Bleach: Me and Aizen

After returning to Seireitei, Aizen walked slowly, taking in the architectural style that was completely different from Rukongai.

It gave him a unique feeling.

Since defecting from Seireitei, he had never imagined that he would one day stroll through Seireitei in this manner again.

"Hello, Lieutenant Aizen."

A patrol of Shinigami approached from a distance and greeted him.

Almost instinctively, Aizen responded with a gentle smile and a nod: "Good work."

Everything felt smooth and natural, and for a moment, Aizen felt as though he had returned to the Seireitei of over a hundred years ago when he was still serving as the Lieutenant of the 5th Division.

Once the patrol moved on, he turned his attention back to Seireitei, pondering slightly.

Where should he start to find Yu Mikami?

As he was contemplating this, a cloud of dust suddenly rose in the distance, and he saw a figure energetically running towards him, laughing exuberantly all the while.

"Ho ho ho! Sōsuke found!!"

In an instant, the figure was right in front of him.

Aizen was momentarily taken aback, quickly assessing the person through his glasses.

So this is Yu Mikami?

He looked quite impressive on the poster, but in person, he didn't seem very bright.

Adhering to the principle that the more one speaks, the more mistakes one makes, Aizen nodded and smiled, "Things over there are just about wrapped up, so I'm back now."

Yu Mikami revealed an enlightened smile, naturally patting him on the shoulder and chuckling, "No need to explain; I understand. Without your clever and resourceful support, the weak and pitiful you must find it hard to get by, right? That's why you've come back seeking the magnificent and omnipotent protection of the great Master Mikami…"

Aizen silently shifted his gaze away from the hand on his shoulder and stood there in silence.

This version of himself spent every day with this guy?

Suddenly, he felt a bit of sympathy for him.

However, Yu Mikami was completely unaware and then suddenly remembered something: "Oh right, Sōsuke, it's perfect that you're back! Come with me to check the goods."

"While you were gone, I suspected that Kisuke was cutting corners and trying to fool me."

"Kisuke Urahara?"

Hearing that name, Aizen perked up. Before he could sort out what was happening, Yu Mikami had already grabbed his arm and was running toward the 2nd Division.

Aizen felt awkward being almost dragged along by him.

Moreover, they were too close together, which he found uncomfortable.

"Thre… Yu."

"Hm?" Yu Mikami turned back, looking at him with confusion.

Aizen hesitated for a moment, then quietly said, "I can run by myself."

"Eh?"

"Oh."

Realizing his mistake, Yu Mikami finally let go of his grip.

He tilted his head to glance at Aizen, a hint of doubt appearing in his eyes. After a moment of empty thought, he decided not to dwell on it and turned to continue running toward the 2nd Division.

"Sōsuke, come on, keep up!"

He was moving so fast that by the time he spoke, he was quite a distance ahead.

Aizen quietly breathed a sigh of relief, turning to smooth out the wrinkled sleeve that Yu Mikami had pulled, and then he leisurely followed behind.

The two moved at great speed, only slowing down as they approached the 2nd Division headquarters.

The two Shinigami on guard duty saw them and brightened up, loudly greeting, "Lord Sanshō! Lieutenant Aizen!"

"Not bad, looking quite energetic."

Yu Mikami nodded in satisfaction and patted one of the guarding Shinigami on the shoulder. The guard appeared to be greatly honored, his face quickly lighting up, standing even straighter.

Aizen: "…"

He looked up quietly, only confirming he hadn't gone to the wrong place when he saw the numbers for the 2nd Division.

Wait, isn't Yu Mikami the captain of the 11th Division? Why is he respected so much in the 2nd Division as well?

Isn't the 2nd Division the private army of the Shihouin Family, which usually doesn't allow outsiders to meddle?

He thought to himself, "It seems there's still much I don't know."

Previously, during his conversations with the Aizen of this world at Las Noches, the other had only presented a general overview, leaving many details unexplained.

At the very least, he hadn't mentioned a single word about Yu Mikami's relationship with the 2nd Division.

Quietly following Yu Mikami into the 2nd Division, every member they encountered respectfully greeted him, as if Yu Mikami were the captain of the 2nd Division.

As they walked, Yu Mikami suddenly turned and asked, "Sōsuke, what do you think of the situation in the 2nd Division?"

After a moment of silence, Aizen replied, "Good."

Yu Mikami broke into a broad smile. "I'm glad to hear that! This is all the foundation I built for you, and I'll pass it on to you in the future."

"…" Aizen's blood pressure shot up as he finally understood why this version of himself had become like that.

He cast an unfriendly glance at Yu Mikami, contemplating whether taking action against him would count as eliminating a threat to this world's Seireitei.

Fortunately, his gaze was obscured by his glasses, and Yu Mikami did not notice.

Benefiting from his rich experience in provoking trouble, he instinctively smiled and said, "Alright, just kidding to cheer you up. Let's go; we're almost at the Technology Bureau."

Indeed, Aizen's attention was quickly diverted.

The Technology Bureau. Another element that didn't exist in his world. If he remembered correctly, the Technology Development Bureau of the 2nd Division hadn't been established at this point in the timeline.

Just then, a large Shinigami approached from a distance, the 2nd Division Lieutenant, Marechiyo Ōmaeda.

Upon seeing Yu Mikami, his eyes lit up, and he quickly made his way over, greeting from afar, "Brother Mikami, I didn't expect to find you here! Lieutenant Aizen is also present!"

Aizen politely nodded in response.

Yu Mikami smiled and said, "Long time no see, Ōmaeda! Do you need something from me?"

Marechiyo Ōmaeda replied, "It's not anything urgent, but the Kuchiki Family has sent someone and wishes to see you. It seems they have an urgent matter."

"The Kuchiki Family?" Yu Mikami's eyes brightened. "Is it Teacher Sōjun?"

Marechiyo Ōmaeda shook his head. "No, it's not Young Master Sōjun; it's a steward from their family. I'm not sure about the specifics."

Yu Mikami, worried that this matter might relate to Teacher Sōjun, said, "In that case, let him come over."

Aizen watched everything happen, his mind naturally recalling the earlier scene in Rukongai.

"The Kuchiki Family, truly one of the Five Great Noble Clans. Their information network is so efficient; it's only been a short time, and they're already asking for favors."

He then looked at Yu Mikami, his gaze subtly shifting.

"So, faced with the request from the Kuchiki Family, which has such a good relationship with you, what will you do?" 

The corners of his mouth lifted slightly, revealing a hint of anticipation.

Before long, the steward of the Kuchiki Family quickly arrived.

Yu Mikami recognized him but couldn't recall his name.

Without waiting for the steward to speak, he impatiently asked, "Is something wrong with Teacher Sōjun?"

"Uh…" The Kuchiki Family steward was taken aback, quickly regaining his composure and responding with a wry smile, "No, Young Master Sōjun is fine. This matter has nothing to do with him."

Yu Mikami's interest suddenly waned. "I see. Then what brings you here?"