Shinigami… right? Maybe listening to him won't hurt… probably.'

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[Soul Society, 2nd Division] 

Easing into his role as Captain wasn't that hard nor was it an entirely new experience for Itachi. The only little difference was that the few duties that Yamamoto had taken up due to the lack of an official Captain was finally released to Itachi. It wasn't in any way different to what he was already used to. 

Itachi was seated under a tree shade behind his house and was slowly going through the tranquil motions of cleaning his weapons – sword, kunais, shurikens, trap wires etc. 

His mind was empty for once. No plans were being made, no worries were being contemplated on. He didn't reflect on his actions. He didn't try to understand the reason behind the actions of others. He wasn't having a mental battle against some insane masterplan, nor was he meditating on the intricacies of his new identities. 

For the first time in a long while, Itachi thought of nothing. 

Like a lone leaf sleeping on the surface of still water, flowing in any absent direction the wind blew, Itachi's eyes remained absently opened as his body went through the familiar motions. 

Unfortunately, his state of blissful emptiness was destined to be destroyed when his hands paused their motions when it felt that the shuriken it was cleaning had suddenly disappeared from its hold. 

It resumed its motion, this time picking a senbon, but once again ended up pausing its movements when it felt the senbon disappeared from its grip. 

Slowly and calmly, Itachi's eyes gradually regained their focus and a sigh escaped his lips when he realized who was responsible for disturbing him. And worst yet, he couldn't even be mad. 

"Can I do anything for you, Yachiru?" He asked tenderly and actively went through the motions of cleaning his tools, saying nothing even when Yachiru started swiping some off his hands. 

"Hmm mm." Yachiru hummed over his shoulders. Her eyes sparkled when she saw the super shining kunai Itachi had just cleaned. "It has been sooo long since Tachi-tachi visited me so I decided to visit you today."

She made up a game in her mind where she would try and swipe only the weapons Itachi was cleaning, even frowning in frustration when she failed to swipe one before Itachi dropped them. 

"I'm sorry about that. I've been quite busy as of late." Itachi said, and asked curiously after. "How do you and Zaraki go about his legal duties and still have time to lazily lay around?"

"Ah ha!" She exclaimed victoriously after swiping one of the fancier looking kunais. 

"Hmm? I don't know." She replied and added uncertainly. "Maybe it's because we don't have to do all those things. I go through a few magazines and budgets but that's it."

She didn't know why and just shrugged when Itachi gave a rare deep and slow sigh. 

She soon got bored, mostly after acquiring a sizable loot for herself, and hopped over to lay into Itachi's body. She brainstormed a few games they could play but when she couldn't come up with one fun enough, a rare memory buoyed up and bloomed a radiant smile on her face. 

"Tachi-tachi, come on! Come and cook for me!" She dragged him to his feet with a surprising display of strength that belied her diminutive form. "Kenny and Baldy like them so wrap some leftovers for them, yeah?" 

To the few Shinigami who saw them, the relationship between Itachi and Yachiru was too strange no matter how many times they've seen both of them together. 

In fact, they would say Yachiru was the weird one given how she had the best and most expressive relationship with not only the most dangerous Captain, but also the equally dangerous and most stoic Captain. 

The Shinigami on duty around Itachi's house cursed unrelentingly as they were constantly bombarded with the aromatic smells that continuously wafted from Itachi's kitchen. 

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