La Reina was making him nervous.

Szayel never left his lab. After his first punishment met with la Reina de Las Noches, he had learned well to avoid any and all contact with the woman. The plan worked out pretty well! Until now.

Szayel didn't even sense her presence within his labs before he saw her shadow and was aware that he wasn't alone. He almost ruined an experiment by the surprise that jostled a tube of volatile liquid in his hand. Out of the corner of his eye, he studied la Reina, looking to see why she was down here. It was no secret that she found the scientist distasteful. Her presence here was only the foretelling of bad news.

"Is there anything you need, mi Reina?" he asked going for politeness and diplomacy.

"I have a few questions, Szayel," she said, "Questions that I cannot answer in my research. Questions that I'm sure you have the answers to." She finally approached from out of the darkness like a shadow gaining sentience.

Dangerous. The crispness of her suit, the cut of her hair, the sharpness of her cheekbone. It all screamed out what a dangerous creature la Reina truly was. What else could he do but bow to her power?

"My knowledge is yours, mi Reina," he said, "What do you want to know?"

"How big can a soul grow?" she asked and it was such an odd question he couldn't think.

"I beg pardon?"

"How big can a soul get? Shinigami souls hold a vast spiritual world and a zanpakutou inside them. There are some humans with recorded multiple personalities inside of their minds. Hollows eat thousands of souls and do not die from stuffing themselves. So really, how big can a soul grow?

"What is a soul? Is it light? Energy? Souls can't be just that because reishi is also light and energy. Can you answer me?"

"Yes..." he said hesitantly, trying to understand where this woman was going, "I believe what you are asking is about the raw nature of a soul, yes? A soul with no variables such as characteristics or species. Truthfully, all knowledge of the soul in it's bare form is theoretical at best, unattainable at worst. We do not have the technology to even begin to understand what exactly is a soul.

"Theoretically though, if you would please imagine souls to be liquid, each and every soul would be the same mass as everyone else."

"Really?" Agito questioned.

"Yes. But the soul is fluid, adaptable. Yes, some souls are more rigid and they turn to 'solid' but it should all still work the same. A fluid soul can accept anything within. Zanpakutos, spirits, reishi. Yes, the mass increases, but not the fluid content. If a soul is worth two kilograms and a zanpakuto is worth one kilogram, the soul would never subtract of itself to make room for the foreign spirit. If a soul is two and a zanpakuto is one, the mass will be three instead of the soul trying to fit the foreign thing within a compact space.

"The soul is fluid in a space of no limits. Anything can fit within the soul as long as the soul can absorb, or coat, the foreign object within."

"So theoretically, a Shinigami can hold multiple zanpakutos within themselves?"

"Hypothetically. But of course the soul would have to be liquid for it to work."

"What do you mean?"

"A raw soul would be pure liquid because it has no character, no experience. Liquids can be shaped by their environment. Children souls are liquids but as they grow older and take on characteristics, they solidify. A child's soul can accept more than one foreign objects within them. That is why Unahara chose to implant the Hougyoku within Rukia, believing that the child would simply absorb and negate the gem of ultimate power. A logical choice would be to implant it within himself and turn himself human but he is no child."

"Aizen is no child," Agito said, her bright golden eyes flashing in the dim light.

"Aizen," Szayel said as carefully as possible, "Has a special soul altogether."

"What do you mean?"

"Why are you asking me such strange questions?" he instead asked, trying to deflect attention. Her head tilted and her eyes traced the seams of the walls and ceilings.

"Ah," she said in understanding, "I believe I pushed too far. Thank you for your time, Szayel. Your information has proven ... invaluable."

Agito left his lab and he could not stop shaking. What the hell?

What the hell was that woman planning? Why did she need such information that wasn't even based on facts? What could she even possibly do with it?

There were no true children in Las Noches. Agito was much too old of a soul to even suggest absorbing something totally foreign within. What could she have found that would need absorbing?

