Monsters We Became { Bleach Aizen Sousuke Fanfiction }

04 - Cultivating Fire

The windowless room in which Aizen stirred was desolate. Gray walls, an all too common sight in Bosque Santuario, closed in on the white futon upon which he sat. An alcove at the back of the room laid just as empty. Tatami mats covered the floors – the only life in an otherwise sterile space. Was it a prison or a shelter?
With his bedding folded and put away, Aizen slid open the shoji screen door to a narrow hallway. From the balcony of the hall, the main room of the building was easy to watch over. All three of the floors were visible from this second story, at least those areas opposite of the hall. Two or three Hollows walked through the building – dressed in dull red uniforms. The color matched what watching the ones on the gate had been wearing. Guards.
However, there were so few that it left some biting questions as to the true reason behind the building's presence. The structure of the building itself was surprisingly standard. Three rooms in a row along each wall on each of the floors, except for the first floor. On the first floor, there were instead two rooms along each of the flanking walls, and only one door in the center of the rear wall. It was that central room that held the most importance—based on the unmoving guard at its side.
Keep Paito. It was unclear if this Keep or Vare Tower served as the main hub of Bosque Santuario. Perhaps it changed based on need. No doubt there would be more opportunities to uncover its secrets. For now, Aizen stepped into the corridor. A familiar red-haired figure sat cross-legged beside the door, standing when Aizen exited the room.

"Good morning, Aizen. Soujimaru finished making the clothes for you; it's up to you if you want them before or after training." Bylosse said.

"Good morning. Afterwards would be fine. I would not want to make you wait."

"There isn't even a wardrobe in there? Hm." The horned man said when he caught a glance of the room past the open door.

"It's fine."

"Then I'll keep the clothes for now, we'll stop by Vare Tower after training. Are you hungry now?"

"No."

The journey back to the training grounds was longer than it had been when traveling from the entrance of Bosque Santuario. Fewer Hollows lined up at every turn to watch the Shinigami. Perhaps they had already grown disinterested, but more likely these morning hours were less active and they would pour out as the day wound down. In the bright light of the tower in the distance, the plain buildings almost seemed to glisten. Few buildings showed any illumination inside, including the vibrant yellow building in which the sheep-like Hollow, Soujimaru, resided.

Past that structure was the field of sand.

This time, it was not empty. Smooth, thorny vines protruded from the ground– identical to the merciless tendrils that grabbed the defending Shinigami on the previous night. Over one hundred of them dotted the field and beyond, rupturing the sand and mossy ground. Some vines were as thin as saplings, others as thick as supporting pillars. The most immense vines were as thick and tall as the ancient trees.

"Nallundra took the liberty of creating something to serve as rolled goza mats. These ones won't ensnare you, so don't worry." Bylosse said as they stopped below the towering crystalline tree in front of the sandy field, "Today, I would like for you to cut through half of them."
Aizen drew his Zanpakuto. How hard could it be? Most of the vines before him were no thicker than the katana in his hands. Matching the stance he learned the day before, Aizen prepared to swing his blade at one of the thinnest vines in front of him– only to be interrupted by a stern voice.

"Stop. If you swing your Zanpakuto without putting any reishi behind it, you will only succeed in chipping its edge. Look closely; those vines are shielded by a layer of dense reishi." A quick inspection revealed that Bylosse spoke the truth. There was a fine green aura emanating off of the surface of each of the plants. Simply slicing at them would result in a deflected blade– or worse.