He thought long and hard about it and found that the one and true possibility of what she had planned was too reckless, dangerous, and too disastrous to even consider. It all linked to Aizen with the Hougyoku. Yes, the man was too old for his soul to be considered 'liquid' but he was something else. Something that Szayel did not tell la Reina for fear of being listened to through the walls.

Aizen's soul was not liquid, was not solid. It was more like a gas. Unseen, undetectable, and the most adaptable to any situation. His soul was the catalyst of power and that was why he was so strong. When the Hougyoku and Aizen merged into one, the power within the gem would take up residence in his soul and would turn a thousand times more powerful than anyone could even dare. Like a fire burning on pure oxygen.

He hoped that whatever Agito had planned, it would not turn this revolution into a catastrophe. The start of a war of dimensions is one thing. To start the Apocalypse was another.

...

"What are you planning, mi Reina?"

Agito stopped in her stride to meet Aizen's gaze, sharp and immovable. She smiled because she knew what he was asking for.

"What do you mean?" she asked.

"You... have been stirring up trouble," he said stepping into her side as if they had a closer relationship than what they had. A farce. A smokescreen. A power-move on the game of hierarchy.

"Trouble?" she asked, "What trouble could I possibly have caused? There are no fires burning."

"La Primera Espada sleeps in your bed," he said as salaciously as possible, "La Cuatro Espada would offer his flesh if you hunger. My soldiers murmur quiet things about how beautiful, how powerful, how deadly their Reina is, as if they had the heart to love you. Now you go and seek out Szayel with questions about the soul, speaking my name ... it's rather suspicious."

"Please," Agito said, a laugh stuck in her throat, "Don't mince your words. Every move I make is suspicious. Now though, you suspect me for treason."

"I do," he admitted, sliding into her space for discomfort, "But exactly what do you plan?"

"Oh honey," she said with a mouth full of mockery, "I'm not gonna ruin your fun. What type of lover would I be to end the foreplay so soon? You so do enjoy some resistance, a little fight, a good show of power."

"That I do," he said, a smile on his lips, "But sometimes you go too hard, my dear. When you hurt me, I hurt you and I hate doing so." That teasing light in Agito's eyes dimmed as she tried to chew on his words. He lifted his hand and ran a soft caress down the side of her face, tickling her throat.

"Remember," he murmured, "You may tease, but threaten me and-"

"What?" she cut him off, her voice dropping deep, "You gonna punish me?"

"I'm giving you a warning, Agito," he hissed agitation, "You may have forgotten your sister but I haven't. Should I kill your precious Rue now as it seems that you do not care for her no longer-"

"No," Agito said, her tone completely respectful and hiding the panic swelling up in her chest. Aizen read into her eyes and nodded to himself, stepping away and smiling.

"It's good to know that you still care about your twin after so long. I thought you were growing more hollow-like tendencies the more you breathed in this putrid air. But I am glad to know this is not the case."

His smile was so amused, so confident. So disgustingly superior Agito felt the feral need to tear into his throat using her teeth. It was an instinct born from her stray mutt history and to experience it again was telling.

Aizen turned and walked down the hall, turning back around to say, "Oh yes, I forgot."

He grinned when he said, "You will be organizing the war front. Who will stay in Hueco Mundo, who will come with us to Karakura town, and who will fight who."

"Why?" she spat, so angry she could choke.

"I don't want you running away now that we're so close to the end, my dear," he said, "They would ask who is the tactician of my army? Who commands my forces? Who made the plans for the fall of Shinigami? And you will have to confess because you are my tactician, you are Comandante of the army, and you are mi Reina de Las Noches. You cannot hide from your sins, Agito. It'll be useless to try."

And with that he whirled away trusting that his words were enough to dissuade her from any reckless behaviour that would prove crippling to his master plan.

And she stood there still and unmoving. She was barely blinking. There was so much going on it'd take her a while to come to terms with it.

Damn that Orihime! Mentioning her sister Rue within these walls! Reminding Aizen of his hold over her and tightening the noose! Agito had just won so much space for character. Enough space to even suggest to her trusted Espada that she plans on rebelling. But then that girl came back and tried to be human, bringing her humanness to a war that killed hearts. Three steps forward, two steps back! She wanted to strangle that little girl because she cost Agito so much in terms of power plays!

Now Aizen was going to dangle Rue's life over her head and it was going to be agony. And now she would act as the main tactician for the war front. Is she smart enough for this position? Experienced enough? Hell yes she is.

War was in her very blood.

But Agito had always hoped for the better and Aizen knew it. Agito had to be forced into the side of evil, her personal morals would demand that she would sabotage Aizen's plans and prove to be a double agent, giving her a chance at forgiveness should the Shinigami's win. But she couldn't do that if Aizen was watching her every plan, making sure that no treachery could happen. If she even left one opening, he would swoop down and rectify it.

Her battle plans would be perfect. Aizen would win the war because of it and she would have the dubious recognition of destroying the Shinigami forces. There would be no escape. No chance of forgiveness if the Shinigami win. No, not if ... when.

Agito already planned on somehow sabotaging Aizen's plans and have the Shinigami win but now she would have to accept that she would undoubtedly be sentenced to death for betraying Soul Society, siding with the enemy, premeditated murder and countless war crimes. There is no pardon from everything. And there was still no proof from anywhere that Aizen forced her to join him. There is no proof of her innocence. Would they even try looking for proof?

They wouldn't because too long has she been seen as the enemy. To suddenly question her innocence would be joked about at best, considered scandalous at worse. Soul Society would not be merciful.

And there were other ... new factors for her to consider. So new in fact that she didn't even know where to begin planning around them.

When her mind finally settled from their ramped thoughts, she calmly took a deep breath and strode forward towards the meeting room where everyone was gathered. Agito would play her part.

She would play her part perfectly.

...

"Seems like intruders..."

"Intruders?!"

"I heard underground path numero venti-dos collapsed."

"Numero venti-dos? They broken in pretty far away again!"

"Jeez, you know it would have been more interesting if they broke right into the throne room."

"HA! This is great!"

"Shut up ... I'm so tired, quit with the loud voices."

The Espada all sat down in their designated seats, all called together for an emergency war meeting. Right behind them were the Shinigami's Aizen, Agito, Gin and Tousen. Agito and Aizen stood side by side in a rare show of unity but as soon as they both approached the head chair, Aizen deferred to his Reina and let her sit, standing to her right side with a warm smile of delight.

"Good morning," he greeted, "Ladies and gentlemen of the Espada. We are under attack. As I have given all power and authority of the army to mi Reina, I shall give the stage to her. Please give her your undivided attention."

So that was why he had 'stepped down' from his throne and given her his seat. She smiled a pleased little smile, crossing her legs and interlocking her fingers together.

"Tousen," she said, addressing the blind Shinigami, "Visual, please."

"Yes ma'am." With a little controller in his hand, the table opened a hologram and showed visual of three foreigners running on the white sands of Hueco Mundo.

"Our guests go by the name of: Ishida Uryuu, Sado Yasutora, and Ichigo Kurosaki." Before Agito could speak further she was interrupted.

"These are our enemies?" asked Aaroniero, the Noveno Espada.

"What the-? When you said we were under attack, I wondered what kind of people they were but they're youngsters!" exclaimed Baraggan.

"I've not finished speaking."

There was a clear sharp warning in her voice resonated around the table like the ringing of a death bell. It silenced them all quickly and dissuaded them from speaking any further.

She said, "Our guests are infamous for their daring, only a few months ago did they storm into Soul Society and challenged the Gotei Juu-San. They don't come as a three man army seeking to win the war. They've only come for their friend, Inoue Orihime."

"Heh!" scoffed Nnorita, "So they-" He stopped and swallowed his tongue, sensing the ghost of Agito's fire burning his flesh off. He did not want to face her wrath again. But others were getting testy.

Grimmjow stood up from his seat at the high table and went to storm out, rage and bloodlust coming off him like a pheromone.

"Grimmjow, where are you going?" asked Tousen. Grimmjow couldn't sense it but the other Espada could. The air around the table chilled as Agito absorbed all the stray reishi from the air. She was annoyed with the interruption.

"To kill them," Grimmjow spat, "It's best to crush insects when they're inside, right?"

"Aizen-sama has not given any orders yet. Go back," Tousen demanded.

"It's on Aizen-sama's behalf that I'm going to crush them," Grimmjow said, using a flimsy excuse to allow his behavior.

"Grimmjow," Aizen called from Agito's side.

Grimmjow could tell he made a mistake just from the tone Aizen had used to address him. "Yes sir?"

"I'm pleased that you would mobilize on my behalf," Aizen said, "But your Reina is not done speaking. For now, would you please return to you seat?" Grimmjow stood still and silent, unsure what to do. He could either go back to his seat like a little bitch following his master's orders, or he could strode out the door and most likely get his head cut off.

That single bit of reluctance pissed Agito off and frost started to grow on the table in front of her.

"What's wrong?" Aizen said, sensing his Reina's temperament, "I can't hear you, Grimmjow Jeagerjaques." He released his presence on the Sexta Espada. If Grimmjow didn't want to take his seat at the high table, he would sit on the floor.

The pressure was so intense, Grimmjow's knees buckled and landed his ass on the cold tile, air gone from his lungs and ears ringing from the sharp vertigo. Aizen turned back to the table and Agito smiled, the air returning to normal and frost receding back.

"Our guests," Agito said as if the interruption never happened, "Are unwelcome here. But there's no need to fret. Their unsightly presence would soon be wiped away. We have more important matters to attend to then a few desperate cockroaches playing heroes. If they come to bother you, just give them a good swat and don't destroy my castle, I just got it redecorated.

"As for our more important matters, the war against the Shinigami would soon be upon us. It will do no good to be unprepared. I will keep your orders nice and short for now. Primera, Segunda, and Tier will come with us to Karakura town to face off against the stronger Shinigami who will most likely be in the world of the living to face off against Aizen-sama. The rest will stay here and clean house."

"What does that-"

"Cuatro, you will protect the throne room, seeing as how it is the closest point of entrance from Hueco Mundo to the World of the Living. You will also be in charge of keeping the human girl alive and out of Shinigami hands. Her abilities would prove to be an advantage to any side of the war and I will not have the Shinigami to have it."

"Yes, mi Reina," said Ulquiorra.

"Cinco, Sexta, you will have the honor of facing off with the strongest taichous of Gotei. They will undoubtedly come directly here for a two front battle. You are our top fighters on this side of the war. Don't have Ulquiorra cleaning up your mess. Septimo, Octavo, and Noveno, you all will be on the front lines seeing as how all roads lead to your chambers. Clean up as many as you can and when you die, take a few of them with you.

"Decimo," Agito called out, making the big man straighten up in his seat, "You, I want out in the front lawn. You will wait until all has failed. Only then will you have fun. Do not destroy my castle. If you do, I will craft a new wing from your bones, forcing you to regenerate again and again and again as my bone crop. Am I understood?"

"Yes ma'am," said the many voices from around the high table.

"Good," she said with a smile, "I have left information in your chambers about significant powers of Shinigami. Taichous and fukutaichous. I don't care if you do or don't read what I have gathered for you but should you be ignorant about your enemy in battle, I will not be responsible for your failure. Let me be clear, you are not assigned to any one taichou. You need to be ready to face them all. Are there any concerns from the high table?"

"Yeah," said Nnorita who had been burning with this question, "What are you gonna do with these intruders?"

"First come, first serve," she said with a smile, "Stay in your territories. No one likes a gangbang. Too many cocks flapping about. Any questions?"

There was none. The plan was simple, concise and planned down to perfection. When they would go back to their chambers they would find information that explained more about the Shinigami taichous than Aizen, Gin, or Tousen had ever explained to them.

And to the carefully chosen few, a secret message from their Reina would be there, giving them special orders.